Beneath Ceaseless Skies #463, August 6, 2026
“My Blue Silk Fan” by Richard Parks
“The Heart of the Fox Spirit” by Chezza Lee
Reviewed by Philip Hutson
“My Blue Silk Fan” by Richard Parks is a fantasy story set in ancient China near Chengdu. The story uses Chinese mythological creatures and magic, helping to paint a complete and believable world.
The protagonist, Jing, and her father are exorcists and “demon quellers.” Jing has an adopted sister, Mei Li, who is a snake devil that looks like a teenage girl. Mei Li is learning to be human with the help of Jing and her father. The story gets its title from a prize, a blue silk fan, that was offered in a bet between the sisters on whether Jing can learn to play the Xiao (a large bamboo flute) as well as Mei Li.
To assist in the description of Mei Li, the narrative describes the differences between snake-devil magic, “direct and practical as a serpent’s strike,” and the father’s Tao magic, “subtle yet powerful.”
About midway through, there is a description of a snake-devil when the three go to perform an exorcism. That scene is where the reader learns that “demon queller” was not a metaphor.
Before this story, I had not read much Chinese mythology, so the description of the snake-devil helped me understand what Mei Li was and what it meant for her to try and learn to be human.
I found this to be an entertaining story of redemption, providing me a glimpse into a worldview to which I have had limited exposure.
“The Heart of the Fox Spirit” by Chezza Lee was another story based in Chinese mythology. This one incorporated a fox spirit, a magical creature that can ensnare a man’s or woman’s desire. There is no clue as to where the story takes place besides some medium-sized town in ancient China. Most of the story’s setting is a tavern where the protagonist, Qingxin, is a serving girl. Qingxin is an only child of a failed marriage where both the father and mother have left to live another life, leaving her alone to fend for herself. Qingxin is barely surviving as a server under the thumb of a cruel and lascivious owner. The fox spirit, a plain-looking woman, makes her entrance, and Qingxin is immediately drawn to her. The protagonist-narrator starts talking about fox spirits to inform the reader. The description of a fox spirit that the narrator gives is one of a cruel creature not to be trusted, or so Qingxin was taught by her now-absent father.
During the scene where the fox spirit is first encountered, the proprietor strikes Qingxin. After the slap, Qingxin steps away from the owner and is talking to the fox spirit, Ying, when the hands of the proprietor disappear, leaving him with stumps at the wrist. Ying makes the offhanded comment, “They will grow back…probably,” confirming to the reader that Ying was responsible.
Shortly after the loss of his hands, the proprietor sells the tavern. The new owner has a different take on fox spirits; he describes a fox spirit as a creature that will provide blessings when given an offering.
The story continues with sporadic visits from Ying, always in the tavern, while the reader learns more of Qingxin’s life, Ying, and fox spirits.
This was an interesting story of deliverance, even though it was fairly predictable. I did like learning something new about Chinese mythology beyond the authoritative source of Big Trouble in Little China.
Philip Hutson’s ramblings and poor attempts at storytelling can be seen at https://tr8t.com