"The Tale of Huo Xiaoyu", also translated as "The Story of Huo Xiaoyu",[1] [2] is a chuanqi tale written by Jiang Fang (蔣防; 792–835) during the Tang dynasty.
The protagonist of the story is a Gējì named Huo Xiaoyu,[3] who falls madly in love with a handsome young poet named Li Yi. While Li Yi was indeed a famous poet during Jiang Fang's lifetime, Huo Xiaoyu herself is a fictional character. There is also no evidence that Jiang Fang personally knew of Li Yi, or that the story is based on an actual account.[4] The tale was famously adapted into a play by Ming dynasty playwright Tang Xianzu as Zichai ji (The Story of the Purple Jade Pin or The Purple Hairpin).[5]