Summary
By stealing the chi of humans a fox spirit may survive one thousand years, at which age it may achieve true immortality. The fox vixen Springshadow has nearly attained that prize, taking the guise of a beautiful girl down the centuries and using the life force of her lovers. None took any permanent harm from it, but her latest lover, Zou Xiaofan, is deathly ill, and by demanding she "prove" her love for him at such a time forces her to choose between her immortality and his life. While fond of him in her own way, for Springshadow there is really only one choice. She makes it, and he dies.
Now immortal, Springshadow finds herself dissatisfied, plagued by a vague sense of regret she fears may blossom into an actual conscience. Traveling to Heaven, she quickly finds it unsatisfactory, better than but otherwise little different from Earth. She locates and converses with Sunflash, another immortal fox, and learns that he too failed to find contentment and is preparing to give up his status. He has only waited as long as he has in order to pass to the next fox to achieve immortality (her) his insight into its secret; that it is, in fact, worthless, and that true advancement can only come by returning to the wheel of rebirth.
A message from her dead lover's shade conveyed to her by Guan Shi Yin, goddess of mercy, convinces Springfox she might exorcize her inconvenient feelings by redeeming Zou Xiaofan's soul. By means of Heaven's efficient bureaucracy she discovers it is located in the Hell of Hungry Ghosts, to which she travels in the company of her longtime friend Wildeye, a Daoist reprobate who has also achieved immortality. Enlisting the aid of the demons there by bribing them with liquor, they finally locate Zou Xiaofan and with the aid of Guan Shi Yin free him from the torment to which he has mistakenly condemned himself.
After resolving this unfinished business, Springfox comes to her own conclusion on the secret of immortality.
Guanyin is a Bodhisattva associated with compassion. She is the East Asian representation of Avalokiteśvara and has been adopted by other Eastern religions, including Chinese folk religion. She was first given the appellation "Goddess of Mercy" or "Mercy Goddess" by Jesuit missionaries in China. Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin, which means "[The One Who] Perceives the Sounds of the World." On the 19th day of the sixth lunar month, Guanyin's attainment of Buddhahood is celebrated.
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is a monogatari containing elements of Japanese folklore. Written by an unknown author in the late 9th or early 10th century during the Heian period, it is considered the oldest surviving work in the monogatari form.
Thomas Burnett Swann was an American poet, critic and fantasy author. His criticism includes works on the poetry of H.D. and Christina Rossetti. Swann died of cancer and several of his novels were published posthumously.
Xian refers to a person or similar entity having a long life or being immortal. The concept of xian has different implications dependent upon the specific context: philosophical, religious, mythological, or other symbolic or cultural occurrence.
Monkey: Journey to the West is a stage adaptation of the 16th century novel Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en. It was conceived and created by the Chinese actor and director Chen Shi-Zheng along with British musician Damon Albarn and British artist Jamie Hewlett.
The Mad Monk (Chinese: 濟公; pinyin: Jì Gōng is a 1993 Hong Kong fantasy comedy film directed by Johnnie To, and starring Stephen Chow as the "Mad Monk" Ji Gong, a popular Chinese folklore figure from the Southern Song Dynasty. The film follows "Dragon Fighter Luohan" as he accepts a challenge from the gods to change the fate of a beggar, a prostitute, and a villain in three heavenly days. He is reborn on earth as a mere mortal and ultimately battles an evil demon to stave off hell on earth.
Immortality is a common theme in fiction. The concept has been depicted since the Epic of Gilgamesh, the oldest known work of fiction. Originally appearing in the domain of mythology, it has later become a recurring element in the genres of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. For most of literary history, the dominant perspective has been that the desire for immortality is misguided, albeit strong; among the posited drawbacks are ennui, loneliness, and social stagnation. This view was challenged in the 20th century by writers such as George Bernard Shaw and Roger Zelazny. Immortality is commonly obtained either from supernatural entities or objects such as the Fountain of Youth or through biological or technological means such as brain transplants.
New Legend of Madame White Snake is a 1992 TV series starring Angie Chiu and Cecilia Yip. It is based on the Chinese folk legend Legend of the White Snake. First shown on Taiwan Television in 1992, the series was broadcast on China Central Television in 1993 and became a major hit. It remained popular for more than 20 years, and was still one of the most replayed TV series in 2016.
Fangshi were Chinese technical specialists who flourished from the third century BCE to the fifth century CE. English translations of fangshi include alchemist, astrologer, diviner, exorcist, geomancer, doctor, magician, monk, mystic, necromancer, occultist, omenologist, physician, physiognomist, technician, technologist, thaumaturge, and wizard.
Billy Richard Parks is an American fantasy, science fiction and horror writer. He writes under the names Richard Parks and W. J. Everett, aside from a few early works written as by B. Richard Parks and Rick Parks.
The Ogre's Wife: Fairy Tales for Grownups is a collection of fantasy short stories by American writer Richard Parks. It was first published in trade paperback by Obscura Press in August 2002. A Kindle edition was issued in 2011, and a new trade paperback edition in September 2020. The collection was nominated for the 2003 World Fantasy Award for Best Collection; its title story won the SF Age Reader's Poll for short story in 1995.
Worshipping Small Gods is a collection of fantasy short stories by American writer Richard Parks. It was first published in trade paperback by Prime Books in January 2007, with a hardcover edition following from the same publisher in May of the same year.
On the Banks of the River of Heaven is a collection of fantasy short stories by Richard Parks. It was first published in hardcover by Prime Books in November 2010.
Yamada Monogatari: Demon Hunter is a collection of historical mystery fantasy short stories by Richard Parks, the first volume in a series featuring his sword and sorcery character Yamada no Goji. It was first published in simultaneous trade paperback and ebook form by Prime Books in January 2013.
Hereafter, and After is a fantasy novella by Richard Parks. It was first published in hardcover and trade paperback by PS Publishing in March 2007. A subsequent ebook edition appeared in October 2011. The print edition includes an introduction by Andy Duncan.
Yamada Monogatari: To Break the Demon Gate is a historical fantasy novel by Richard Parks, the second volume in his Yamada Monogatari series featuring his sword and sorcery character Yamada no Goji. It was first published in simultaneous trade paperback and ebook form by Prime Books in November 2014, with the first hardcover edition, under the alternate title To Break the Demon Gate, published by PS Publishing the same month. A subsequent audiobook edition was issued by Audible in December of the same year.
Yamada Monogatari: The War God's Son is a historical fantasy novel by Richard Parks, the third volume in his Yamada Monogatari series featuring his sword and sorcery character Yamada no Goji. It was first published in trade paperback and ebook by Prime Books in October 2015. A subsequent audiobook edition was issued by Audible.
Yamada Monogatari: The Emperor in Shadow is a historical fantasy novel by Richard Parks, the fourth volume in his Yamada Monogatari series featuring his sword and sorcery character Yamada no Goji. It was first published in trade paperback and ebook by Prime Books in September 2016. A subsequent audiobook edition was issued by Audible.
Bibliography of fantasy writer Richard Parks:
Four Horsemen, at Their Leisure is a fantasy short story by Richard Parks. It was first published in the online magazine Tor.com for April 21, 2010,with a subsequent stand-alone Tor ebook edition appearing February 1, 2011. It subsequently appeared in the e-anthology The Stories: Five Years of Original Fiction on Tor.com on July 15, 2013.
