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Five short stories:
Winter Prosperity (冬栄, Toei)
Taiki journeys to Ren to thank Renrin for aiding Sanshi in bringing him back from Japan. There he meets Ren's unusual King and Kirin.
By Moonlight (乗月, Jogetsu)
Seishin arrives in Hou bearing a message from the Empress of Kei to Gekkei. Meanwhile, Shokei sets off to Kyou to face the consequences of her theft from the Imperial Palace.
Correspondence (書簡, Shokan)
Yoko and Rakushun talk about how things are going for each of them, Rakushun at his university in En and Yoko adjusting to her station as Empress.
Paradise (華胥, Kasho)
Shuka, the Minister of Earth, tries to get to the bottom of young Sairin’s Shitsudou. This story takes place during the reign of Sairin’s first ruler, Shishou.
Home to the Mountain (帰山, Kizan)
Fuukan and Rikou discuss Ryuu.
Winter Prosperity (冬栄, Toei)
Taiki journeys to Ren to thank Renrin for aiding Sanshi in bringing him back from Japan. There he meets Ren's unusual King and Kirin.
By Moonlight (乗月, Jogetsu)
Seishin arrives in Hou bearing a message from the Empress of Kei to Gekkei. Meanwhile, Shokei sets off to Kyou to face the consequences of her theft from the Imperial Palace.
Correspondence (書簡, Shokan)
Yoko and Rakushun talk about how things are going for each of them, Rakushun at his university in En and Yoko adjusting to her station as Empress.
Paradise (華胥, Kasho)
Shuka, the Minister of Earth, tries to get to the bottom of young Sairin’s Shitsudou. This story takes place during the reign of Sairin’s first ruler, Shishou.
Home to the Mountain (帰山, Kizan)
Fuukan and Rikou discuss Ryuu.
351 pages, Paperback Bunko
First published July 13, 2001
About the author
Fuyumi Ono
135 books343 followersKanji Name: 小野 不由美.
Fuyumi Ono (小野 不由美, Ono Fuyumi) is a Japanese novelist who is best known for writing the Twelve Kingdoms (十二国記, Juuni Kokuki) series, on which a popular anime is based. Her name after marriage is Fuyumi Uchida (内田不由美, Uchida Fuyumi), but she writes under her maiden name.
Ono was born in Nakatsu, Ōita, Kyūshū in 1960. She graduated from Ōtani University in Kyōto with a degree in Buddhist Studies, and in 1988 was employed by the publisher Kōdansha. Her debut story is titled Sleepless on Birthday Eve.
Ono is married to Naoyuki Uchida (内田直行, Uchida Naoyuki), a mystery novelist who writes under the pseudonym Yukito Ayatsuji (綾辻行人 , Ayatsuji Yukito).
Before she started work on Twelve Kingdoms, Fuyumi Ono wrote The Demonic Child (魔性の子), a horror novel about a boy from another world. She later worked certain events from this novel into the Twelve Kingdoms series. Short stories set in the various kingdoms include: Kasho, Toei, Shokan, Kizan and Jogetsu. In February, 2008, the first new Twelve Kingdoms short story, Hisho no Tori (丕緒の鳥) was published in Shinchosha's Yomyom magazine.
According to an interview at the Anime News Network, she is "currently rewriting a girls' horror series (she) wrote long ago."
- Wikipedia
Fuyumi Ono (小野 不由美, Ono Fuyumi) is a Japanese novelist who is best known for writing the Twelve Kingdoms (十二国記, Juuni Kokuki) series, on which a popular anime is based. Her name after marriage is Fuyumi Uchida (内田不由美, Uchida Fuyumi), but she writes under her maiden name.
Ono was born in Nakatsu, Ōita, Kyūshū in 1960. She graduated from Ōtani University in Kyōto with a degree in Buddhist Studies, and in 1988 was employed by the publisher Kōdansha. Her debut story is titled Sleepless on Birthday Eve.
Ono is married to Naoyuki Uchida (内田直行, Uchida Naoyuki), a mystery novelist who writes under the pseudonym Yukito Ayatsuji (綾辻行人 , Ayatsuji Yukito).
