The Tale of Li Wa

The Tale of Li Wa () is a short novella by Chinese writer Bai Xingjian (or Bo Xingjian) during the Tang dynasty.

Song Geng (C: 宋耕, P: Sòng Gēng) wrote that this was one of three Tang dynasty works that were "particularly influential in the development of the caizi-jiaren model". There is a poem by Yuan Zhen, "The Ballad of Li Wa," that is a companion to the novel.

It was translated into English by Arthur Waley, who used the title The Story of Miss Li and included it on pages 113–36 in the collection More Translations from the Chinese, which was published in 1919 by Alfred A. Knopf. It was also translated into English by Glen Dudbridge, who used the title The Tale of Li Wa: Study and Critical Edition of a Chinese Story from the Ninth Century. This version was published in 1983 by Ithaca Press.

The story was also translated in Wang Chi-chen, Traditional Chinese Tales (New York: Greenwood, 1944, 1976), pp. 61–74.

Linda Rui Feng of the University of Toronto wrote that the novel features the "unpredictability and unintelligibility" of Chang'an and a conflict between "career accomplishment" and "youthful transgressions".

Development

There is a debate over two possibilities of how the story evolved. One group believes that in 795 three friends told the story amongst one another. Another position states that a professional storyteller had performed in front of Bai Xingjian and Bai Juyi, and Yuan Zhen, and that Bai Xingjian obtained the story from the storyteller. One author, Tatsuhiko Seo, believes that the story comes from a storyteller.

Plot

The story involves a tribute student (a provincial examinee), Zheng, trying to get the affections of Li Wa, a famous courtesan or prostitute in Chang'an. The protagonist spends his money on Li Wa and neglects his studying for the imperial examinations. He lives with Li Wa for two years and spends all of his money, which is ultimately exhausted. Li Wa is not the only aspect obstructing Student Zheng from his studies. There are portions of the story that, as written by Feng, are "devoted to a world without her, in fact, takes on an impetus and logic all of its own".

After Zheng can no longer pay the brothel costs, Li Wa abandons him, as does her madam. Student Zheng begins working at a funeral parlor as a dirge singer and at one point is the winner of a singing competition. The student's father discovers him while visiting Chang'an and severely beats him, as he is upset that his son is in this condition. The father leaves the son for dead, disowning him. Later Li Wa encounters the protagonist, who is now a beggar. She helps him recover his health, reconcile with his father, and study for the examinations. The father exclaims that he and his son are "father and son as before" (C: 父子如初, P: fùzǐ rúchū, W: fu-tzu ju-ch'u) when they reconcile. Student Zheng remains devoted to Li Wa and the two marry.

Characters

• Zheng (T: 鄭, S: 郑, P: Zhèng, W: Cheng) – A tribute student (a provincial examinee), Zheng is trying to get the affections of Li Wa. In the original story Student Zheng is only known by his family name and his hometown, Xingyang, Henan. In the related plays the male is given a full name, Zheng Yuanhe (T: 鄭元和, S: 郑元和, W: Cheng Yüan-ho). At the time he arrives in Chang'an he is 20 years old, the age of adulthood.
• Li Wa (C: 李 娃, P: Lǐ Wá, W: Li Wa) is a courtesan or prostitute in Chang'an. She is the title character.
• In the essay "The Background and Status of Li Wa" Dudbridge argued that she "holds up the standard of morality to those who should be her moral superiors" as she changes into a "maternal authority" from a courtesan, and Nienhauser stated that she "prepares Mr. Zheng for his own transformation". In the same section Dudbridge compares her to youwu (C: 尤物, P: yóuwù, W: yu-wu "extraordinary beautiful women").

Analysis

S-C Kevin Tsai wrote that the critical literature usually reaches "conclusions that do not depart far from the conventional, May-Fourth-derived reading of the story as resistance against oppression" and that "The majority of Chinese literary criticism focusing on gender in the "Tale of Li Wa" generally does not depart far from this conclusion". In Tanren Chuanqi (唐人传奇/唐人傳奇), a book published in Taipei in 1990 by Sanmin shuju, Wu Zhida (吴志达/吳志達) stated that The Tale of Li Wa is "a victory song against the aristocratic marriage institution".

Glen Dudbridge's monograph The Tale of Li Wa, Study and Critical Edition of a Chinese Story from the Ninth Century includes annotations to provide understanding for Western readers. He wrote an article named "A Second Look at Li Wa zhuan" defending his method of providing annotations.

Some scholars who study the culture of the Tang dynasty perceive the story as, in the words of Tsai, "a relatively straightforward storehouse of social data; for instance, some study the tale for the detailed descriptions of capital city life in the tale." Scholars focusing on the philology include Bian Xiaoxuan (), Dai Wangshu, (), Zhang Zhenglang (), and Zhou Shaoliang (周绍良/周紹良). Nienhauser stated that Wang Meng'ou's Tangren xiaoshuo jiaoshi is the best modern annotation of "Li Wa zhuan"" and that "Dudbridge's resonances are often measured against" Tangren xiaoshuo jiaoshi (唐人小說校釋/唐人小说校释).

Bian Xiaoxuan and Liu Kairong (刘开荣/劉開榮) believe the work is a roman à clef. Accordingly, they attempted to figure out what the allegory and the identity of the basis of Student Zheng were.

Audiences

Nienhauser wrote that "While the exact constituency of [contemporary Tang Dynasty readers] cannot be determined, Bo Xingjian (and other tale writers) clearly targeted those members of the Tang elite who were themselves active in literature, men who obviously could recognize even the most erudite allusion." Nienhauser explained that "the inner audience-perhaps the primary audience" of the story consisted of men taking the Tang dynasty imperial examinations.

