鏡花緣

by Ruzhen Li

"鏡花緣" by Ruzhen Li is a fantasy novel completed in 1827 during the Qing dynasty. When Empress Wu Zetian commands all flowers to bloom overnight, flower-spirits obey but face divine punishment—banishment to live as mortals on earth. Tang Ao, father to the incarnation of the Fairy of a Hundred Flowers, embarks on an overseas journey to strange lands including the Country of Women and the Country of Gentlemen. Through fantastical adventures and humorous storytelling, the novel explores revolutionary ideas about gender equality and envisions an ideal society.