Before she started work on Twelve Kingdoms, Fuyumi Ono wrote The Demonic Child (魔性の子), a horror novel about a boy from another world. She later worked certain events from this novel into the Twelve Kingdoms series. Short stories set in the various kingdoms include: Kasho, Toei, Shokan, Kizan and Jogetsu. In February, 2008, the first new Twelve Kingdoms short story, Hisho no Tori (丕緒の鳥) was published in Shinchosha's Yomyom magazine.
According to an interview at the Anime News Network, she is "currently rewriting a girls' horror series (she) wrote long ago."
- Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 22, 2022
I love how these short stories expanded the main books, how they added little details and facets that made this world all that more richer and fascinating.
In Winter Prosperity (冬栄, Toei) we were shown a glimpse of the Kingdom of Ren and of the Royal Ren. The Royal Ren was such a laid back character and his kingdom had that similar lackadaisical feeling.
In By Moonlight (乗月, Jogetsu) we learned of Gekkei's feeling and motivation behind his action. It must be crushing to earnestly admire someone and then be so disappointed later by that eminent person. Gekkei said that his anger toward the pure king was so much more painful rather than the plight of the citizen.
Paradise (華胥, Kasho) was the heaviest story in the book. The previous King of Sai was a bad king and he led the kingdom to ruin. The next ruler, Shishou was a young and idealist person who believed wholeheartedly in bettering the kingdom. Along with his ministers, he worked hard for the good of the people, yet, a mere twenty years later, the kingdom was toppling again.
In Winter Prosperity (冬栄, Toei) we were shown a glimpse of the Kingdom of Ren and of the Royal Ren. The Royal Ren was such a laid back character and his kingdom had that similar lackadaisical feeling.
In By Moonlight (乗月, Jogetsu) we learned of Gekkei's feeling and motivation behind his action. It must be crushing to earnestly admire someone and then be so disappointed later by that eminent person. Gekkei said that his anger toward the pure king was so much more painful rather than the plight of the citizen.
