Regarding the Birthdate
Duan Yelin's Birthdate: [Beginning of Autumn] The season when all things start to transition from growth towards maturity; what was planted before will become abundant fruits.
Xu Shaotang's Birthdate: [Qingming Festival] The air is clear and the scene is bright. Everything comes into view and the plants begin to awaken. It is a time to witness life and death, farewells, and ancestral rites.
Regarding Place Names
When writing the entire story, I was residing in Hangzhou. The Hang in [Xu Hang] is the Hang of Hangzhou.
The prototype for [Hezhoul is Jiangnan. The He of [Hezhou] means to celebrate the country's stability and to celebrate a great victory in battle. The prototype of [Shuchengl goes without saying. It sits on the banks of the Xiang River and is part of Tianfu.
The prototype of [Qiyuan] is Hu Xueyan's former residence in Hangzhou. Since I often went there to find inspiration, this place became the model for Qiyuan in the story. Its courtyard walls rise high and the main gate is hidden, creating a subtle yet surprisingly enchanting atmosphere. Inside Zhiyuan, there is a uniquely designed garden opera stage, something I haven't seen in any other gardens. Standing atop Yufeng Tower and looking down at the stage, I vividly imagine the scene of their first meeting and the performance of "Eighteen Miles Away" in the story.
However, the actual garden named 'Qiyuan' is in Haiyan, Zhejiang, and got its name because of its "beautifully ornate furnishings". The name immediately left a deep impression on me, and I felt that there was no better name than it.
When the story was first being written, the name was used simply because it sounded good. Only when it was nearing completion did I discover that the Japanese military police headquarters was stationed at Qiyuan during the Sino-Japanese War, which is why Qiyuan was the only structure to survive when the Japanese army burned down Haiyan County. This illustrates the saying that there are no coincidences in life, and it was perhaps destined that the story should take place in [Qiyuan].
There is an alley called [inchai Dai Alley (Golden Hairpin Pouch Alley)] a few hundred meters from Hu Xueyan's former residence. A few hundred meters further along Hefang Street stands a large medical hall called [Hu Qingyu Medical Hall], which served as the model for [Heming Medical Hall] in the story. This is why there is a supporting character called "Physician Hu," who occasionally appears in the story.
[Faxi Temple] is located on Tianzhu Road in Hangzhou. Many years ago, it was a quiet and little-known temple. From Upper Tianzhu, where Faxi Temple is located, down to Lower Tianzhu, the temples are constantly filled with incense and surrounded by quiet forests, exuding a peaceful, meditative atmosphere. Thus, it is the place where the characters in the story enjoy going for quiet contemplation.