Flowers in the Mirror

Tang Ao responds to this by freeing himself from the coil of the mortal strife which binds the soul to the body and resolves to become an immortal by cultivating Tao.

Tang Ao is then told by a dream spirit that his destiny lies in foreign parts; and he decides to go overseas by junk with his brother-in-law, Merchant Lin.

Also, the incarnated flower-spirits take part in the "Imperial Examinations for Women", and along with their husbands and brothers they rise up and overthrow Empress Wu's rule, so restoring Emperor Tang Chung-tsung to the throne.

It eulogizes woman's talents, fully acknowledges their social status and breaks the old concept of gender roles.

Under the author's imagination, there is no putridity, no bribes between officials; citizens are all amicable and live a joyful life under a steady and rich government.

The author, Li Ruzhen, apparently believed in equal rights for women, a revolutionary idea in the feudal society of his day.

Li said that those of his friends who had been having trouble emotionally laughed when they read the first one hundred chapters and insisted that he get them published without writing any more.