I, Qinghuan (一世清欢) by Wu Xin Tan Xiao (无心谈笑): Review

[douqi]

I, Qinghuan ( 一世清欢, pinyin: yi shi qinghuan) was a novel I'd been planning to read for some time, as it's one of the best-known baihe shizun romances around. It was also a novel I'd been putting off reading for some time, as it's also one of the best-known baihe tragedies. While I'm glad to have finally read it, due to its place in the genre, I distinctly felt that it did not live up to the hype.

( Read more; spoilers )

To date, therefore, the best shizun romance I've read remains the first 40% of The Abandoned (弃仙, pinyin: qi xian) by Mu Feng Qing Nian (沐风轻年). The first chapter alone features: the protagonist masturbating to a painting of her shizun, sex pollen, mad levels of co-dependence, multiple instances of hurt/comfort, a double rebirth. Alas, it drops off a sheer cliff in the last 60%.

I read the Chinese original of the novel here on JJWXC. Two post-ending exclusive extras were written for the mainland print edition of the novel, and I read those as well. The author has also published a modern-set sequel to the novel, which can be read here. A fan translation of the first two chapters of the sequel can be read here.