More epic than the myth

Miao says she used literary techniques to describe people's emotions in the book, making the story feel more true-to-life. "Given the limited resources available, the challenge was whether to portray the characters as mere symbolic figures or as fully fleshed-out, living individuals. I chose the latter, and real people, of course, have emotions," says Miao.

"Therefore, I tried to put myself in their shoes, to empathize deeply with their experiences and to render what they felt. It's only through emotional resonance that characters truly come to life," she adds.

Fan notes that the emotional depictions were also grounded in careful textual research.