Paradise (華胥, Kasho) was the heaviest story in the book. The previous King of Sai was a bad king and he led the kingdom to ruin. The next ruler, Shishou was a young and idealist person who believed wholeheartedly in bettering the kingdom. Along with his ministers, he worked hard for the good of the people, yet, a mere twenty years later, the kingdom was toppling again.
August 10, 2020
「冬榮」
一打開就驍宗抱著小泰麒的美照，嚇我一跳XD 心情還沒從白銀之墟的悲愴中回復啊XD
年幼的泰麒煩惱著，選完王以後的自己就沒有用處了，萬一被大家嫌棄怎麼辦…心頭嘟嘟囔囔著去拜訪了濂國的台輔與王。老實說我也曾經覺得麒麟……真的沒甚麼用。 整天悲天憫人的，對不論有能還是無能的主上都死心塌地，當王朝邁入末期就生病，到底是能幹嘛?! 但有天看著政治新聞，一群政客們你陰我、我踩你的，說到底都為了自身與黨的利益考量，這才赫然發現，無私的愛著百姓與王的麒麟是何等珍貴的生物啊! 政壇裡的人就算曾經懷有理想，終究還是會為了私利而將百姓排在後面。但麒麟不一樣，麒麟貴為一人之下萬人之上的宰輔，這麼高官的職位，卻永遠為了百姓著想，赴湯蹈火在所不辭，簡直是終極社畜無誤啊(喂)(欸不對是國畜嗎) 難怪軍人看到麒麟真的不敢放箭XDD
可愛的小泰麒滿腹不是10歲小孩該有的煩惱，看在旁人眼中一定超搞笑的，濂王還跟他說你的工作就是吃吃睡睡等長大XDD 最後小泰麒終於得出結論: 現在的工作就是，每天要餵主上吃飯飯!(萌炸) 這個小短篇乍看是如此的和樂融融，但在全知視角的讀者的眼中，簡直是陰測測的恐怖XD 可憐的小泰麒度假回來，開開心心的遷居(ㄊㄨㄥˊㄐㄩ)，然後……然後就悽悽慘慘戚戚了……
「華胥」
年幼的麒麟、雷厲風行的新王…等等等等這既視感好可怕啊XD 不過二十年也太短了，上天這次這次完全沒有耐心，就好像是說: 對不起我當時真的挑錯啦、大家重新開始吧謝謝各位--那種快刀斬亂麻的感覺||| 看到這個劇情就覺得陽子被選為王…真是超級微妙XD 本篇描寫到采麟的橋段，應該是唯一一次解釋甚麼是"失道": 就像是種慢性精神病一樣，在痛苦和發瘋中死亡，麒麟真是如此悲催的生物。
才王砥尚悟出"責難無法成事"之後，認知到了自己的缺陷，但因為手已染鮮血，無法苟活所以就禪讓了。有句老話說:換了位子換了腦袋，通常是負面的，但我有時候覺得也沒甚麼錯。本來換了立場，看事情的角度就不一樣了，要考量的當然就更多。砥尚等人並沒有理解王的職責以及顧慮，上任之後也沒發現自己的天真，所以短短二十年就被上天放棄了。人都是從無知中學習，但砥尚之所以這麼快就被放棄，也許是因為他對自己的無能一無所知，也不願改變吧。雖然是個好人，但不是個好好王。同樣是飄風之王，砥尚跟驍宗有點像但又不太像，畢竟驍宗對於政治跟打仗是很有實際經驗的。還是好想知道戴國的後續呀~~~
「乘月」
討伐了峰王的月溪，跟砥尚是完全相反的人呢。兩人雖然都舉起反旗，但月溪是在完全理解的情況下，做出痛苦的選擇。骯髒的事情，總得有人做……但是月溪無法原諒自己。
重溫風之萬里黎明之空時，我本來就不太喜歡祥瓊跟小鈴的橋段。並不是沒有道理，而是兩人心理狀態的轉折有點硬…像祥瓊那樣從充滿怨恨到大徹大悟、像月溪道歉還跑到恭國請罪，這個甩尾真的很有難度XD 所以不太有說服力呀……
「歸山」
奏國的利廣與雁國的尚隆，兩個老傢伙有點職業倦怠、又不敢真的倦怠的短篇XD 看了真的覺得十二國就是缺了個正常退休流程啦……小時候看覺得很奇怪，為什麼王朝末期的王都像神經病一樣，好好幹活不行嗎。長大以後才知道，兢兢業業幾百年誰不發瘋啊Q口Q!! 就算沒瘋也要好好胡鬧一場的!XDD 利廣有意無意中說中了尚隆的心事，尚隆也隱晦的承認了，確實在三百年左右的時候曾經想結束一切，但最後還是放棄了，邁過了那個坎。畢竟尚隆親眼看過了小松國的覆滅，心中還是有些疙瘩在吧，殺百姓就像在自己身上挖肉一樣痛。但看在小野主上不厭其煩、一而再再而三地提這個伏筆(六太、陽子、利廣都講過)，看來雁國最後免不了還是會大鬧一場的XD (主上您到底是對尚隆有甚麼意見XD) 但我感覺，尚隆應該是會先假裝要毀滅雁國，嚇了六太和眾人一圈後，就突然跑去禪讓，在哈哈大笑中結束掉吧。跟他比起來，利廣哪天真不想混了還可以退仙籍，去遊山玩水當養老，真是自由多了呢。
