柳毅传

During the Yifeng reign of the Tang dynasty, there was a Confucian scholar named Liu Yi. Having failed the imperial examination, he was about to return to the banks of the Xiang River. Learning that a fellow townsman was staying in Jingyang, he went to bid farewell.

After traveling six or seven li, birds startled and his horse bolted, galloping wildly off the road. Another six or seven li, it stopped. He saw a woman tending sheep by the roadside. Liu Yi looked at her curiously — she was of extraordinary beauty. Yet her brows were furrowed in sorrow, her sleeves and kerchief were faded, and she stood listening intently as though waiting for something.

Liu Yi asked her: "What misfortune brings you to such a state?" The woman at first only wept in gratitude, then through tears replied: "I have been unfortunate, and today I am shamed by your question. But my grief has pierced me to the bone — how could I hold back in shame? I beg you to hear my story. I am the youngest daughter of the Dragon King of Dongting."

"My parents married me to the second son of the Jing River Dragon. But my husband is dissolute and idle, seduced by his maids and servants, and grows colder toward me day by day. When I tried to complain to his parents, they loved their son too much to restrain him. As my complaints grew more frequent, I offended them as well. They cast me down to this wretched state."

Having spoken, she wept and sobbed, overcome with grief. She continued: "Dongting is impossibly far from here. The sky stretches endlessly; no message can reach them. My heart and eyes have exhausted themselves; there is no one to share my sorrow. I hear you are returning to Wu, which lies close to Dongting. Might I entrust a letter to your servant? I dare not presume — would you consider it?"

Liu Yi said: "I am a man of honor. Hearing your words, my blood stirs with indignation. I regret only that I have no wings to fly to your aid. What question of 'can or cannot' is there? Yet Dongting lies in the deep waters — the Aquatic Palace水府 shuǐ fǔThe underwater palace of a water deity, i.e., the Dragon Palace. In Chinese mythology, the aquatic palace, celestial palace, and underworld palace form a three-realm cosmological framework. The term "水府" places the Dragon Palace within a Daoist cosmological structure. is vast and remote, sealed off from the mortal world. I fear only that the path between light and darkness cannot be traversed, and I may fail in the trust you place in me. What method can guide me there?"

The maiden said: "On the southern shore of Dongting, there grows a great orange tree. The locals call it the Sheju社橘 shè júAn orange tree beside an altar to the earth god. Here the tree becomes a portal between the mortal world and the Dragon Palace, blending the folk motif of "sacred trees as spirit passages.". Remove your belt, tie something else in its place, and knock upon the tree three times. Someone will answer. Follow them, and there will be no obstruction."

Liu Yi said: "I shall heed your instructions." The maiden drew a letter from within her garments and presented it with two bows. She gazed eastward, weeping with sorrow, as though she could not bear it. Liu Yi was deeply moved.

He placed the letter in his bag and asked: "I do not understand — what purpose do these sheep serve? Surely divine beings do not slaughter them?" She replied: "They are not sheep — they are Rain Workers雨工 yǔ gōngSpirits of rain and thunder. That the dragon maiden herds rain spirits rather than real sheep hints that she retains her divine lineage even in exile, and metaphorically suggests that even gods cannot escape mortal suffering.." He asked: "What are Rain Workers?" She said: "They are of the order of thunder and lightning." Liu Yi looked again — the creatures were all strutting with fierce intent, drinking and gnashing their teeth in most peculiar fashion.

Literary Merit

"The Story of Liu Yi" is among the most accomplished Tang dynasty tales, ranked alongside "The Story of Huo Xiaoyu" and "The Story of Yingying" as the three great love tales of the era. Li Chaowei uses the "letter delivery" as the core event, skillfully blending chivalric spirit with romantic narrative. Liu Yi's initial act is motivated by righteous indignation rather than love; the dragon maiden's gratitude gradually matures into genuine affection — an emotional progression rare among contemporary tales.

The dragon palace sequence is the story's most dazzling passage, creating stark contrast between mortal poverty and divine splendor. This both satisfies the reader's imagination and hints at the dragon maiden's true status — not an ordinary abandoned wife, but a divine princess unjustly cast down.

Cultural Context

The Tang dynasty marked a flourishing period for Chinese dragon culture. Dragons evolved from ancient totems into a full system of water-governing deities, with dragon-king worship deeply intertwined with Buddhist Nāga traditions. The dragon palace in this tale combines the splendor of Daoist paradises with the majesty of Buddhist pure lands, reflecting the broader cultural synthesis of the Three Teachings in Tang China.