The Lantern Festival is not only a time of celebration and dazzling lights, but also carries a deeply romantic tradition. Some even call it China’s “Valentine’s Day.” Among the many love stories associated with this festival, the tale of Princess Lechang and her husband, Xu Deyan, stands out as one of resilience, devotion, and an unbreakable bond.
A princess’s love and a kingdom’s fall
Princess Lechang, whose given name was Chen Zhen, was the sister of Chen Shubao, the last emperor of the Chen Dynasty. She was known for her elegance, literary talent, and exceptional beauty, earning admiration from those around her. Despite her royal lineage, she chose to marry a gifted scholar, Xu Deyan. Their marriage was a picture of harmony, with the couple deeply respecting and cherishing each other.
However, their happiness was short-lived. The rising power of the Sui Dynasty, led by Emperor Wen, soon brought war to the south. The Chen Dynasty, already weakened, fell swiftly. In the aftermath, members of the royal family, including Princess Lechang, were taken captive and forced to move north to the Sui capital, Chang’an.
A promise sealed by a broken mirror
Facing inevitable separation, Xu Deyan feared that his beloved wife, with her beauty and intelligence, would be taken into the household of a powerful noble. Desperate yet determined, he told her: “If fate is kind, we will find each other again. But if we are lost to one another forever, let us create a token of our love.”
With tears in her eyes, Princess Lechang shattered a bronze mirror in two. She kept one half and gave the other to her husband. They made a solemn vow: Every year on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival, whoever was free would bring their half of the mirror to the streets of Chang’an and attempt to find the other.
Their parting was filled with sorrow, yet they clung to hope.
The yearly search for a lost love
Princess Lechang was sent to the household of Yang Su, a high-ranking Sui official, where she became a songstress. Though she lived in comfort, her heart remained with her lost husband. Every year on the Lantern Festival, she instructed her old servant to take her half of the mirror and try to sell it in the bustling streets of Chang’an, hoping Xu Deyan would one day appear.
People found it odd — who would buy half a broken mirror? The price was high, and no one saw its worth. Years passed, and the search seemed futile. Still, Princess Lechang never wavered.
Meanwhile, Xu Deyan endured hardships of his own. He wandered through war-torn lands, never giving up on his quest to find his wife. Eventually, his journey brought him to Chang’an. On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, he walked through the city’s crowded streets and was stunned to see an old man calling out, selling half of a bronze mirror. His heart raced.
Xu Deyan stepped forward, took out his half of the mirror, and fit the two pieces together. It was a perfect match — their token of love, finally whole again.
A noble act of kindness
The servant, realizing the man before him was his lady’s long-lost husband, rushed back to inform Princess Lechang. Overcome with emotion, she wept bitterly upon reading the poem Xu Deyan had sent with the old servant:
“I have searched for you in endless sorrow,
Yet now, even as we meet, our paths remain divided.
You are bound by fate, I am shackled by poverty —
How can we reunite when destiny stands in our way?”
The princess fell into despair, knowing that though they had found each other, she was still trapped in another’s household.
However, fate had one last twist in store. Yang Su, the Sui official who had taken her in, heard their story. Deeply moved by their devotion, he declared: “Gold and riches mean little — true love is the most precious treasure of all.” He summoned Xu Deyan and, in an extraordinary act of generosity, reunited the couple. Not only that, but he provided them with money and supplies to return home to Jiangnan together.
Princess Lechang and Xu Deyan spent their days cherishing every moment. They passed away in the same year, the same month, and the same day, and were buried side by side. Among their burial items was the mirror that once symbolized their separation and reunion.
A love story that inspired generations
The tale of Princess Lechang and Xu Deyan has been passed down for centuries, immortalized in countless poems and writings. Intertwined with the Lantern Festival, their story reminds us of the enduring power of love, fate, and the belief that some bonds can never truly be broken.
Translated by Cecilia
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