Chang'an Changge

"Chang'an Long Song" is set against the backdrop of the rise and fall of the Tang Dynasty over three hundred years, from the Xuanwumen massacre to Zhu Wen's usurpation of the Tang Dynasty. It uses "holes" and "locust trees" as its core images to tell the story of generations of emperors who used their blood to atone for their sins but could never fill the emptiness in their hearts. The novel incorporates microscopic perspectives such as common people's wine shops, Weaver Girl's Red Brocade, and Hu Ji's poem manuscripts to present an epic picture of power and human nature.