The Departed Soul 离魂记
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The story
In Tang dynasty China, a girl named Qianniang loved her cousin Wang Zhou. But her father promised her to someone else.
Heartbroken, Wang Zhou left by boat at night. Then, at midnight, he heard footsteps running along the riverbank. It was Qianniang. She had run away to be with him.
They lived together far away for five years and had two children. Finally they came home to beg her father's forgiveness. But her father was confused. Qianniang had never left. She had been lying sick in bed, for five whole years.
The sick girl rose and walked outside. The two Qianniangs met, and became one. Her soul had followed the man she loved, while her body stayed behind. Would you follow love that far?
A modern reading (ours)
A Tang “strange tale” (chuanqi) where love is so strong the soul leaves the body. It inspired later plays and operas.
Source
Chen Xuanyou, The Departed Soul (Lihun Ji), Tang chuanqi, 8th c. (public domain). Retold in English; illustrations are AI-generated.