Xuě Yuè Méi 雪月梅
Snow, Moon, and Plum by 陳朗
About the work
Xuě Yuè Méi 雪月梅 is a Qīng-dynasty literati novel (cáizǐ jiārén 才子佳人 combined with heroic fiction) in fifty huí 回 chapters, authored by 陳朗 (style name Xiǎoshān 曉山, pen name Jìnghú Yìsǒu 鏡湖逸叟, “Leisured Old Man of Mirror Lake”). The self-preface (自序) is dated “Qiánlóng Yǐwèi (乾隆乙未) zhòngchūn Huā-zhāo 仲春花朝” (Flower Festival of the Second Spring Month, Qiánlóng 乙未 = 1775), composed at the Sōngyuè Shānfáng 松月山房 in Gǔjūnyáng 古鈞陽. A postface (跋) by Dǒng Jìmián 董寄綿 of Gǔdìngyáng 古定陽 is also dated Qiánlóng 40, Yǐwèi, establishing 1775 as the year of first publication. The work also circulates under the titles Xiào-yì Xuě Yuè Méi 孝義雪月梅, Dì-yī Cái-nǚ 第一才女, Dì-yī Qí-shū 第一奇書, and Érnǚ Nóngqíng Zhuàn 兒女濃情傳.
Tiyao
No tiyao found in source.
Prefaces
The self-preface by 陳朗, signed Jìnghú Yìsǒu 鏡湖逸叟, describes a life of wide travel (“北曆燕、齊，南涉閩、粵” — north through Yān and Qí, south into Fújiàn and Guǎngdōng) before settling into a quiet old age. Citing the Shǐjì 史記 as the model for experience-grounded writing, the author explains that he composed the novel gradually (“陸續成篇”) as a form of moral admonition. He consigns the work to publication as “稗官野史” (unofficial fiction), “聊供把戲” (entertainment), but with the intention of moral improvement.
The postface by Dǒng Jìmián praises the novel as “破壁飛去” (breaking through the wall and flying away), echoing the huà lóng diǎnjīng 畫龍點睛 trope for literary vitality, and identifies the author by his style name Xiǎoshān 曉山: “乙未春，曉山陳子偶出是編以示予” (“In the spring of Yǐwèi, Xiǎoshān Chén [the author] showed me this work”).
Abstract
The novel is set during the Míng Jiājìng 嘉靖 reign period (1522–1566) against the backdrop of the Wōkòu 倭寇 (Japanese pirate) depredations that ravaged the Jiāngnán coast. The main hero is Cén Xiù 岑秀, an impoverished scholar who grows over the course of the narrative into a civil and military paragon. Intertwined romance threads involve Xuě Jié 雪姐 (Snow), Wáng Yuè’é 王月娥 (Moon), and Hé Xiǎoméi 何小梅 (Plum) — the three women of the title. The novel weaves together the conventions of the cáizǐ jiārén romance and the heroic-battle narrative, featuring over a hundred named characters. Themes of loyalty, filial piety, patriotism, and social solidarity pervade the narrative.
陳朗 is otherwise obscure; the biographical data in the preface — broad travel, old age at the time of composition, residence in central China (Jūnyáng is in Hénán) — cannot be independently verified. The CBDB database records three entries for “陳朗” (CBDB 289398, 371749, 505863) but none can be confidently matched to the author of this novel. He is referred to as “active 18th century” in the Project Gutenberg catalog.
The 1775 edition is the earliest extant. A modern digital edition is available at Project Gutenberg (text number 26739).
Translations and research
No substantial secondary literature located.
Links
- Project Gutenberg (雪月梅傳): https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/26739
- Google Books: https://books.google.com/books/about/雪月梅.html?id=3YoOAAAAMAAJ