The most popular and important work of prose
fiction from medieval China’s TANG DYNASTY was
written by the Confucian scholar, poet, and statesman
YUAN ZHEN. Originally entitled Hui-chen chi
(Meeting with an immortal)—the title of a lengthy
poem embedded in the narrative—the story has
become known as Yingying zhuan (Ying-ying
Chuan; The Story of Ying-ying), after its female
protagonist.
The Story of Ying-ying belongs to a new narrative
genre called chuanqi (ch’uan ch’i) (literally
“transmissions of the marvelous”) introduced into
Tang literature during the eighth century. Prior to
this development, Chinese prose fiction had been
largely undeveloped, existing mainly of short anecdotes
and fables, or short supernatural tales
often illustrating Buddhist or Taoist concepts. But
with the development of chuanqi, writers became
more serious about structure and literary style in
fiction.
This new genre seems to have built not on previous
Chinese fiction but rather on historical narratives.
The chuanqi tales are strongly influenced
by earlier historical narrative. Typically the action
of the story is presented as a specific event occurring
at specific historical time and place. In The
Story of Ying-ying, Yuan Zhen even inserts himself
into the story as a minor character, increasing the
impression of historical veracity. In addition these
stories often contained what might be considered
primary historical documents—letters from the
characters, for example, or poems composed by
them—that help create the impression that the
narrative is the result of historical research.
The genre grew rapidly, though traditionalists
still considered it a vulgar form of entertainment
rather than true literature. Still many scholars
wrote and read such stories for their own enjoyment,
and by the early ninth century, it had become
a common practice for candidates for the
civil service examinations to present their sponsors
or examiners original chuanqi compositions prior
to their exams, as an indication of their own literary
aptitude. It has been conjectured that The Story
of Ying-ying was such a composition, and that the
young Yuan Zhen composed it prior to his examination
in 806.
In The Story of Ying-ying, a young scholar
named Chang, on his way to the capital to take his
civil service examination, stops for lodging at a
monastery, where he meets the beautiful but enigmatic
Ying-ying, a distant relative. They engage in
an illicit affair. Once at the capital, Chang loses interest
in Ying-ying and abandons her. She writes
him a long letter, included in the narrative—a letter
he shows to his friends, some of whom write
poems about it—including a 60-line poem by
Yuan Zhen himself.
Most modern readers see Chang’s action as
heartless and sympathize with Ying-ying, but
Chang does present an argument that his breaking
off the affair is a matter of duty to his family and to
the Confucian ideal of public service. The narrator
appears to agree with him. Ying-ying, on the
other hand, seems capricious and manipulative,
and, despite her protests of eternal love, marries
someone else fairly quickly. For that matter
Chang’s moral rectitude doesn’t stop him from
trying to see Ying-ying when he passes through her
town, an opportunity she refuses him. In the end
neither character is especially sympathetic, and the
story may be read as an ironic view of how human
beings, perhaps insincerely, play roles expected of
them (romantic heroine, dedicated public servant)
in conventional situations. Some critics have conjectured
that the tale is really a semiautobiographical
expression of regret by Yuan Zhen himself over
an early affair and his treatment of the lady involved,
but such guesses must always remain in the
realm of speculation.
The Story of Ying-ying was tremendously popular
in its own time and for generations after, and was
retold in various forms in verse, prose, and drama.
One of the best-known versions of the tale was a
play called Xixiangji (Hsi-hsiang chi; The Romance of
the Western Chamber) by the 13th-century dramatist
Wang Shihfu. Despite his voluminous output of
serious lyric poetry,Yuan Zhen remains famous for
his achievement in what he would have probably
considered an inferior genre, narrative fiction.
Bibliography
Hightower, James R., trans. “The Story of Ying-ying.”
In Traditional Chinese Stories: Themes and Variations,
edited by Joseph S. M. Lau and Y. M. Ma.
New York: Columbia University Press, 1978.
Palandri, Angela C. Y. Jung. Yüan Chen. Boston: G.
K. Hall, 1977.
Wang Shihfu. The Romance of the Western Chamber.
Translated by S. I. Hsiung. New York: Columbia
University Press, 1968.