The Legend of Liu Yong, the White-Robed Minister

The Ballad of the White-Robed Minister: A Biography of Liu Yong reconstructs the legendary life of Liu Yong, the celebrated lyric poet of the Northern Song, in a fantastical style. From the spiritual beauty of Wuyi to the romantic allure of Bianjing, his poems become white cranes riding the tides and tears congealing into jade, even foretelling the rise and fall of later generations. Using poetry as a lens on history and blending surreal imagery with historical events, the book depicts the literary marvel of “wherever there is well water, Liu Yong’s lyrics are sung” and uncovers the mystery of a poetic soul entangled across a thousand years like a quantum phenomenon.