Lake Tai (simplified: 太湖, traditional: 太湖, pinyin: Tài Hú, jyutping: taai3 wu4) was a large lake in the region between the States of Wu and Yue during the Spring and Autumn period, appearing in Sword of the Yue Maiden. Lake Tai was one of the Five Lakes (五湖) and was associated with Fan Li (范蠡) and Xi Shi’s (西施) retirement after Yue’s victory over Wu.
Geography
Lake Tai is located in what is now Jiangsu Province, in the region that was once between the States of Wu and Yue. The lake is one of China’s largest freshwater lakes and serves as an important water body in the region.
The lake’s location in the transitional region between Wu and Yue made it significant in the geographical landscape of the Spring and Autumn period, and its size and importance made it one of the most notable of the Five Lakes.
Historical significance
One of the Five Lakes
Lake Tai was one of the Five Lakes, a group of lakes in the region between Wu and Yue. The Five Lakes were associated with Fan Li and Xi Shi’s retirement, where they were said to have spent their later years together in seclusion.
Association with Fan Li and Xi Shi
Lake Tai was most notable for its association with Fan Li and Xi Shi, who were said to have retired to the Five Lakes region after Yue’s victory over Wu. According to legend, Fan Li said to Xi Shi, “We’ll change into commoner clothes. I’ll go boating with you on Lake Tai and we’ll never return here.”
This association made Lake Tai a significant location in Chinese cultural history, as the story of Fan Li and Xi Shi’s retirement has been told and retold throughout Chinese literature and history.
Symbol of retirement and peace
Lake Tai, as part of the Five Lakes, came to symbolise retirement and peace, representing the ideal of withdrawing from political life and finding happiness in seclusion. This symbolism reflected the traditional Chinese value of finding contentment away from the struggles of power and politics.
In Sword of the Yue Maiden
In Sword of the Yue Maiden, Lake Tai appears as part of the geographical setting, particularly in relation to Fan Li and Xi Shi’s story. The lake’s association with their retirement made it an important location in the novel’s portrayal of their later life and the resolution of their story.
Behind the scenes
Lake Tai is a real lake in China, and its association with Fan Li and Xi Shi’s retirement is part of Chinese cultural history. In Sword of the Yue Maiden, the lake serves as an important location, illustrating the resolution of Fan Li and Xi Shi’s story and their choice to withdraw from political life.
The lake’s prominence in the novel helps establish the geographical and cultural context of Fan Li and Xi Shi’s story, showing how their retirement to the Five Lakes represented their escape from political obligations and their choice to pursue personal happiness together.
See also
- Fan Li — Associated with Lake Tai
- Xi Shi — Associated with Lake Tai
- Five Lakes — The group of lakes that includes Lake Tai
- State of Yue — One of the states in the region
- State of Wu — The other state in the region
- Sword of the Yue Maiden locations