Zhangtai Willow

AnonymousMay 2024

3.3

Word count: 41K words
Chapters: 17

Summary

This is a full-length vernacular novel of the gifted scholar and beautiful lady genre from the Qing dynasty; the Zuìyuèlóu printed edition is extant. The work tells the love story of Han Yi and Lady Liu, evolving from the Tang tale The Tale of Lady Liu by Xu Yaozuo. During the Tianbao era of the Tang, the scholar Han Yi sojourned in the capital and became a close friend of the young lord Li.

Lord Li kept a courtesan named Lady Liu, known as the Zhangtai Willow. Han and Liu were attracted to each other, so Li gave his vast fortune and Lady Liu entirely to Han Yi and went to Mount Hua to study the Way. Han passed the imperial examination as tanhua, and because of An Lushan's rebellion, he parted from Lady Liu to serve as a military aide under the military commissioner Hou Xiyi.

The foreign general Sha Zhali, relying on his merit in quelling the rebellion, forcibly seized Lady Liu, but she refused to submit. When Guo Ziyi's army recovered the two capitals, Han Yi returned to Chang'an but could not find Liu. Xu Jun, a brave officer from Qingzhou, moved by the sincere love of Han and Liu, rode out and rescued Lady Liu, bringing about the reunion of husband and wife.

Editor's review

Zhangtai Liu is a full-length vernacular novel of the gifted scholar and beautiful lady genre from the Qing dynasty, evolved from the Tang tale The Tale of Lady Liu; the Zuìyuèlóu printed edition is extant. Centered on the love of Han Yi and Lady Liu, the book strings together such episodes as Lord Li's gift of his fortune, Han Yi's examination success, the outbreak of An Lushan's rebellion, Sha Zhali's forcible seizure, and Xu Jun's mounted rescue, combining the charm of the gifted scholar and beautiful lady genre with the sorrow of separation in a time of chaos. Written in vernacular Chinese, it has a brisk narrative pace and clear character relationships: the constancy of Han and Liu's love, Lord Li's free-spiritedness, and Xu Jun's righteous courage each have their merits. As a Qing novel, it serves both researchers of classical fiction examining the evolution of the gifted scholar and beautiful lady theme and the adaptation of Tang tales, and general readers as a lightweight introduction to ancient love narratives and novels of worldly affairs. When reading, note where the tale is expanded into a full-length novel, and how notions of loyalty and treachery, gratitude and righteousness, and chivalry unfold in the plot.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Lovers of classical literature who want to understand the relationship between gifted-scholar-and-beautiful-lady novels and Tang tales
General readers interested in ancient love stories and narratives of worldly affairs
Students or researchers of Chinese literature who need a Qing vernacular novel as a reference text
Readers who enjoy stories of separation and reunion in times of chaos and chivalrous rescue

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer fast-paced modern web fiction and have little patience for ancient vernacular narrative
Researchers expecting strict historical accuracy or a scholarly annotated edition
Readers sensitive to the conventions of the gifted scholar and beautiful lady genre and ancient gender attitudes

Reading tips

First read the Tang tale The Tale of Lady Liu, then compare it with this book to observe how the plot is expanded and rewritten.
Proceed chapter by chapter, noting the key choices and points of conflict for Han Yi, Lady Liu, and Xu Jun.
Take notes on common patterns in Qing gifted-scholar-and-beautiful-lady novels and compare their similarities and differences with this book.
While reading, pay attention to how the chaotic times drive the romantic setbacks, rather than focusing only on the reunion ending.

版权信息
第一回李侠士豪情赠骑唐明皇御幸春游
第二回章台愁锁怀春女曲院欣逢悄意郎
第三回佛殿中欣传玉合幽闺里巧露机关
第四回侯节度新蒙敕授轻娥婢细问根由
第五回韩氏子明园配柳李家郎弃产寻仙
第六回沙番归顺禄山逆韩子登荣柳氏欢
第七回斩逆使侯公拒间初登第员外参谋
第八回果老仙偈言指教法灵寺祝赞平安
第九回韩参军东会青州唐陛下西迁蜀地
第十回因避乱柳娘祝发怜娇眷长老收徒
第十一回华山上逢婢谈旧幕府中寄诗遣奴
第十二回奚奴问息逢尼院光弼功成奏凯歌
第十三回入虎穴柳姬底节访云台故友谈心
第十四回沙王府主婢欢遇通政门合囊互投
第十五回许虞侯计归完璧沙将军疏还紫骝
第十六回尚书郎议奏丹陛方外人同蒙敕封

FAQ

What is the relationship between Zhangtai Liu and the Tang tale The Tale of Lady Liu?

This book evolved from Xu Yaozuo's Tang tale The Tale of Lady Liu, expanding the originally short tale into a full-length Qing vernacular novel with added character relationships, a background of chaotic times, and detailed description; at its core it remains the love and separation of Han Yi and Lady Liu.

Who is the Zhangtai Willow in the book?

The Zhangtai Willow refers to Lady Liu, a courtesan kept by the young lord Li. She and Han Yi were attracted to each other; Lord Li gave his fortune and Lady Liu to Han Yi, and later Lady Liu was forcibly seized by the foreign general Sha Zhali and finally rescued by Xu Jun's mounted charge, reuniting the couple.

Is this book suitable for reading as historical material?

It is a Qing vernacular novel, not a history book. It can be used to observe ancient love narratives, the gifted-scholar-and-beautiful-lady mode, and notions of worldly affairs, but it should not be treated as a primary source for Tang history or institutions; background such as the An Lushan Rebellion should be checked against historical works.

Do I need to read many classical novels first to read this book?

No. The vernacular narrative is fairly smooth and the plotlines are clear, so general readers can enter the story directly. If you first learn the outline of The Tale of Lady Liu or have some familiarity with gifted-scholar-and-beautiful-lady novels, it will be easier to see the intent behind the adaptation.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.