A Tragic Song of Yishui

In the final years of the Qianlong Emperor's reign, powerful ministers held sway at court and local officials were mired in corruption. Natural disasters and human calamities left the people in misery. Anti-Qing forces across E-Yu-Chuan-Xiang-Shaan, using the name of the White Lotus Sect, secretly gathered strength. War was on the verge of breaking out.

Tan Shengluan, nephew of Tan Jiayao, leader of Yishui Hall, went deep into the mountains of southwestern Hubei to lay plans in advance. By chance, he met and fell in love with Qiuyun, the youngest daughter of the wealthy Feng family of Guandian Pass.

Yishui Hall and their allies in Xiangyang, Yidu, Youshui, Lichuan, eastern Sichuan, and Shaanxi agreed to rise up together in the first year of Jiaqing. Smoke of war soon rose everywhere, and the rebel army flourished, shocking the court and the countryside alike.

The Qing court mobilized government troops from several provinces to crush the rebellion with all its might. The Tan family rebels were forced to split into small groups and fight across a thousand miles, turning southwestern Hubei upside down. After three years and dozens of battles, they were finally trapped on Yunpan Ridge at Guandian Pass. A sudden blizzard left them besieged inside and out, and they were wiped out by Zhao Yuansheng, the magistrate of Jianshi County, and an armed militia of local gentry. Thus was written a sorrowful song of heroes meeting their end.

The war destroyed Feng Qiuyun's family, and she withdrew into a Buddhist convent. Her mother, second uncle, and sworn younger sister were killed one after another. The rebel army was annihilated, and Tan Shengluan, disillusioned, retreated into the mountains. Having seen through the darkness of officialdom, Zhao Yuansheng resolved to resign and return to his hometown.

Zhao Yuansheng and Tan Shengluan chanced upon each other at an old ferry crossing. As they admired the beautiful land, three cups of wine washed away their enmity.