ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the process by which Liu Chi was fictionalized in Ying-lieh chuan, its sources and effect on the transformation of Liu Chi from an historical to a legendary figure. The political upheavals of early 1360s turned the tide of Liu Chi’s political fortune. During this time various contenders arose amid the collapse of the Mongol empire, wrangling with each other for political ascendency. Ying-lieh chuan is an historical romance describing the rise of the Ming Dynasty, in a style similar to San-kuo chih yen-i, a popular historical novel featuring the interstate strife during the Three Kingdoms period. The fictionalization of Liu Chi in Ying-lieh chuan begins with his seclusion in Ch’ing-t’ien after he had severed ties with the Mongol authorities. The next episode in Ying-lieh chuan features Liu Chi as a military planner with magic powers. The first plot deals with Liu Chi’s role in devising a strategem against Ch’en Yu-liang’s armada at Great Victory Bay in 1360.
