Xianü (short story)
| "Xianü" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Short story by Pu Songling | |||
Illustration from Xiangzhu liaozhai zhiyi tuyong (Liaozhai Zhiyi with commentary and illustrations; 1886) | |||
| Original title | 俠女 (Xianü) | ||
| Translator | Herbert Giles | ||
| Country | China | ||
| Language | Chinese | ||
| Genre(s) |
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| Publication | |||
| Published in | Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio | ||
| Media type | Print (Book) | ||
| Publication date | 1740 | ||
| Published in English | 1880 | ||
| Chronology | |||
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"Xianü" (traditional Chinese: 俠女; simplified Chinese: 侠女; pinyin: Xiá Nǚ; lit. 'Heroic Woman') is a short story by Pu Songling first published in Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. The story follows the eponymous swordswoman, who rescues her neighbour from a fox spirit, before bearing him a son and avenging her father's death. Likely inspired by early Chinese literature featuring heroines known as nüxia, the story has received adaptations in popular media, for instance in the wuxia film A Touch of Zen (1971).