Manli

Lu YinMay 2017

3.9

Word count: 52K words
Chapters: 12

Summary

Early the next morning, Sha Lü brought a bunch of violets to the station to see Ling Su off. Holding Ling Su's hand, Sha Lü said, "Sister Su, take care! … See you in four years—may you and I both be like these smiling spring flowers; they are a symbol of hope!" Ling Su accepted the flowers then, and the train was already slowly stirring—and now it has been exactly four years.

Editor's review

Manli opens with a station farewell; the violets and the promise to meet again in four years form the emotional starting point of the whole piece, and Lu Yin uses minimal dialogue and gesture to sketch the deep yet restrained attachment between women friends. Her writing does not rely on dramatic conflict but accumulates force through the span of time and the echo of details—that bunch of "smiling spring flowers" is both a symbol of hope and an implicit melancholy over passing years. This method of lodging feeling in objects and achieving much through brevity is one of the most moving strands in May Fourth women's writing. The book is best read in an uninterrupted stretch, following the narrator's memories at an unhurried pace, to feel the plainness and sincerity characteristic of early vernacular prose. For readers studying modern epistolary and lyrical fiction by women, this work also offers a sample worth close reading. It is not weighty, yet its aftertaste lingers long, like a letter arriving years late, and it will stay with you for a while after you finish.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literary readers who enjoy lyrical short fiction and atmospheric mood
Scholars and students studying May Fourth women's writing and epistolary narrative
Readers interested in depictions of friendship and women's bonds in the Republican era
Slow readers willing to savor linguistic resonance within a short text

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting full-length plots and character arcs
Readers who prefer contemporary vernacular and lack patience for Republican-era written style
Readers seeking clear conclusions on social issues from the work

Reading tips

Read through once to absorb the overall mood, then return to the opening farewell scene for close attention to detail
Note how images such as the violets, the station, and the four-year promise echo through the text
Try reading the opening dialogue aloud to appreciate Lu Yin's command of spoken rhythm
After finishing, write a hundred-word mini-review recording your thoughts on "goodbye" and "time"

版权信息
曼丽
旧稿
幽弦
胜利以后
蓝田的忏悔录
何处是归程
秋风秋雨愁煞人
时代的牺牲者
西窗风雨
一幕
房东

FAQ

Is this a long work? How long does it take to read?

Based on the material presented, Manli is a short work, with its core scenes centered on the station farewell and the look back four years later, and it is not long. A careful first reading takes roughly half an hour to an hour, but if you want to trace the imagery and savor the language, allow more generous time for rereading.

What special meaning do the violets in the opening have?

In the text, Sha Lü gives the violets to Ling Su along with the blessing "may you and I be like these smiling spring flowers." They are a symbol of hope and a token of friendship. Seen together with the promise to meet again in four years, the flowers carry both expectation for the future and reluctance at the present parting, making them a key image for understanding the emotional tone of the whole piece.

Is this work by Lu Yin suitable for classroom discussion?

Yes. It is short, its imagery is concentrated, and its emotional layers are clear, making it easy to read through and discuss within limited class time. Discussion could center on "the narrative function of the farewell scene," "the multiple meanings of the violet image," and "the emotional weight of the four-year span," and it also lends itself to comparative reading with farewell-themed works by women writers of the same period.

Comments

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About the author

Lu Yin Author · Chinese · 1898–1934

Lu Yin (1898–1934), originally named Huang Shuyi and also known as Huang Ying, was a native of Minhou, Fujian, and a prominent woman writer of the May Fourth period as well as the first female member of the Literary Research Society. Known for her fiction and essays, she authored such representative works as "Old Friends by the Seaside," "The Sorrow of Someone," "To an Old Friend in Yanbei," "A Thread of Sorrow Sent to the Wild Geese," and "Starry Night," along with The Complete Works of Lu Yin. Her writings often portray the anguish and aspirations of educated women in a natural, autobiographical style with genuine feeling, making her an important female voice in May Fourth new literature. The collection holds 49 of her works, spanning essays and miscellaneous writings, social fiction, and classic works. She died in Shanghai in 1934 from complications of childbirth at the age of 36.