White Gate Willow (1): Sunset and Fragrant Grass

Author: Liu Sifen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-06-01
Features: This book is the result of 16 years of dedicated effort by renowned writer Liu Sifen. It tells the story of three famous courtesans from the "Eight Beauties of Qinhuai" during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties—Liu Shi, Li Shiniang, and Dong Xiaowan—as well as the scholar Qian Qianyi, who fiercely struggled against the times and fate. The book won the Fourth Mao Dun Literature Prize and has been adapted into a stage play, receiving widespread acclaim. Sunset over Fragrant Grass is the th volume of the trilogy White Gate Willow, focusing on the intense struggles between the literary organization "Fushe" and the "Eunuch Faction" in the Jiangnan region during the final days of the Ming Dynasty. It also depicts the tumultuous love story between Mao Qian, one of the "Four Gentlemen of Fushe," and the Qinhuai courtesan Dong Xiaoyuan, which becomes entangled with political deals by powerful figures to exonerate the remnants of the Eunuch Faction. This adds layers of complexity to the political struggles, factional conflicts, and internal strife in Jiangnan. Through the lens of intellectuals of the time—so-called "scholars"—the novel portrays the sharp and intricate social contradictions of China in the mid-17th century, presenting a vivid picture of a declining era moving toward rebirth amidst luxury and decay. Whether depicting the lives and emotions of historical figures or the customs and traditions of the opulent Jiangnan region, the work is rich in detail, vivid in imagery, and full of fresh insights.