Abstract: There are profound differences between Chinese and Western novel styles,one of which is the relationship between novel characters and real characters. The exploration of prototype characters in the study of ancient Chinese novels is a reflection of this difference in research strategies. The character prototypes in The Tale of Li Wa (a romantic novel in the Tang Dynasty) have always been controversial and can serve as examples for such research. The work reveals traces of the prototype in details,but tries to avoid mentioning the male protagonist's name or even surname in the writing,which is precisely the strategy of the work to conceal the prototype. According to Glen Dudbridge's view,its prototype should be the Zheng Fangkui brothers. Comparing the main time nodes in the text with those of the Zheng Fangkui family,they can also be mutually verified. At the same time,Yuan Zhen is also a key figure in discussing related issues,and even the strange beginning of the work and its mention of Bai Xingjian's never serving as a “censor” may probably refer to the story of Yuan Zhen. The word “grand uncle” in the ending can also refer to him. These debates extended from the prototype all point to the mutual mapping between the author,the work,and its contemporary environment.

Key words: The Tale of Li Wa, Xingyang, Glen Dudbridge, Zheng Fangkui, Yuan Zhen, Bai Xingjian, Bai Zhishen