As of 2007, modern audiences include Chinese readers and Western sinologists. The latter, according to Nienhauser, are "aided by various databases that may allow (even encourage) over-reading of resonances. " He added that "The modern Chinese audience shares this potential."

Legacy

There have been dramas made based on "The Tale of Li Wa." There is a farce, A Noontime Dream in the Garden Grove, which portrays a dispute between Li Wa and Oriole, the female protagonist of The Story of the Western Wing.

References

• Dudbridge, Glen. "A second look at Li Wa zhuan" (Chapter 8). In: Dudbridge, Glen. (editor). Books, Tales and Vernacular Culture: Selected Papers on China (Volume 7 of China studies / China studies). BRILL, 2005. p. 180–191. , 9789004147706.
• Also published as: Dudbridge, Glen. "A second look at Li Wa chuan". In: Eoyang, Eugene and Yaofu Lin. Translating Chinese Literature. Indiana University Press, 1995. p. 67–76. , 9780253319586.
• Feng, Linda Rui (University of Toronto). "Chang'an and Narratives of Experience in Tang Tales." Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies. Volume 71, Number 1, June 2011. pp. 35–68. 10.1353/jas.2011.0003. Available from Project MUSE.
• Nienhauser, William H. "Introduction." In: Nienhauser, William H. (editor). Tang Dynasty Tales: A Guided Reader. World Scientific, 2010. , 9789814287289.
• Nienhauser, William H. Jr. (University of Wisconsin-Madison). "A Third Look at "Li Wa Zhuan"." T'ang Studies (Print , Online ), 2007(25), pp. 91–110.
• Tsai, S-C Kevin (Princeton University). "Ritual and Gender in the "Tale of Li Wa"." Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews (CLEAR). Vol. 26, (Dec., 2004), pp. 99–127. Available at JSTOR.

Notes

Further reading

English

• Dudbridge, Glen. The Tale of Li Wa, Study and Critical Edition of a Chinese Story from the Ninth Century. Ithaca Press (London), 1983.

Traditional Chinese:

• Zhongguo gudian xiaoshuo yanjiu zilao (T: 中國古典小說研究資料), ed., Bo Xingjian yu "Li Wa zhuan" (T: 白行簡與李娃傳). Taipei: Tianyi chubanshe, 1982.
• Ma, Y.W. (T: 馬幼垣, P: Mǎ Yòuyuán). "Sao luoye, hua banben: Li Wa you mei you canjia quzhu Li sheng de jinchantuokeji" (T: 掃落葉落葉、話版本—李娃有沒有參加驅逐李生的金蟬脫殼計). China Times. August 7, 1969.
• Re-published in Bo Xingjian yu "Li Wa zhuan", p. 80-1.

Simplified Chinese

• Li Xiaohua (李小华) (Chinese Department, Qufu Normal University). "Charming Girl of Diverse Character, Ode to the Feminine——Analyze Li Wa's Figure in the Biography of Li Wa from Structure of the Plot" (千面娇娃,女性颂歌——从情节结构分析《李娃传》中李娃形象). 德州学院学报, Journal of Dezhou University, 编辑部邮箱, 2007å¹´01期 [给本刊投稿]
• Tang Tao (唐 桃) (School of Humanities, Qujing Normal University). "On Bai Xingjian's The Story of Li Wa from the View of Feminist Criticism" (阴差阳错造就的喜剧——白行简《李娃传》的女权主义批评). 《曲靖师范学院学报》. 2012年第1期 53–56,共4页. 分类号：I207.41.
• Tu Baicheng (涂白诚) (History Department, Xuchang Teachers College). "The Recovery of Conscience and the Return of Normal Human Feelings ——A New Comment on A Biography of Li Wa" (良知的复苏 人性的回归——《李娃传》别论). 许昌师专学报, Journal of Xuchang Teachers' College(Social Science Edition), 编辑部邮箱, 2001å¹´01期 [给本刊投稿]
• Wang Rutao (王汝涛) and Yin Shutong (伊淑彤) (both of the Chinese Department, Linyi Teachers' University). "Another Discussion on Novels Involved in Argument Between Parties of Niu and Li—Analyzing questionable points of Li Wa's Biography" (小说介入牛李党争的又一篇——《李娃传》析疑). 临沂师范学院学报, Journal of Linyi Teachers' College, 编辑部邮箱, 2003å¹´01期 [给本刊投稿]
• Zhu Mingqiu (朱明秋) (Chinese Department of Guilin Normal College). "Shuli Criticism on the Plots of "The Story of Li Wa"" (《李娃传》情节数理批评). 2013年第3期82–84,89共4页.

Japanese

• Seo, Tatsuhiko ( Seo Tatsuhiko). "Tōdai kōhanki no Chōan to denki shosetsu—Ri Ai Den no bunseki o chÅ«shin toshite" ("唐代後半期の長安と伝奇小説—『李娃伝』の分析を中心にして—"—Chang'an in the Latter Half of the Tang and the Chuanqi Tale: Concerning the Focus of Analysis in "The Chronicle of Li Wa"). In: RonshÅ« ChÅ«goku shakai seido bunkashi no shimondai: Hino Kaisaburō Hakushi shōju kinen (論集中国社会・制度・文化史の諸問題: 日野開三郎博士頌寿記念). China, Society, Institution and Culture.

External links

• Li Wa Zhuan at Project Gutenberg