Story of

Author: Li Ruzhen (Qing Dynasty)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-06-01
Features: The Mirror of Flowers and Fruits is a famous long, serial novel and also a renowned classical Chinese literary work, authored by Liu Ruzhen. Liu Ruzhen, styled Songshi, was from Beijing and was born around 1763 AD, passing away in 1810 AD. He was a celebrated literary figure during the Qing Dynasty. He particularly disliked the Eight-legged essay and thus never achieved significant "official status," serving only as a minor official such as a county magistrate in Henan Province. Some say he was also a doctor, though this remains unverified. Liu Ruzhen once wrote two books, The Phonetics of the Li Family and The Go Manual for Raising Offspring, both of which hold considerable academic value. The Phonetics of the Li Family studies phonology, while The Go Manual for Raising Offspring is a go manual, both of which are highly scholarly works. In his later years, Liu Ruzhen lived in poverty but devoted over a decade to composing The Mirror of Flowers and Fruits. This long novel, through the depiction of a fantastical overseas world, mercilessly satirizes the human condition in real society, embodying the author's social ideals, particularly advocating gender equality. The artistry of The Mirror of Flowers and Fruits is also distinctive, with vivid, fluent, and humorous language, making it a classic Chinese literary masterpiece that has endured through the ages. The original book of The Mirror of Flowers and Fruits has 100 chapters, which can be divided into two parts. From the fifth to the fiftieth chapter, it primarily depicts a world filled with magical and romantic elements overseas. From the fiftieth chapter to the end, it mainly tells the experiences of one hundred talented women in the domestic realm. The Story of the Mirror of Flowers and Fruits is adapted from the first fifty chapters of The Mirror of Flowers and Fruits, recounting the strange and wonderful tales encountered by Tang Ao, Lin Zhiyang, and Duo Jiugong overseas. Due to the shortcomings present in The Mirror of Flowers and Fruits, it often carries ideas of karma and retribution, and some parts of the text are also difficult to understand. Therefore, we have made some deletions and modifications. We do not know whether readers will like this approach. If you are interested, you may try reading further.