Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature
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In Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio: The Chivalrous Maiden, the relationship between the maiden and scholar Gu is complex and ambiguous — devoid of traditional “romantic love.” Their interactions orbit obligation, mission, and ethics, marked by restraint, detachment, and pragmatism rather than mutual affection.
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Strange Tales from Liaozhai: The Chivalrous Maiden intertwines loyalty, filial piety, justice, and the supernatural. Centered on the bond between impoverished scholar Gu and his enigmatic neighbor—a woman concealing her identity to avenge her father—it explores complex human-nonhuman dynamics and moral choices.