Pathway to Japanese Literature
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The Strange Tale of Broken BridgeAuthor: Tanaka Kōtarō
| Original Title | 断橋奇聞 |
|---|---|
| Author | 田中 貢太郎 |
| Genre | Popular Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | Amidst the misty beauty of Hangzhou’s West Lake during the Yuan Dynasty, a young scholar named Wen Shigao abandons ambitions of bureaucracy for poetry and wanderlust. Drawn to a secluded garden near Broken Bridge, he encounters Liu Xiuying, the sharp-witted daughter of a stern military commander, whose whispered admiration sparks an illicit romance. With the help of a shrewd matchmaker, their secret exchanges bloom—until a moonlit tryst ends in disaster, leaving both presumed dead and buried in a shared coffin. Miraculously revived, they flee to Suzhou, only to face separation when Xiuying’s father rejects Wen’s humble status. Determined to prove his worth, Wen pursues scholarly glory while navigating war-torn chaos, clinging to a cryptic prophecy that binds their fates. Blending poetic longing with ghostly intrigue, this tale weaves love’s resilience through silk-screened verses, shattered mirrors, and the haunting allure of West Lake’s bridges—where destiny and desire collide under the watch of ancient gods. |
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