Biography
Creative Beginnings
In late 2002, Li Xin published her first wuxia-themed novel on the literary portal "Under the Banyan Tree," officially starting her creative journey. She had loved reading the wuxia novels of Jin Yong and Gu Long since childhood and dreamed of becoming a manga artist. However, due to the immature domestic manga creation environment at the time, she chose a "roundabout path to salvation" by writing novels first. When she first wrote novels online, she did so "purely powered by love, with almost no profit motive."
Rising to Prominence
Starting in 2003, Li Xin successively published short stories such as *Ai Min* and *Yu Buyao* in magazines such as *Jingu Wuxia Edition*, *Wuxia Xiaoshuo*, and *Wuxia Stories*. In the same year, she was selected as one of the "Eight Beauties of Jingu" launched by *Jingu Chuanqi: Wuxia Edition*, becoming one of the representative figures of the mainland new wuxia female writer group. In April 2007, her novel *Duba Tianxia* was published by Chaohua Publishing House. With these works, Li Xin gained high recognition in the online literature community.
Achievements and Honors
In 2008, Li Xin won the championship of the fourth period of the second "Writer's Cup" original competition on Tencent.com, was selected for the first Online Original Writers' Fortune List, and was elected as one of the "Four Little Flowers of Youth Literature for 2007." On September 4, 2020, she was selected as a new member of the China Writers Association for 2020. In the same year, in the Orange Melon Witness: 20 Years of Online Literature review, she was rated as one of the "Top Ten Wuxia Writers" and one of the "Top Hundred God-tier Writers," and was included in the "Top Hundred Industry Figures" list. According to reports, her annual income exceeds one million yuan.
- Manga Artist Dream: Li Xin dreamed of becoming a manga artist in her childhood, but due to the immature environment, she chose to write novels first as a "roundabout path to salvation."
- "Biological Mother" Complex: She uses the internet buzzword "biological mother" to describe her relationship with her works, stating, "I don't have a favorite work, nor a favorite character. In the eyes of a 'biological mother,' they are all very cute, and I like them all."
- Book Title Joke: The new book *Xue Li Hong* implies "swan tracks in the snow mud," but readers joked that "Xue Li Hong" is a type of pickled vegetable. Li Xin casually replied, "That's easy to remember, and it tastes good too."
- Jin Yong Complex: She claims to have a "Jin Yong complex," adhering to rigorous historical research and character logic in her creation, hoping to continue the wuxia dream.
Major Activities
Literary Creation
Li Xin's creative inspiration comes from "reading more, listening more, watching more, and daydreaming more." She is accustomed to building the worldview and character settings before creating, and the ending is often determined at the start of the story. Her works often blend historical and romantic elements, frequently using time travel to connect ancient and modern emotional entanglements. Her representative work *Duba Tianxia* reconstructs the history of the Nurhaci era through a time-travel theme. *Xuli Jiangshan* tells the story of the love between Yin Lihua and Liu Xiu in the chaotic Eastern Han period. *Feng Qi Wu* and *Xun Jun Yi* are set in the Tang and Han dynasties, respectively. Recently, she has been working on the historical novel *Feichang Dao* (The Unusual Way), set in the Five Dynasties period, and polishing works such as *Chun Mian Bu Jue Xiao* (Spring Sleep Unaware of Dawn) and *You Nv Shunhua* (There Is a Girl Named Shunhua).
Film and Television Adaptations
Several of Li Xin's works have been adapted into film and television productions. In 2016, the novel *Xuli Jiangshan* was adapted into the TV series *Xuli Jiangshan: Changge Xing*, starring Lin Xinru and Yuan Hong, which premiered on Jiangsu Satellite TV. On October 30, 2017, the novel *Duba Tianxia* was adapted into a TV series of the same name, starring Ray Chong and Tang Yixin, which premiered on Tencent Video. The serialization and film adaptation of her new work *Zhan Feng Duo* (Wind-Catching Bell) are also being gradually advanced.
The stages of his reign can be set out by year: in 410 (sixth year of Jianchu in the Western Liang), as crown prince, he intercepted the Northern Liang army on his father's orders, defeated it and captured the commander Qiequ Bainian; in 417 (first year of Jiaxing) he inherited the Western Liang on Li Gao's death, receiving the offices of grand commandant, grand general, Duke of Liang and governor of Liangzhou and changing the era name to Jiaxing; in the same year the Northern Liang tried to draw him out by a feigned surrender, which he saw through, withdrawing and defeating the pursuers at Jiezhi Stream; in 418 (second year of Jiaxing), on Zhang Tishun's advice, he stopped meeting the Northern Liang in the field, sending envoys to the Eastern Jin and receiving the title Duke of Jiuquan and others; in 419 (third year) Zhang Xian and Fan Cheng memorialised in turn against his severe punishments and constant building, and he took no notice; in 420 (fourth year), disregarding the warnings of the Yin and Song families, he advanced east with thirty thousand foot and horse, was defeated at Huaicheng and Liaquan and killed by Juqu Mengxun, and the Western Liang lost Jiuquan. His disregard of counsel leading to destruction is a direct record of the Western Liang's turn from strength to ruin in the contest for Hexi.
In his four years the Western Liang lost Jiuquan, and the situation in Hexi was settled.
Some domestic matters of his reign may be noted: the memorials of Zhang Xian and Fan Cheng concerned his severe punishments and constant building, while the Yin and Song families advised against the eastward advance, the content and results of this counsel appearing in the *Book of Jin* and the *Spring and Autumn of the Sixteen Kingdoms*; that he saw through the Northern Liang's feigned surrender at the outset and won at Jiezhi Stream shows that he was not without military judgement, and his final failure came rather from misjudging the situation and refusing counsel.
His foreign dealings are also recorded: in 418 he sent envoys to the Eastern Jin and received the title Duke of Jiuquan and others, showing that under military pressure the Western Liang still sought standing through Southern Dynasties investiture.
The record of his four years concerns mostly military matters, two points of which deserve note: first, he was not without military judgement, as his seeing through the Northern Liang's feigned surrender in 417 and his victory at Jiezhi Stream show; and second, the key to his failure was misjudging both the Northern Liang's strength and his own position, the warnings of the Yin and Song families against the eastward advance going unheeded, so that his thirty thousand horse and foot were defeated at Huaicheng and Liaquan. After the loss of Jiuquan his brother Li Xun held Dunhuang for about a year, and the situation in Hexi turned towards the Northern Liang.
The era name Jiaxing of his reign was used for four years, matching the remaining life of the Western Liang.
After his death the remnant Western Liang at Dunhuang lasted only a year.
After his defeat Jiuquan and Dunhuang passed into other hands in turn.
The history of his four years turns on the confrontation with the Northern Liang, his ministers' advice and his refusal of it centring on punishments and the use of troops; after the fall of the Western Liang the pattern in Hexi was dominated by the Northern Liang until the Northern Wei entered the corridor.
He sent envoys to the Eastern Jin, and although the investiture did not alter his military disadvantage it preserved the Western Liang's connection with the Southern court.
After his defeat the remnant Western Liang at Dunhuang was maintained by Li Xun for about a year.
After his death the remnant Western Liang was maintained at Dunhuang by his brother Li Xun.
His era name Jiaxing ran from beginning to end of the Western Liang's survival.
His death and the loss of Jiuquan fell in the same year.