The Song of the Pipa: The Tale of Xingnu

The thick strings roar like a sudden downpour, the thin strings whisper like secrets.

The thick and thin strings mingle in a flurry, like pearls big and small falling onto a jade plate.

"What exactly is this so-called registered courtesan status?"

"It's nothing more than a hierarchy of rank and privilege devised by those who claim to have received official permission."

Xing Nu looked at San Niang beside her, at the pipa in her hands.

"I want to become a courtesan..."

"Why?"

"Because Mother fell ill."

The pipa accompanied her from the market district to the entertainment quarter, then back to where it had begun.

She too went from an ordinary musician to a member of a renowned ensemble.

"Being the top courtesan isn't so simple."

"I know that, of course."

The ever-shifting melody slowly faded away from the pavilion in the middle of the lake.

"Farewell, Kyoto."

The last time I set down that pipa, I was saying goodbye to the past as well...

The characters are inspired by the pipa player in "The Song of the Pipa," with their stories and characterization developed with reference to poetry, history, and unofficial historical accounts.