Song Songs: Slow, Slow Tune is a novel of 1.5 million words. After Wang Anshi’s reforms fail, the court urgently summons Su Shi to serve alongside it and counter the Old Party, preventing figures such as Sima Guang from excessively suppressing the New Party. Su Shi seizes the opportunity to introduce reforms of his own, setting off a series of events, including changes to real historical events. The novel features the New Party, the Old Party, the Su faction, Su Shi, Huang Tingjian, Sima Guang, Wen Yanbo, Fan Chunren, Li Gefei (Li Qingzhao’s father), Cai Jing, Tong Guan, Gao Qiu, Gao Taotao (Empress Dowager Gao), Xiang Zongying (Empress Dowager Xiang), Liang Xiaoyin (the Western Xia Empress Dowager Liang), Li Qingzhao, Zhao Xu, and Zhao Ji (Emperor Huizong of Song). The story involves Western Xia, the Song dynasty, and the Liao dynasty, with chapters about reform, war, political intrigue, and romance, and includes a great many poems, rhapsodies, and other literary works.
