National beauty, celestial fragrance. The Legend of Zhao Feiyang

Author: [Ming] Wu Jingsuo, [Han] Ling Xuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-01-01
Features: The Splendor of Beauty: A Ming Dynasty Collection of Legendary Novels. It consists of ten volumes, including over twenty novels, as well as some poetic dialogues, lost stories, and humorous anecdotes. Among them, The Story of Liu Sheng Seeking Lotus, The Three Wonders of the Flower God, The Heavenly Fate of Love, and The Love Collection of Beauties are considered masterpieces of Chinese middle-length fiction. These works are all set in the theme of the love and marriage between talented scholars and beautiful women, depicting the extraordinary experiences of young men and women in ancient times in their pursuit of love. The male protagonists are all talented and passionate, while the female protagonists are exceptionally beautiful. They exchange poetry under flowers and moonlight, or meet secretly in secluded chambers. When the passion is intense, their tender intimacy is also portrayed with elegance and refinement, which is why the book was repeatedly condemned by authorities as "promoting debauchery" and banned. The book had a significant influence on later erotic novels by literati, especially in its blend of prose and verse, which is elegant and magnificent, making it a subject of much admiration.
The Cave of the Immortal Wanderer: This is the earliest surviving erotic novel in China. Written by Zhang Zhao of the Tang Dynasty, the novel tells the story of a scholar's romantic encounter: in a secluded mansion, filled with tender caresses and endless charm, it transports readers into a dreamlike state. It can be said to be the foundational work of Chinese literature on courtesan culture. The language is archaic yet natural, and the style is particularly notable for its use of parallel prose to narrate the story, which inherits the tradition of The High Tang Suite by Song Yu and The by Cao Zhi, while also pioneering the later blend of prose and verse in storytelling. It holds a certain position in the history of fiction.
The Biography of Zhao Feiyang·The Separate Biography of Zhao Feiyang: This is a companion piece to the former, focusing on the love and debauchery between Emperor Cheng of Han and Zhao Feiyang. The plot is somewhat repetitive, primarily narrating how the sister-in-law of Cheng's harem, He De, took advantage of her favor and wielded power, indulging in debauchery to the point where the emperor died of exhaustion. This story became a source of inspiration for many later literary works. The old title "The Separate Biography" attributes it to Ling Xuan, the Eastern Capital Commandant of the Han Dynasty, indicating that it is an early work in the history of Chinese erotic fiction.