The Tale of Li Wa
The Tale of Li Wa (traditional Chinese: 李 娃 傳;
simplified Chinese: 李 娃 传; pinyin: Lǐ Wá Zhuàn;
Wade–Giles: Li Wa Chuan) is a short novella by Bai
Xingjian (or Bo Xingjian).
Song Geng (C: 宋耕, P: Sòng Gēng), author of The Frag-
ile Scholar: Power and Masculinity in Chinese Culture,
wrote that this was one of three Tang Dynasty works
that were “particularly influential in the development of
the caizi-jiaren model”.* [1] There is a poem by Yuan
Zhen,“The Ballad of Li Wa,”that is a companion to the
novel.* [2]
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.* [3] It
was also translated into English by Glen Dudbridge, who
used the title The Tale of Li Wa: Study and Critical Edi-
tion of a Chinese Story from the Ninth Century.* [4] This
version was published in 1983 by Ithaca Press.* [5]
Linda Rui Feng of the University of Toronto wrote that
the novel features the “unpredictability and unintelligi-
bility”of Chang'an and a conflict between “career ac-
complishment”and “youthful transgressions”.* [2]
1 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 au-
thor, Tatsuhiko Seo, believes that the story comes from a
storyteller.* [4]
2 Plot
The story involves a tribute student (a provincial ex-
aminee), Zheng,* [6] trying to get the affections of Li
Wa,* [7] a female prostitute in Chang'an.* [8] The protag-
onist spends his money on Li Wa and neglects his study-
ing for the imperial examinations.* [8] He lives with Li
Wa for two years and spends all of his money, which is
ultimately exhausted.* [2] Li Wa is not the only aspect ob-
structing Student Zheng from his studies. There are por-
tions of the story that, as written by Feng, are “devoted
1
to a world without her, in fact, takes on an impetus and
logic all of its own.”* [9]
After Zheng can no longer pay the prostitution costs,* [9]
Li Wa abandons him,* [8] 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 competi-
tion. The student's father discovers him while visiting
Chang'an and severely beats him,* [2] as he is upset that
his son is in this condition. The father leaves the son
for dead,* [10] disowning him. Later Li Wa encounters
the protagonist, who is now a beggar. She helps him re-
cover his health, reconcile with his father, and study for
the examinations.* [8] 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.* [10]
Student Zheng remains devoted to Li Wa and the two
marry.* [8]
3 Characters
• Zheng (T: 鄭, S: 郑, P: Zhèng, W: Cheng) - A tribute
student (a provincial examinee),* [6] Zheng is try-
ing to get the affections of Li Wa.* [7] In the origi-
nal story Student Zheng is only known by his fam-
ily name and his hometown, Xingyang, Henan.* [11]
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).* [8] At the time he arrives in Chang'an he
is 20 years old, the age of adulthood.* [6]
• Li Wa (C: 李娃, P: Lǐ Wá, W: Li Wa) is a female
prostitute in Chang'an.* [8] She is the title charac-
ter.* [9]
• 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”.* [11] In
the same section Dudbridge compares her to
youwu (C: 尤物, P: yóuwù, W: yu-wu “ex-
traordinary beautiful women”).* [11]
 2 9 NOTES
4 Analysis
S-C Kevin Tsai of Princeton University wrote that in crit-
ical literature usually reach “conclusions that do not de-
part far from the conventional, May-Fourth-derived read-
ing 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”.* [10] 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 aristo-
cratic marriage institution.”* [10]
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.* [12]
Some scholars who study the culture of the Tang Dy-
nasty perceive the story as, in the words of Tsai, “a rel-
atively straightforward storehouse of social data; for in-
stance, some study the tale for the detailed descriptions of
capital city life in the tale.”* [10] Scholars focusing on the
philology include Bian Xiaoxuan (卞孝萱), Dai Wang-
shu, Wang Meng'ou (王梦鸥/王夢鷗), Zhang Zhenglang
(张政烺/張政烺), and Zhou Shaoliang (周绍良/周紹
良).* [10] Nienhauser stated that Wang Meng'ou's Tan-
gren 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).* [13]
Bian Xiaoxuan and Liu Kairong (刘开荣/劉開榮) be-
lieve the work is a roman à clef. Accordingly, they at-
tempted to figure out what the allegory and the identity
of the basis of Student Zheng.* [10]
5 Audiences
Nienhauser wrote that “While the exact constituency of
[contemporary Tang Dynasty readers] cannot be deter-
mined, Bo Xingjian (and other tale writers) clearly tar-
geted those members of the Tang elite who were them-
selves active in literature, men who obviously could rec-
ognize even the most erudite allusion.”* [14] Nienhauser
explained that “the inner audience-perhaps the primary
audience”of the story consisted of men taking the Tang
Dynasty imperial examinations.* [15]
As of 2007, modern audiences include Chinese readers
and Western sinologists. The latter, according to Nien-
hauser, are “aided by various databases that may allow
(even encourage) over-reading of resonances. "* [13] He
added that “The modern Chinese audience shares this
potential.”* [13]
6 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 Ori-
ole, the female protagonist of The Story of the Western
Wing.* [8]
7 See also
• zh: 李娃傳 (1991 年台灣電視劇) (Taiwanese)
8 References
• Dudbridge, Glen. “A second look at Li Wa zhuan"
(Chaper 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. ISBN 9004147705,
9789004147706.
• Also published as: Dudbridge, Glen. “A sec-
ond look at Li Wa chuan". In: Eoyang, Eu-
gene and Yaofu Lin. Translating Chinese Liter-
ature. Indiana University Press, 1995. p. 67-
76. ISBN 0253319587, 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: Nien-
hauser, William H. (editor). Tang Dynasty Tales:
A Guided Reader. World Scientific, 2010. ISBN
9814287288, 9789814287289.
• Nienhauser, William H. Jr. (University of
Wisconsin-Madison). "A Third Look at “Li Wa
Zhuan”.”T'ang Studies (Print ISSN 0737-5034,
Online ISSN 1759-7633), 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.
9 Notes
[1] Song, Geng. The Fragile Scholar: Power and Masculinity
in Chinese Culture. Hong Kong University Press, January
1, 2004. ISBN 9622096204, 9789622096202, p. 23-24
[2] Feng, p. 40.

