The Tale of Li Wa

[3] It was also translated into English by Glen Dudbridge, who used the title The Tale of Li Wa: Study and Critical Edition of a Chinese Story from the Ninth Century.

Linda Rui Feng of the University of Toronto wrote that the novel features the "unpredictability and unintelligibility" of Chang'an and a conflict between "career accomplishment" and "youthful transgressions".

[4] The story involves a tribute student (a provincial examinee), Zheng,[6] trying to get the affections of Li Wa,[7] a famous courtesan or prostitute in Chang'an.

[11] In Tanren Chuanqi (唐人传奇/唐人傳奇), a book published in Taipei in 1990 by Sanmin shuju, Wu Zhida (吴志达/吳志達) stated that The Tale of Li Wa is "a victory song against the aristocratic marriage institution".

[11] Glen Dudbridge's monograph The Tale of Li Wa, Study and Critical Edition of a Chinese Story from the Ninth Century includes annotations to provide understanding for Western readers.

"[11] Scholars focusing on the philology include Bian Xiaoxuan (卞孝萱), Dai Wangshu, Wang Meng'ou (王梦鸥/王夢鷗), Zhang Zhenglang (张政烺/張政烺), and Zhou Shaoliang (周绍良/周紹良).

"[15] Nienhauser explained that "the inner audience-perhaps the primary audience" of the story consisted of men taking the Tang dynasty imperial examinations.

There is a farce, A Noontime Dream in the Garden Grove, which portrays a dispute between Li Wa and Oriole, the female protagonist of The Story of the Western Wing.