Search

This paper analyzes Jue Qing's (1917-1962) first piece of historical fiction, the 1942 short story "Chang'an cheng de youyu" (Melancholy in Chang'an). It explores the sources of the story in premodern Chinese literature - Broken Mirror (Benshi shi), Lu Yong (Taiping guangji), Jiao hong ji and Du Shiniang Angrily Sinks Her Jewel-Box (Jing shi tong yan) and compares them with Jue Qing's updated version. This study suggests that "Melancholy in Chang'an" can be read as an allegory of grief over the failure of the Manchukuo project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]