Better a Whore Than a Concubine
Liu Ru Shi 柳如是 (1618-1664) was an artist and poet of the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty. Her formative years were spent in a brothel. As a courtesan, Liu was very selective with her customers. She joined many recital sessions, mingled with scholars and other intellectuals and was often treated as an equal. This is a novel inspired by historical records meticulously compiled by Prof Chen Yin Ke 陈寅恪 (1890-1969), an intellectual who lived during the Mao era. Prof Chen wrote a flattering biography of this talented and dignified courtesan who refused to sell her soul and her body to unworthy men. This novel dramatises Liu Ru Shi’s childhood, her romances, her family life and her struggle to revive the fallen Ming Dynasty.
Better a Whore Than a Concubine is Chan Joon Yee’s Third Novel