Sòngdài Shíbā Cháo Gōngtíng Yànshǐ 宋代十八朝宮廷豔史
Scandalous History of the Eighteen Reigns of the Song Imperial Court by 李逸侯 (撰)
About the work
Sòngdài Shíbā Cháo Gōngtíng Yànshǐ 宋代十八朝宮廷豔史 is a Republican-era historical novel by 李逸侯 (Lǐ Yìhóu). The catalog records the author as “宮廷豔史” (a genre label), but the source file clearly identifies the author as Lǐ Yìhóu. The Kanripo text at KR4k0319 is the combined edition, containing both Part 1 (chapters 1–50, covering the Sòng founding through the end of Tài Zǔ’s reign) and Part 2 (chapters 51 onwards, covering the later Sòng reigns through the Cài Jīng 蔡京 era under Huī Zōng 徽宗); the parallel entry KR4k0320 preserves only Part 1. The “eighteen reigns” (shíbā cháo 十八朝) of the Sòng dynasty span from Tài Zǔ 太祖 (r. 960–976) to Bǐng Dì 帝 (r. 1278–1279), the last Southern Sòng emperor. The novel begins with the birth of Sòng Tài Zǔ (Zhào Kuāngyìn) under the auspices of red-gold light, and traces the dynasty’s romantic and political history.
Tiyao
No tiyao found in source.
Abstract
Sòngdài Shíbā Cháo Gōngtíng Yànshǐ follows the established gōngtíng yànshǐ 宮廷豔史 formula, tracing the full arc of the Sòng dynasty from its founding through the famous episodes of court history: the “Yellow Robe Incident,” the “Release of the Generals Over Wine” (ch. 9), and proceeding into the later Sòng. The second part (chapter 51 onwards) opens with the factional struggles of the Huī Zōng era: the moral reform faction’s exposé of Zhāng Dūn 章惇’s corruption and Cài Jīng’s 蔡京 rise to factional dominance — the famous story of “Zhāng Dūn receiving his just deserts through karmic retribution” (yīnguǒ húnhuán Zhāng Dūn shí bào 因果迴圈章惇食報). The narrative framework of “eighteen reigns” covers the entire Sòng period, including both Northern and Southern Sòng.
李逸侯 is identified from the source file; the catalog entry’s attribution to “宮廷豔史” (the genre name) is an error. No biographical data on Lǐ Yìhóu has been located.
Note: KR4k0320 preserves an alternate copy of Part 1 only; the two entries may represent different published editions.
Translations and research
No substantial secondary literature located on this specific novel.