On the Narrative Art of The Lychee in Chang'an

Abstract

Set in the 14th year of Tianbao of the Tang Dynasty, Ma Boyong's The Lychee of Chang'an tells the story of Li Shande, a petty official of the ninth rank, who finally succeeds in transporting fresh lychee after going through all kinds of difficulties. This paper is a case study of Lychee in Chang'an from the perspective of narratology, analyzing its underlying narrative strategy and narrative art.