一打開就驍宗抱著小泰麒的美照，嚇我一跳XD 心情還沒從白銀之墟的悲愴中回復啊XD
年幼的泰麒煩惱著，選完王以後的自己就沒有用處了，萬一被大家嫌棄怎麼辦…心頭嘟嘟囔囔著去拜訪了濂國的台輔與王。老實說我也曾經覺得麒麟……真的沒甚麼用。 整天悲天憫人的，對不論有能還是無能的主上都死心塌地，當王朝邁入末期就生病，到底是能幹嘛?! 但有天看著政治新聞，一群政客們你陰我、我踩你的，說到底都為了自身與黨的利益考量，這才赫然發現，無私的愛著百姓與王的麒麟是何等珍貴的生物啊! 政壇裡的人就算曾經懷有理想，終究還是會為了私利而將百姓排在後面。但麒麟不一樣，麒麟貴為一人之下萬人之上的宰輔，這麼高官的職位，卻永遠為了百姓著想，赴湯蹈火在所不辭，簡直是終極社畜無誤啊(喂)(欸不對是國畜嗎) 難怪軍人看到麒麟真的不敢放箭XDD
可愛的小泰麒滿腹不是10歲小孩該有的煩惱，看在旁人眼中一定超搞笑的，濂王還跟他說你的工作就是吃吃睡睡等長大XDD 最後小泰麒終於得出結論: 現在的工作就是，每天要餵主上吃飯飯!(萌炸) 這個小短篇乍看是如此的和樂融融，但在全知視角的讀者的眼中，簡直是陰測測的恐怖XD 可憐的小泰麒度假回來，開開心心的遷居(ㄊㄨㄥˊㄐㄩ)，然後……然後就悽悽慘慘戚戚了……
「華胥」
年幼的麒麟、雷厲風行的新王…等等等等這既視感好可怕啊XD 不過二十年也太短了，上天這次這次完全沒有耐心，就好像是說: 對不起我當時真的挑錯啦、大家重新開始吧謝謝各位--那種快刀斬亂麻的感覺||| 看到這個劇情就覺得陽子被選為王…真是超級微妙XD 本篇描寫到采麟的橋段，應該是唯一一次解釋甚麼是"失道": 就像是種慢性精神病一樣，在痛苦和發瘋中死亡，麒麟真是如此悲催的生物。
才王砥尚悟出"責難無法成事"之後，認知到了自己的缺陷，但因為手已染鮮血，無法苟活所以就禪讓了。有句老話說:換了位子換了腦袋，通常是負面的，但我有時候覺得也沒甚麼錯。本來換了立場，看事情的角度就不一樣了，要考量的當然就更多。砥尚等人並沒有理解王的職責以及顧慮，上任之後也沒發現自己的天真，所以短短二十年就被上天放棄了。人都是從無知中學習，但砥尚之所以這麼快就被放棄，也許是因為他對自己的無能一無所知，也不願改變吧。雖然是個好人，但不是個好好王。同樣是飄風之王，砥尚跟驍宗有點像但又不太像，畢竟驍宗對於政治跟打仗是很有實際經驗的。還是好想知道戴國的後續呀~~~
「乘月」
討伐了峰王的月溪，跟砥尚是完全相反的人呢。兩人雖然都舉起反旗，但月溪是在完全理解的情況下，做出痛苦的選擇。骯髒的事情，總得有人做……但是月溪無法原諒自己。
重溫風之萬里黎明之空時，我本來就不太喜歡祥瓊跟小鈴的橋段。並不是沒有道理，而是兩人心理狀態的轉折有點硬…像祥瓊那樣從充滿怨恨到大徹大悟、像月溪道歉還跑到恭國請罪，這個甩尾真的很有難度XD 所以不太有說服力呀……
「歸山」
奏國的利廣與雁國的尚隆，兩個老傢伙有點職業倦怠、又不敢真的倦怠的短篇XD 看了真的覺得十二國就是缺了個正常退休流程啦……小時候看覺得很奇怪，為什麼王朝末期的王都像神經病一樣，好好幹活不行嗎。長大以後才知道，兢兢業業幾百年誰不發瘋啊Q口Q!! 就算沒瘋也要好好胡鬧一場的!XDD 利廣有意無意中說中了尚隆的心事，尚隆也隱晦的承認了，確實在三百年左右的時候曾經想結束一切，但最後還是放棄了，邁過了那個坎。畢竟尚隆親眼看過了小松國的覆滅，心中還是有些疙瘩在吧，殺百姓就像在自己身上挖肉一樣痛。但看在小野主上不厭其煩、一而再再而三地提這個伏筆(六太、陽子、利廣都講過)，看來雁國最後免不了還是會大鬧一場的XD (主上您到底是對尚隆有甚麼意見XD) 但我感覺，尚隆應該是會先假裝要毀滅雁國，嚇了六太和眾人一圈後，就突然跑去禪讓，在哈哈大笑中結束掉吧。跟他比起來，利廣哪天真不想混了還可以退仙籍，去遊山玩水當養老，真是自由多了呢。
July 28, 2014
I've never read anything by Ono Fuyumi that dissapointed me.
Winter Prosperity (冬栄, Toei) ★★★☆☆
By Moonlight (乗月, Jougetsu) ★★★★☆
Correspondence (書簡, Shokan) ★★★☆☆
Paradise (華胥, Kasho) ★★★★☆
Home to the Mountain (帰山, Kizan) ★★★★☆
I found translations here for those who, like me, don't know Japanese or French, but please do remember to support the author when its been officially translated!
