Harem Chronicle of Zhen Huan - (1)

Author: Liu Lianzi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-02-01
Features: In Liu Lianzi's depiction of the imperial harem, the group of flower-like women may come from noble families or possess exquisite beauty and cunning intelligence. They fight for love, for wealth and status, for a man who may not deserve them. They scheme and deceive, wasting their youth and beauty in this endless struggle. Though they are like flowers in red, they hide hidden dangers. However, no matter how fierce their struggles, they still hold onto hope for beauty. In Liu Lianzi's portrayal, Zhen Huan is unparalleled, with a gentle and wise heart, extraordinary talent, and unwavering belief in true love. She is not a perfect, otherworldly woman who is detached from the mortal world. She seeks extravagant love in the harem but is always burdened with too many concerns. When the curtain falls, her loneliness becomes exceptionally cold and piercing. The struggle between women is always a cruel struggle. And the harem is a dense ground of cruelty. What I wanted to write was simply a story of love and struggle in the silent depths of the palace. The day I first entered the palace was a very sunny day. It was the 20th day of the eighth lunar month in the 12th year of the Qianyuan era, a lucky day according to the Yellow Calendar. Standing in the vast courtyard of Zicheng, I could see an incredibly clear sky, as blue as a piece of jade, without a single cloud. Occasionally, flocks of wild geese flew overhead in perfect formation. High-flying wild geese were said to be a very auspicious sign. But my eyes suddenly filled with tears, fearing that in this life, longing would be longer than dreams. I feared that I might gaze endlessly into the boundless autumn waters, or that I would never see each other again in this lifetime.