Decoding the Ambiguous Narrative Voice in the “Tale of Yingying”: Ritual Propriety as Key

Yuan Zhen’s “Tale of Yingying” has long been known for its ambiguous narrative voice. This article argues that what we perceive as a conflict in the narrative voice, did not exist for readers of the Tang dynasty (618-907). The tale was composed to emphasize the essential nature of ritual propriety for both men and women; both the male protagonist Zhang and the female character Yingying are targets of criticism. Unearthing the resonances and allusions of the discourse, and analyzing the social and political background of the mid-Tang, this study proposes that the tale may be read at two levels, using ritual propriety as key. From the literary point of view, this tale presents a regrettable love story, one that does not yield its fruit, due to the tide of passion – passion is the crucial element in romance, but in the end, it is also passion that drives the two lovers apart. From the didactic point of view, the author condemns Yingying not in self-justification, as those who support the autobiographical reading often presume, but because she is a fallen woman and a potentially dangerous femme fatale. Zhang is ridiculed for initiating the ritual transgression, and in failing to behave as a junzi (gentleman). This tale is an educational inquiry into self-cultivation and politics. By incorporating two points of view, that of Zhang and that of Yingying, the tale provokes reflection on the nature of romance and its possible effects on men and women, and ultimately, the indispensability of propriety.