Journeys Through Mountains and Seas

The Lady of the Xiang River is a masterpiece by a great artist that I greatly admire. It was created by the great painter Fu Baoshi, inspired by the beauty of the Nine Songs. I think everyone will feel something different when they see this painting. The most immediate shared impression, though, is its unmistakable ancient charm, along with the realm of spirits and ghosts found in Pu Songling's writing.

In the painting, the Lady of the Xiang River stands as if hurrying along. She seems to be moving through the dust, yet also floating over the river's surface. Fallen leaves swirl around her, while dust and waves leave her robes untouched. Naturally, she exudes the ethereal beauty of a goddess, stirring in the viewer a delicate feeling of loneliness and sorrow in the chill of late autumn.

This painting, The Lady of the Xiang River, inspired my own creativity and desire to write. It also made me wonder what Lord Xiang might look like, and led me to create this work as a tribute.

The story begins after Emperor Shun, Yao Chonghua, dies and is deified alongside his wife. Together, they watch over Mount Jiuyi. From there, the tale follows a journey of vanquishing demons and setting the heavens right, ultimately leading to the fulfillment of a true mission. This book's first section, the Mountain and Sea Arc, consists of a series of connected demon-slaying stories. It then leads into the second section, the Heavenly Journey Arc, where a plot to reshape the world unfolds. After that comes an extra story about a spirit's hardships, twists of fate, and wondrous encounters on a quest to seek Buddhist scriptures.

I feel the story gets more exciting as it goes on, and I hope you'll enjoy it.