The Plum Blossom Blooms Twice (3)

惜阴堂主人Jun 2024

3.2

Word count: 51K words
Chapters: 17

Summary

A Qing dynasty vernacular novel, "The Complete Tale of the Second Plum Blossom" runs to chapters and some ten thousand characters. Written by the Master of Xiyin Hall, its full titles are The Complete Tale of Loyalty, Filial Piety, Integrity and Righteousness: The Second Plum Blossom and The Strange Tale of the Second Plum Blossom. Later adapted for Peking opera, Yue opera and pingju, it is nominally a scholar-and-beauty romance, yet the author does not write of love alone: much of the book concerns political strife within the ruling group. Though it keeps to the traditional theme of loyalty against treachery, the plot is full of twists, and its many threads are unwound without confusion.

Editor's review

This is the third volume of The Complete Tale of the Second Plum Blossom, continuing the narrative line of the Qing dynasty vernacular chapter novel. Its appeal lies not in a single romantic thread but in setting a scholar-and-beauty story within a framework of loyalty versus treachery and political infighting: the characters' fates rise and fall with court intrigue, and the plot turns on clashes of allegiance, giving it a political resonance beyond the ordinary novel of manners. The Master of Xiyin Hall keeps his many threads orderly; grasp the main relationships and the structure proves intricate yet clear. This volume also rewards reading alongside the opera adaptations, to see how the same story reinforces loyalty, filial piety, integrity and righteousness across media and shifts the weight of its characters. On the whole it is best read as a sample of genre blending and popular transmission in the Qing chapter novel rather than a fast-paced modern read.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who have finished Volume One and want to follow the story further
Those studying the evolution of the Second Plum Blossom story and its opera adaptations
Readers interested in the loyalty-versus-treachery theme in Qing chapter novels
Lovers of traditional fiction with multiple storylines and rich character relationships

Not a good fit for

Readers who have not read the earlier volumes and want to follow the whole plot on their own
Readers drawn only to the romance and impatient with political strife
Readers who prefer short, fast-paced prose and are unfamiliar with chapter-novel vernacular

Reading tips

Read in volume order where possible, reviewing earlier character relationships before starting this one.
Note the loyal and treacherous camps and key turning points to keep the multiple threads straight.
Compare with plot summaries of the opera adaptations to see how theme and character are handled.
Where the threads grow dense, read the chapter headings before the text to grasp each chapter's focus.

版权信息
第二十五回江公子爱色抢玉姐众渔人动气骂江魁
第二十六回陈春生当街喊状邱军门勘问如雄
第二十七回渔婆被吓吐出真消息军门怜才收留羡东
第二十八回梅夫人后堂观审陈公子异地逢亲
第二十九回梅夫人有心为月老邱老娘无意得螟蛉
第三十回失金钗梅公子得病睹旧物陈小姐思夫
第三十一回重台赠钗忽睹得病无奈只得吐露衷肠
第三十二回巧丫环吟诗探心病老夫人设席庆奇逢
第三十三回昭君送杏元联姻邹公回府知根由
第三十四回穆荣会试入黉门春生赴考住长安
第三十五回骂礼部邱魁却婚陷榜眼黄嵩设计
第三十六回众举子午门殴奸圣天子金殿问供
第三十七回三法司奉旨会审两奸贼法场受刑
第三十八回雪沉冤封官赐爵代巡狩剎佞除奸
第三十九回微服私访斩侯鸾建坊立碑祭先祖
第四十回赐完婚洞房花烛大家封赠庆团圆

FAQ

Can I skip Volume One and start with Volume Three?

Not advisable. This is one volume of The Complete Tale of the Second Plum Blossom; the character relationships and plot threads are set up in earlier volumes, and Volume Three carries the multiple narratives forward. Starting here makes it easy to lose track of characters' allegiances and the causes of events. Best to read in volume order, or at least learn the main characters and the loyal and treacherous camps from earlier volumes before beginning this one.

What is the main value of this book?

According to the sources, though a scholar-and-beauty novel, it does not write of love alone: much of it concerns political strife within the ruling group and continues the traditional theme of loyalty against treachery. Its value lies in showing how the Qing vernacular chapter novel wove together manners, politics and ethics, with a twisting yet orderly plot, and it also serves as a source for the related opera adaptations.

Can I understand it without knowing the operas?

Yes. This is a vernacular novel text; no prior familiarity with the Peking, Yue or pingju adaptations is required. The adaptation information only provides background on how the story spread, not a prerequisite for reading. Follow the chapter narrative and note the main relationships and the loyal-versus-treacherous conflict, and the basic plot is clear; those who know the operas gain an extra layer of comparison.

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About the author

惜阴堂主人 Author

Xiyintang Zhuren is an authorial name taken from a studio hall (tanghao) in the field of Ming and Qing vernacular fiction; the writer's real name, native place, and dates of birth and death are not clearly recorded, and publicly available information is limited. Judging from the ten works held in the collection, the author's output centers on the compilation of classical literature and the writing of vernacular fiction. Representative works include Er Du Mei (The Second Plum Blossom) together with its full-length sequel and various divided and Qing-dynasty vernacular editions, as well as a forty-volume collection of classical literary works. These titles are generally classified under classical literature, classic works, and social fiction, with tags also touching on Eastern philosophy and time-travel alternate history, suggesting a diverse range of subjects. Er Du Mei, which traces the joys and sorrows of a talented scholar and a beautiful maiden, features a twisting plot and plain, accessible language; it was one of the more widely circulated Qing vernacular novels, and it is through this work that the name Xiyintang Zhuren is known to later readers.