Winter Prosperity (冬栄, Toei) ★★★☆☆
By Moonlight (乗月, Jougetsu) ★★★★☆
Correspondence (書簡, Shokan) ★★★☆☆
Paradise (華胥, Kasho) ★★★★☆
Home to the Mountain (帰山, Kizan) ★★★★☆
I found translations here for those who, like me, don't know Japanese or French, but please do remember to support the author when its been officially translated!
May 11, 2012
Loved every single book of this series. It's the kind of book that when you put it down at the very end you feel a mix of great satisfaction (because the story was packed with greatness), unbelievable anger (angry because it's over), frustration (because there's still so many unanswered questions in your mind), sadness and joy at the same time. Now the French edition is the only one that has translated the full series from Japanese (as of yet) and since it's my mother language I bought them in French (lucky me) but I suggest waiting for all the books to be out because.....you won't be able to put it down.
November 15, 2017
20171115
#華胥の幽夢 #十二国記 #小野不由美 さん #読了
冬栄: 泰麒が漣国へと向かう旅の話。相変わらず素直な泰麒は自分が役に立ってないとかを真面目に心配している。かわいいなぁ。廉王の「仕事と役目は違う」の言葉は自分にも降りかかってきた。小説のこういうところが好きだ。
乗月: 芳国王仲韃への大逆を犯した月渓は仮朝とはいえ王位についていいものか悩む。ここまで悩み詰めて大逆を犯したのに王位を固辞する訳は何たるや。
書簡: 楽俊と陽子の鳥を使った往復書簡。互いが互いを信頼していて、でもって、優しい気の使い方をしてる。素敵な友人。こういうことを自然にするのは難しい。楽俊みたいな友人、ほしいなぁ。時折ふわふわの毛並みをぎゅーっとしてしまいそうだが。
華胥: 「責難は成事にあらず」重い言葉。非難をすることは本当に簡単だ。でも、それを正しくすることにはならない。本当に、としか言えないくらい自分に返ってくる。背筋がすっと伸びた。そして、過ちを誤ちを認めること。自身を振り返らずにはいられなかった話。
帰山: 栄枯盛衰。600年もの間奏国を治めている宗王一家の風来坊利広の話。国の浮き沈み。神籍に入ったことで人間とはかけ離れた寿命の長さ。国の人も脆いことを前面に感じた。やっぱり風漢は延王だろうか。
#華胥の幽夢 #十二国記 #小野不由美 さん #読了
冬栄: 泰麒が漣国へと向かう旅の話。相変わらず素直な泰麒は自分が役に立ってないとかを真面目に心配している。かわいいなぁ。廉王の「仕事と役目は違う」の言葉は自分にも降りかかってきた。小説のこういうところが好きだ。
乗月: 芳国王仲韃への大逆を犯した月渓は仮朝とはいえ王位についていいものか悩む。ここまで悩み詰めて大逆を犯したのに王位を固辞する訳は何たるや。
書簡: 楽俊と陽子の鳥を使った往復書簡。互いが互いを信頼していて、でもって、優しい気の使い方をしてる。素敵な友人。こういうことを自然にするのは難しい。楽俊みたいな友人、ほしいなぁ。時折ふわふわの毛並みをぎゅーっとしてしまいそうだが。
華胥: 「責難は成事にあらず」重い言葉。非難をすることは本当に簡単だ。でも、それを正しくすることにはならない。本当に、としか言えないくらい自分に返ってくる。背筋がすっと伸びた。そして、過ちを誤ちを認めること。自身を振り返らずにはいられなかった話。
帰山: 栄枯盛衰。600年もの間奏国を治めている宗王一家の風来坊利広の話。国の浮き沈み。神籍に入ったことで人間とはかけ離れた寿命の長さ。国の人も脆いことを前面に感じた。やっぱり風漢は延王だろうか。
June 16, 2025
This book has four flashes of life in the Twelve Kingdoms and a short story. The four flashes are nice and interesting, they fill little spaces in between books and show more of this world. The short story, which is the longest text in this book, is annoyingly underwhelming. It shows a kingdom run by idealists and they constantly tell you what they dreamed of and how great it would be, but they never go into detail of what they wanted, exactly, what they planned, and why is that going wrong. You just read, over and over, that they had an ideal and it failed, for some reason. It gets frustrating very fast, but the mysteries running behind are interesting enough to keep you engaged... until you reach the end
I don't think you're reading this book, this far into the saga, if you're not a fan, but if you're not *that* much of a fan, skip this one.
