Reading Notes: Chinese Fairy Tales, Part B

 

In Part 2 Reading Notes, I will be focusing on two further stories that I found interesting! The first reading is The Maiden Who Was Stolen Away. This story reminded me of Rapunzel's story. Both the maiden from the Chinese fairy tale and Rapunzel were trapped on the top of a high tower and could not get down. Although this is the case, both ladies were trapped there for different reasons. The maiden was carried off by a cyclone, which dropped her off on top of a pagoda. For Rapunzel, a witch trapped her in order to keep Rapunzel to her herself. If these two stories were combined, I wonder what parallels they would have. The maiden and Rapunzel can even be in the same story and have one general theme. The truth will always come out no matter how long it takes.


(Yang Gui Fe)

The second story that stood out to me was Yang Gui! Comparing this story to other stories that I have read, this was certainty something charming and different. The ending and the plot were unexpected! Usually in romantic stories, the lovers always have a happy ending. The lovers in this story were lovers before they even became human. At first they were spirits and then they became humans. This detail contributed to a magical effect on their love, which made it even more powerful. I noticed something peculiar in the story. It is evident that the lovers love each other greatly, but why did the emperor not prevent Yang Gui's death? What would happen if the emperor fought for Yang Gui Fe? Would their love story be ruined? In addition, what was the emperor's reasoning for agreeing to hang his wife? What were Yang Gui Fe's thoughts when she realized she would be hung?


These were two stories that sparked my interst from Part B: Chinese Fairy Tales!



Bibliography:

The Maiden Who Was Stolen Away by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921)

Yang Gui Fe by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921)

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