Courtesans and Opium : Romantic Illusions of the Fool of Yangzhou

In his preface, the anonymous author of Fengyuemeng, translated as Romantic Illusions, describeshis book as an act of penance for thirty years spent patronizing the brothels ofYangzhou. Written in the 1840s, Romantic Illusions is acautionary tale exposing the seedy side of city life. It is Chinese literature'sfirst true "city novel," built on the author's biting observations and filled withfreshly observed characters.As the author looks back on hiscareer of debauchery, he portrays the Chinese brothel as a place of enthrallingpursuit and romantic illusion. While marriages were arranged and often loveless,brothels offered passion and pleasure with accomplished courtesans ready to serve asboth entertaining companions and sensual lovers. Following five sworn brothers andtheir respective relationships with Yangzhou courtesans, the anonymous Fool ofYangzhou depicts the lurid materialism of this dangerous world& -itsviolence and corruption as well as its seductive but illusory promise. Never beforetranslated into English, Courtesans and Opium is a brilliantportrait of decadence in nineteenth-century China.