I don't think you're reading this book, this far into the saga, if you're not a fan, but if you're not *that* much of a fan, skip this one.
April 12, 2019
Une suite de nouvelles très intéressantes qui nous permettent d'en apprendre beaucoup sur plusieurs Royaumes. On en apprend plus sur le fonctionnement des 12 Royaumes mais aussi sur la difficulté de gouverner. Un très bon tome qui se lit très rapidement.
September 26, 2019
It offered interesting analyses and glimpses about the kingdoms and the people that rule them. Just a collection of short stories, almost no action, but nonetheless OK.
If you're expecting more of the same as the previous books, this one could come as disappointment.
If you're expecting more of the same as the previous books, this one could come as disappointment.
September 25, 2021
〈冬榮〉的泰麒、〈華胥〉的采麟都是年幼選王，而他們的主子個性都很衝。乍看是相似的神話悲劇，但其實就王而言是兩個現實問題：理想化的青年政治群體掌政後，真能好好治理嗎？軍人集團成為領導班子，真能掌控兵權不被其他將領顛覆？
〈書簡〉動畫曾改編過，樂俊上太學沒啥好緊張，但陽子和景麒兩個認真魔人相處起來還滿辛苦……還好四年後的〈幽冥之岸〉中應該是磨合得差不多了。
〈乘月〉月溪這個弒君的設定，真是日漫常見的欲反轉而洗太白。
〈歸山〉除了娛樂麻痺亡國感的主題，另一要項就是探討長生不老：旅行應該是漫長統治裡最好的調劑，如果老是待在辦公室處理政事，不要說三百年，五十年就想自毀了吧。
〈書簡〉動畫曾改編過，樂俊上太學沒啥好緊張，但陽子和景麒兩個認真魔人相處起來還滿辛苦……還好四年後的〈幽冥之岸〉中應該是磨合得差不多了。
〈乘月〉月溪這個弒君的設定，真是日漫常見的欲反轉而洗太白。
〈歸山〉除了娛樂麻痺亡國感的主題，另一要項就是探討長生不老：旅行應該是漫長統治裡最好的調劑，如果老是待在辦公室處理政事，不要說三百年，五十年就想自毀了吧。
May 22, 2025
2001年的作品
但即使過了超過15年 裡面所描述的人生 時代的教訓卻一點也不舊 反而正正向今日的世界說話
明明是向著為人民著想的理想進發 明明所有人都盡心盡力為他人但為何卻一直失敗 都最後連一個頹廢的王朝也比不上
明明人民的幸福就像黑白分明
但理想的國家在不同人的眼中卻各有不同
到底理想是不是只能淪為理想
改正是不是如此容易
不論是面對自己的錯去改正
或是學習填補理想和現實之間的缺口
不論是對今日的香港 或是對一個平平無奇如我的年輕人也是一個永遠的功課
「責難不足以成事」
小野不由美再一次寫出一個劃時代 沈重但真實的故事
但即使過了超過15年 裡面所描述的人生 時代的教訓卻一點也不舊 反而正正向今日的世界說話
明明是向著為人民著想的理想進發 明明所有人都盡心盡力為他人但為何卻一直失敗 都最後連一個頹廢的王朝也比不上
明明人民的幸福就像黑白分明
但理想的國家在不同人的眼中卻各有不同
到底理想是不是只能淪為理想
改正是不是如此容易
不論是面對自己的錯去改正
或是學習填補理想和現實之間的缺口
不論是對今日的香港 或是對一個平平無奇如我的年輕人也是一個永遠的功課
「責難不足以成事」
小野不由美再一次寫出一個劃時代 沈重但真實的故事
February 5, 2018
Good addition in 12 kingdoms volumes. Short stories in different kingdoms happened in past and in present times.
June 27, 2015
It is a collection of stories. Simple and short.
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