Conceptually, this is great. I wish to have seen the 100 page version but hey! Can't complain about yuri.

There must be some rule that historical yuri can only have bitter-sweet endings.

There must be some rule that historical yuri can only have bitter-sweet endings.

There isn’t a specific rule, but there was a common trope in yuri literature, maybe around the 1960s in Japan, where yuri stories often had to end tragically. Authors weren’t allowed, or at least weren’t encouraged, to write openly queer happy endings. My information is a bit fuzzy, but I remember watching a few video essays and reading some articles about it. If I find them, I’ll link them. :)

Been waiting for this one since the mangaka posted about it.
It was just as good as I expected it to be
Wonder if they can post the 100 pages in a novel form.

There must be some rule that historical yuri can only have bitter-sweet endings.

There isn’t a specific rule, but there was a common trope in yuri literature, maybe around the 1960s in Japan, where yuri stories often had to end tragically. Authors weren’t allowed, or at least weren’t encouraged, to write openly queer happy endings. My information is a bit fuzzy, but I remember watching a few video essays and reading some articles about it. If I find them, I’ll link them. :)

Outside of Japan as well there's a lot of things with same sex relationships where there was push back against them being allowed a happy end

Someone could help me find a translation of the poem?
Tried a bit but only found chinese poems by author, not helpful on this

Someone could help me find a translation of the poem?
Tried a bit but only found chinese poems by author, not helpful on this

Which poem? Didn't saw a poem in this manhua.

... new author's oneshot.

Damn, new authors nowadays are so capable it's scary.

For history background of the invasion of Shanghai, see Jan 28 Incident in 1932

last edited at Nov 15, 2025 3:56AM

Interesting that this is the same author as To You Who Were Buried.

Good art, good story with a bittersweet feel, its why I never read any romance stories set before WW1 to WW2 period.

Being into historical yuri is suffering.

Not to be rude but the author is a chinese person living in japan, so this is less a “japanese thing” and more to do with the fact that nowadays historical settings can easily explain poor medicine, war, poor comunication, extreme homophobia, etc. All of this help to create a easy tragic setting and that is why I think authors use it, plot wise is more easy and the reader can accept the tragedy as something of “that time”

Loved it, I really appreciate it wasn’t the “I have/want to marry, forgive me” historical setting, the reason why they aren’t together is because both have different ambitions in life, its the first time I see that in a historical yuri. I don’t even consider it tragic.

last edited at Nov 15, 2025 10:51AM

Even though they were separated at the end, this is a nice change of peace with historical yuri. I don't like when they put tragedy every time. For example, one of them can marry a man if the authors want to be more realistic, but people had a double life before too, a lesbian, bisexual woman can have a female lover. And it wasn't impossible to woman be together, they can love each other in secret or be the "lesbian couple" every one knows but doesn't talk because of taboo.

Talking about this oneshot again, I really like the characters in this one!

Damn wasn't expecting that to happen damn

Someone could help me find a translation of the poem?
Tried a bit but only found chinese poems by author, not helpful on this

Which poem? Didn't saw a poem in this manhua.

... new author's oneshot.

Damn, new authors nowadays are so capable it's scary.

For history background of the invasion of Shanghai, see Jan 28 Incident in 1932

The afterwork (page 50) explains this oneshot was inspired by a Song dynasty era poem, of unknown author, who is attributed to a noblewoman dedicating it to her concubine
The translator lists the original chinese name as well as the translation, but only call it "The Swallows"

It's true that there were rules (in Hollywood I think it's called the Hay's code) about having homosexual characters in a film cannot be portrayed as normal , having happy ending character.
Instead, they'll be portrayed as villains, mentally unstable,criminals, or characters who die , punished or "corrected" at the end.

But getting into the era of the digital world/hippy, those codes have been abandoned and now some if not most have happy ending,thanks to the authors/yuri mangakas etc.

Someone could help me find a translation of the poem?
Tried a bit but only found chinese poems by author, not helpful on this

Which poem? Didn't saw a poem in this manhua.

... new author's oneshot.

Damn, new authors nowadays are so capable it's scary.

For history background of the invasion of Shanghai, see Jan 28 Incident in 1932

The afterwork (page 50) explains this oneshot was inspired by a Song dynasty era poem, of unknown author, who is attributed to a noblewoman dedicating it to her concubine
The translator lists the original chinese name as well as the translation, but only call it "The Swallows"

Oh I see. Might do it tomorrow since it's 23 here now. Also translating Classical Chinese isn't my specialty so I might ruin it in the process, is that okay?

Typesetter and afterword translator here. I've found a few translations of《燕燕》online. IMO these two are the best. Both translations are attributed linguist and missionary James Legge, though the second feels far too modern for someone in the 1800s. The first feels more poetic and period appropriate, but the verse order in each stanza sometimes differs slightly from the original. The second is more literal and verse-by-verse in its translation. Although, my Chinese proficiency is far from being able to completely appreciate the accuracy of classical poetry translations, so take my words with a grain of salt.

I also screwed up, it should be Zhou dynasty, not Song, sorry.

The historical tag does a lot of work here...nice one shot though

Typesetter and afterword translator here. I've found a few translations of《燕燕》online. IMO these two are the best. Both translations are attributed linguist and missionary James Legge, though the second feels far too modern for someone in the 1800s. The first feels more poetic and period appropriate, but the verse order in each stanza sometimes differs slightly from the original. The second is more literal and verse-by-verse in its translation. Although, my Chinese proficiency is far from being able to completely appreciate the accuracy of classical poetry translations, so take my words with a grain of salt.

I also screwed up, it should be Zhou dynasty, not Song, sorry.

Thanks a lot, it was a wonderful reading and makes a lot of sense how inspired the story

I love this !