- Origin
- China
- Source
- Tang Ren Chuan Qi (Shang)
- -- Legends from Tang Dynasty (Vol. 1)
- Edited by Wang Pi Jiang
- Introduction by Gong Peng Cheng
- Jin Fong Publisher: Taipei, Taiwan, 1987
- The Story
- Youn scholar Liu Yi meets a girl attending a
herd of goats. When inquired why she seems so sad, she relates her ill
fate of having an abusive husband. She asks Liu Yi to help delivering a
letter to her fahter, the Dragon King of Lake Tung Ting. While Liu
Yi is at the Dragon King's palace, the news of the Princess's plight was
overheard by the quick-tempered Qian Tang Dragon, the princess's
uncle. He rushes out and back in no time, saving his niece and punishing
his nephew-in-law by devouring him. Since he is so mad, on the way to
his niece's rescue, Qian Tang creates havoc, flooding 800 miles and
killing 600,000 people.
Liu Yi does not want to marry the princess under the pressure of Qian
Tang, especially after witnessing the fate of her ex-husband. However,
karma eventually brings these two together and in time Liu Yi becomes a
dragon himself.
Comparative Note:
| Unlike the
slightly simplified English retelling in Daughter of the Dragon King this version in
its original Classical Chinese form has very decorated language.
The description of the beauty of the Dragon King's underwater palace is
extremely detailed. The highly civilized and artistic entertainment
presented by the Dragon King's court. It is made clear that these
Dragons are one step above humans as god-like creatures that humans can
aspire to become. |
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