| Author | Liang Yusheng |
|---|---|
| Original title | 龍鳳寶釵緣 |
| Language | Chinese |
| Genre | Wuxia |
| Publisher | Ta Kung Pao |
Publication date | 25 June 1964 - 15 May 1966 |
| Publication place | Hong Kong |
| Media type | |
| Preceded by | Datang Youxia Zhuan |
| Followed by | Huijian Xinmo |
| Longfeng Baochai Yuan | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 龍鳳寶釵緣 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 龙凤宝钗缘 | ||||||||||
| Literal meaning | Romance of the Dragon and Phoenix Hairpins | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Longfeng Baochai Yuan,literally Romance of the Dragon and Phoenix Hairpins,is a wuxia novel by Liang Yusheng first published as a serial between 25 June 1964 and 15 May 1966 in the Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao . The second part of a trilogy,it continues the saga begun in Datang Youxia Zhuan and precedes Huijian Xinmo .
Set in eighth-century China during the Tang dynasty amidst the aftermath of the An Lushan rebellion,the novel intertwines romance,revenge and political intrigue through the story of Duan Keye and Shi Ruomei,whose fates are bound by their parents' promise and the symbolic "Dragon and Phoenix Hairpins". Blending historical events with chivalric ideals,Longfeng Baochai Yuan explores themes of loyalty,misunderstanding,and moral integrity within a turbulent age.
The novel is regarded as one of Liang Yusheng's most emotionally complex works,noted for its shift from grand historical conflict towards personal tragedy and reconciliation.
The novel takes place in eighth-century China during the Tang dynasty and the turmoil of the An Lushan rebellion. 16 years earlier,Duan Guizhang and Shi Yiru,who were close friends and whose respective wives were pregnant at the time,had arranged for their children to marry if they turn out to be of opposite sexes,sealing the pact by exchanging a pair of hairpins. Both men later died in the war that followed,leaving their children –Duan Keye and Shi Ruomei –to unknowingly inherit their parents' promise.
Duan Keye,raised by Xia Lingshuang,learns of his parentage and sets out to find Shi Ruomei. Meanwhile,Shi Ruomei,adopted and renamed "Hongxian" by the general Xue Song,is betrothed against her will to the son of the warlord Tian Chengsi. When Duan Keye and the outlaws of Golden Rooster Ridge ambush Tian Chengsi's convoy,a misunderstanding arises between Duan Keye and Shi Ruomei,though they later discover each other's true identities.
After a series of misfortunes and separations,Shi Ruomei leaves her adoptive family and joins her friends Nie Yinniang and Mou Shijie in search of Duan Keye. In the wulin (martial artists' community),Tie Mole is nominated to be chief but he withdraws to preserve peace,allowing the other candidate Mou Shijie to take the position. Mou Shijie secretly schemes to consolidate his power within the wulin. When Tang government forces attack the outlaws at Golden Rooster Ridge,mistrust again divides Duan Keye and Shi Ruomei,but they are later reconciled through Nie Yinniang's intervention.
Their reunion is interrupted by political intrigue:Duan Keye is captured by the rebel leader Shi Siming,whose daughter Shi Chaoying initially has a crush on Duan Keye but later shifts her affections to Mou Shijie. As Mou Shijie's ambition grows,he betrays his allies and manipulates his uncle Mou Canglang into conflict with the heroes. When his deceit is eventually exposed,Mou Shijie takes his own life.
In the aftermath,Tie Mole becomes the new chief of the wulin. Duan Keye is captured once more by the vengeful Shi Chaoying,who dies after giving birth to Mou Shijie's child. The story concludes with Duan Keye and Shi Ruomei's marriage,fulfilling the pact sealed by their parents and symbolising reconciliation after generations of strife.
Longfeng Baochai Yuan is often characterised as a tonal shift from Datang Youxia Zhuan . While the latter is praised for its sweeping historical drama and chivalric spectacle,the former places greater emphasis on intimate emotional conflict,romantic entanglements,and moral nuance set against political turmoil. Critics have noted that this shift illustrates Liang Yusheng's widening narrative focus to include psychological depth alongside wuxia and historical elements. [1]
Nie Yinniang,one of the female protagonists,has been highlighted by many readers and commentators as a particularly compelling character:praised for her courage,principled stance,and emotional agency in adversity. Several essays contrast her with other female characters whose motivations are more conflicted or morally ambivalent. [2]
Some readers have also expressed that although Longfeng Baochai Yuan is less dramatically volatile than Datang Youxia Zhuan,its romantic arcs and reconciliation themes offer their own emotional weight. A portion of the commentary critiques that the novel opts for a more harmonised or "happy ending" trajectory rather than embracing greater tragedy.
Within Liang Yusheng's broader literary legacy,Longfeng Baochai Yuan is often cited as influential in the wuxia genre for helping to fuse romance and martial narrative. Retrospectives and genre surveys frequently present the trilogy as a significant moment in Liang Yusheng's development as a writer,marking a transition towards stories that combine historical scope,interpersonal drama,and moral introspection. Editions and reprints over the decades testify to its lasting reader interest. [3]
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