The Tale of Rebirth

陈端生Oct 2018

4.1

Word count: 749K words
Chapters: 102

Summary

Adapted from the tanci narrative, The Destiny of Rebirth tells the tragic story of Meng Lijun, daughter of a minister in the reign of Emperor Chengzong of Yuan, and Huangfu Shaohua, son of a military commander, through their joys and sorrows, partings and reunions. It succeeds in creating the character of Meng Lijun, through whom the author expresses his ideals in life, warmly celebrates women's thoughts and actions in breaking free from the bonds of feudal ethics under the social conditions of the time, and praises women's talent and courage.

Editor's review

Presented as an adaptation of a tanci text, Zaisheng Yuan centers on the joys and sorrows, separations and reunions of Meng Lijun and Huangfu Shaohua, but what truly carries the weight of the book is the character of Meng Lijun: exceptionally gifted and bold, she strives to break free from the fate arranged for her under the constraints of ritual propriety. Through her experiences the work gives expression to its ideals of life and warmly celebrates women's talent and courage, lending a tale of romance a dimension of social critique. Two things are worth noting in reading: how the adaptation preserves the strengths of tanci narrative, and the tension between the tragic ending and the brilliance of the character. It can serve both as an introductory read to classical narrative works and as companion reading for discussions of female images and ritual propriety. Given its length and its mixture of classical and vernacular language, it is best read slowly, with attention to the historical circumstances behind the characters' choices.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in classical narrative and stories of talented women
Literature enthusiasts concerned with the situation of women and female images in ancient times
Middle school and early university students using it as extended reading in classical works
Readers who enjoy stories of joys and sorrows and are willing to read a long work slowly

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking only light, short pieces and impatient with long narratives
Beginners with limited tolerance for a mix of classical and vernacular language
Readers expecting a happy reunion and averse to tragic endings

Reading tips

First sort out the relationship between Meng Lijun and Huangfu Shaohua, then pay attention to the circumstances behind each of Meng Lijun's identity choices.
Pause at key decisions and consider whether she had any other way out under the ritual propriety of the time.
You may consult general knowledge of the tanci text to understand the adaptation's choices, but need not insist on textual research into editions.
The tragic ending should not be read quickly; leave some time afterward to savor the character's brilliance and limitations.

版权信息
序
第一卷
第一回东斗君云霄被谪
第二回皇甫敬麟凤双生
第三回为求婚挟嫌构祸
第四回因践梦救难许身
第二卷
第五回恃国丈诬害良臣
第六回被妖僧擒拿主将
第七回皇甫子法网逃生
第八回尹夫人囚车被劫
第三卷
第九回韦寨主裙钗结义
第十回孟丽君花烛潜逃
第十一回华堂客佩紫衣朱
第十二回坠楼人珠沉玉碎
第四卷
第十三回官船内情收义女
第十四回旅店中爱继佳儿
第十五回闺阁人男装夺解
第十六回貔虎师阵败遭擒
第五卷
第十七回郦状元假偕伉俪
第十八回崔公子巧订姻缘
第十九回依舅家雪贞迨吉
第二十回避尼庵燕玉全贞
第六卷
第二十一回继父母封诰邀荣
第二十二回义昆季英雄应募
第二十三回挂将印为中金钱
第二十四回受真传能飞宝剑
第七卷
第二十五回伪军师知废知兴
第二十六回真义女全忠全孝
第二十七回细柳营庆赏团圆
第二十八回金銮殿伸明冤抑
第八卷
第二十九回征东将奏凯回朝
第三十回刘国丈全家下狱
第三十一回奖功臣并赐良姻
第三十二回娶皇妃更联美眷
第九卷
第三十三回救爹娘燕玉登程
第三十四回念糟糠熊君感旧
第三十五回孟夫人京都见婿
第三十六回苏乳母王府安身
第十卷
第三十七回寄花笺为明往迹
第三十八回呈画扇得践前缘
第三十九回求赦诏入梦贤妃
第四十回报捷音关前总制
第十一卷
第四十一回新夫人归宁父母
第四十二回老命妇病在膏肓
第四十三回医亲疾尽吐真情
第四十四回奉君言又生巧计
第十二卷
第四十五回图富贵弄假为真
第四十六回考文才怀疑莫释
第四十七回访丽君圣旨颁行
第四十八回听风声奏章早上
第十三卷
第四十九回向门生权词搪涂
第五十回求师母软语温存
第五十一回说怀胎遂成话柄
第五十二回召同寝竟设玄机
第十四卷
第五十三回假小娘句句如真
第五十四回真女儿时时装假
第五十五回赐婚期早偕秦晋
第五十六回呈妙计巧合师生
第十五卷
第五十七回忠孝王延师诊脉
第五十八回苏奶奶抱主悲啼
第五十九回保和殿丞相辞宾
第六十回昭阳宫元妃候驾
第十六卷
第六十一回求圣母暂缓婚期
第六十二回却封翁只缘病体
第六十三回奉诏书画成大士
第六十四回乘醉后看出闺媛
第十七卷
第六十五回紫罗帕辇前献出
第六十六回红锦鞋袖里携来
第六十七回元天子巧设机关
第六十八回郦相国暗添懊恼
第十八卷
第六十九回三杯酒病倒婵娟
第七十回一盏参救回夫主
第七十一回上封事触怒朝廷
第七十二回邀赦书恩施闺阃
第十九卷
第七十三回见小姐父母身安
第七十四回娶新人翁姑心乐
第七十五回销金帐琴瑟调和
第七十六回舞彩宫芝兰毓秀
第二十卷
第七十七回历风波黄粱梦醒
第七十八回庆升平彩笔题成
第七十九回无量佛付与神仙
第八十回有情人都成眷属

FAQ

I haven't read the tanci; can I read this book directly?

Yes. This is a text adapted from the tanci, and its main storyline is relatively clear; there is no need to read the original tanci first. For a deeper understanding, you may learn about the basic features of tanci as a storytelling and singing genre.

Why is the character Meng Lijun important?

The work succeeds fairly well in portraying Meng Lijun and, through her, expresses its ideals of life, celebrates women's thought and action in breaking free from the constraints of ritual propriety, and praises women's talent and courage. This is the part of the book most worth reading closely.

Is the ending a comedy or a tragedy?

The materials indicate that this is a tragic story of the joys and sorrows, separations and reunions of Meng Lijun and Huangfu Shaohua. When reading, there is no need to assume a happy reunion; focus instead on the relationship between the characters' choices and the circumstances of their time.

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About the author

陈端生 Author

Chen Duansheng is an author in the history of classical Chinese literature known for her long tanci (plucked-string narrative) works; reliable public information about her is limited, and her birth and death dates, native place, and life story are difficult to verify. Judging from the nine works held in the collection, her writing centers on Zaisheng Yuan (The Reincarnation) and its derived texts, along with several works in the Longfeng Zaisheng Yuan series, which shows that her creation and circulation are mainly attached to this story system. Such works alternate seven-character verse with prose narration, with dense storytelling and many characters, combining boudoir sensibilities with legendary color, and form a distinctive strain in classical narrative literature. Zaisheng Yuan has long been regarded as one of the representative works of tanci, and later generations have repeatedly compiled, adapted, and anthologized it; the editions in the collection, such as the "Must-Read Classics" and "Classic Ancient Legends" versions, reflect its continuing influence in popular reading and literary appreciation.