Hanan, Patrick, « Fengyue Meng and the Courtsesan Novel », (1998)

Title : « Fengyue Meng and the Courtsesan Novel »,

Author(s) : Hanan, Patrick

Year : 1998

Type : Journal article

Subject : Literature

Keywords : literature;women;social;

Journal : Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies,

Volume : 58

Number : 2

Start page : 345

End page : 372

Language:Name : English

Support : Print

Abstract : Fengyue Meng (1848), a Chinese "courtesan" novel, is both a precursor to the "realistic" form of representation that characterized Shanghai novels of the later 19th century and perhaps the first "city milieu" novel in Chinese literature. Fengyue Meng describes the brothels of Yangzhou and depicts the culture, physical characteristics, and daily life of the city. The story presents some typical problems for the reader of Chinese novels. In particular, the theme of the prologue is not supported in the body of the text. However, the detachment of the prologue's moral message from the complex narrative helps to preserve the effectiveness of each part. Thus the opening's critique of courtesan life does not detract from the purely descriptive value of the following story.