[3] Nienhauser, “Introduction,”p. xv.
[4] Chan, Tak-hung Leo. The Discourse on Foxes and Ghosts:
Ji Yun and the Eighteenth-century Literati Storytelling.
University of Hawaii Press, 1998. ISBN 0824820517,
9780824820510. p. 46.
[5] Nienhauser, “Introduction,”p. xix.
[6] Feng, p. 39.
[7] Dudbridge, p. 183.
[8] Wang, Shi-fu (Editors: Stephen H. West, Wilt L. Idema).
The Story of the Western Wing. University of California
Press, July 2, 1990. ISBN 0520916735, 9780520916739.
p. 299.
[9] Feng, p. 41.
[10] Tsai, p. 100.
[11] Nienhauser,“A Third Look at“Li Wa Zhuan”, p. 100.
“In this discussion Dudbridge places Li Wa among the
anomalous females-fox women and extraordinary beau-
ties (youwu 尤物)-who have the potential to threaten both
individuals and the state.”
[12] Nienhauser,“A Third Look at“Li Wa Zhuan”," p. 92.
[13] Nienhauser, “A Third Look at “Li Wa Zhuan”, p. 94.
[14] Nienhauser,“A Third Look at“Li Wa Zhuan”, p. 94-95.
[15] Nienhauser, “A Third Look at “Li Wa Zhuan”, p. 96-
97. “It is obvious that many who aspired for success
in the Tang examinations memorized a huge amount of
material.[...]It was men of this sort who formed the in-
ner audience-perhaps the primary audience-for “Li Wa
zhuan.”
10 Further reading
English
• Dudbridge, Glen. The Tale of Li Wa, Study and Crit-
ical Edition of a Chinese Story from the Ninth Cen-
tury. 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.
3
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, 2007
年 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 Criti-
cism" (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 Feel-
ings ——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 Teach-
ers’College(Social Science Edition), 编辑部邮箱,
2001 年 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 In-
volved in Argument Between Parties of Niu and Li-
-Analyzing questionable points of Li Wa's Biogra-
phy" (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, 2003 年 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 (妹尾達彦 Seo Tatsuhiko). “Tōdai
kōhanki no Chōan to denki shosetsu —Ri Ai Den
no bunseki o chūshin toshite”(" 唐代後半期の長
安と伝奇小 ―『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 Anal-
ysis in “The Chronicle of Li Wa”). In: Ronshū
Chūgoku 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.
4 11 EXTERNAL LINKS

11 External links
• Li Wa Zhuan at Project Gutenberg
 5

12 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

12.1 Text
• The Tale of Li Wa Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tale_of_Li_Wa?oldid=761632651 Contributors: WhisperToMe, Davidcan-
non, Rpyle731, Ghirlandajo, BD2412, GünniX, Magioladitis, GrahamHardy, Randy Kryn, Sevilledade, JasonAQuest, Yobot, Timmyshin,
Bender the Bot and Anonymous: 1

12.2 Images

12.3 Content license

• Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0