The Tale of Huo Xiaoyu explained

"The Tale of Huo Xiaoyu", also translated as "The Story of Huo Xiaoyu",^{[1] [2]} is a chuanqi tale written by Jiang Fang (蔣防; 792–835) during the Tang dynasty.

The protagonist of the story is a Gējì named Huo Xiaoyu,^[3] who falls madly in love with a handsome young poet named Li Yi. While Li Yi was indeed a famous poet during Jiang Fang's lifetime, Huo Xiaoyu herself is a fictional character. There is also no evidence that Jiang Fang personally knew of Li Yi, or that the story is based on an actual account.^[4] The tale was famously adapted into a play by Ming dynasty playwright Tang Xianzu as Zichai ji (The Story of the Purple Jade Pin or The Purple Hairpin).^[5]

Notes and References

1. Book: Santangelo, Paolo . 2003 . Sentimental Education in Chinese History . Brill . 300 .
2. Book: Ni, Jindan . 2020 . The Tale of Genji and Its Chinese Precursors . Lexington Books . 59–60 .
3. Web site: 中国戏剧是她心中的歌（传播中国文化的外国人) . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20240915091859/http://world.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0202/c1002-29801365.html . 15 September 2024.
4. Web site: 《唐传奇 · 霍小玉传》. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20240915091859/https://www.gushiwen.cn/guwen/bookv_5f302af0675d.aspx . 15 September 2024.
5. André Lévy, commentaires à « L'amour trahi », dans Histoires d'amour et de mort de la Chine ancienne, p. 146-147.