Chinese novels

[Ane]

I've been offered a job in China and figure it would be interesting to read some novels by Chinese authors, but other than the works of Su Tong I haven't actually come across any recommendations of Chinese literature.

Can anyone help me out?

[JBI]

I've been offered a job in China and figure it would be interesting to read some novels by Chinese authors, but other than the works of Su Tong I haven't actually come across any recommendations of Chinese literature.

Can anyone help me out?

I've read somewhat extensively and know generally what is available in translation, what are you looking for more, modern or classic? Jin Yong's Fox Volant of Snowy Mountain isn't bad if you are interested in martial arts fiction, which is probably the most popular genre of fiction today, or at least in the generation that is now 45-55.

[yuka]

I've been offered a job in China and figure it would be interesting to read some novels by Chinese authors, but other than the works of Su Tong I haven't actually come across any recommendations of Chinese literature.

Can anyone help me out?

I would like to recommend:

Lin Yu Tang's "Moment in Peking" (林语堂的《京华烟云》),

Qian Zhong Shu's " Fortress Besieged" ( 钱钟书的《围城》）

张爱玲 的 小说（Zhang Ai Ling wrote many novels, but I am not so sure which one is available in english)

they belong to modern novelist, about current novelist, sorry i dont have any recommendation, i seldom read current owing to my own personal bias,

But
like JBI said Jin Yong's Fox Volant of Snowy Mountain is not bad, of all martial arts fiction Jin Yong's is best. :)

Yuka

[yuka]

I've read somewhat extensively and know generally what is available in translation, what are you looking for more, modern or classic? Jin Yong's Fox Volant of Snowy Mountain isn't bad if you are interested in martial arts fiction, which is probably the most popular genre of fiction today, or at least in the generation that is now 45-55.

It is quiet and quiet where your gold lamp dies,
How far can a pomegranate-blossom whisper?
...I will tether my horse to a river willow
And wait for the will of the southwest wind.
李商隱 Li Shangyin 813-858 tr. W. Bynner
JBI is in Beijing, China for the year, so will be less frequently posting.


hello JBI, so glad to see you quote 李商隐的诗 as your signature(whose translation please?). and nice to meet you in Litnet

[Silas Thorne]

There are many excellent contemporary Chinese writers and novelists , but I'm unsure which are readily available in good English translations. But I never really focused on looking for translations, since I can read Chinese, albeit rather slowly . You might also like to read 'To Live' , by Yu Hua, or other books by him, if you can find them. Zhang Xian Liang's 'Grass Soup' is also a great book, but it might be easier to find before you leave for China.
Many women have told me to read Zhang Ai Ling, but (Jin Yong) Louis Cha's gongfu epics are always very popular.
A lot of people here in New Zealand have told me that 'Live and Death in Shanghai' by Nien Chen is a great novel, but I'm not sure about whether this is available in China.

...I've just seen online that Lang Tu Teng 'Wolf Totem' by Jiang Rong is possibly available in an English translation. Many people told me to read this one, and I'm not really sure why yet, as unfortunately I haven't had the time to really get started on the Chinese paperback I've got at home.

[Mr.lucifer]

I heard Jin Yong is really good.

[JBI]

There are many excellent contemporary Chinese writers and novelists , but I'm unsure which are readily available in good English translations. But I never really focused on looking for translations, since I can read Chinese, albeit rather slowly . You might also like to read 'To Live' , by Yu Hua, or other books by him, if you can find them. Zhang Xian Liang's 'Grass Soup' is also a great book, but it might be easier to find before you leave for China.
Many women have told me to read Zhang Ai Ling, but (Jin Yong) Louis Cha's gongfu epics are always very popular.
A lot of people here in New Zealand have told me that 'Live and Death in Shanghai' by Nien Chen is a great novel, but I'm not sure about whether this is available in China.

...I've just seen online that Lang Tu Teng 'Wolf Totem' by Jiang Rong is possibly available in an English translation. Many people told me to read this one, and I'm not really sure why yet, as unfortunately I haven't had the time to really get started on the Chinese paperback I've got at home.

To Live （活著） and Chronicle of a Blood Merchant （許三觀賣血記） by 余華 Yu Hua are available in English now,

Han Shaogong's A Dictionary of Maqiao （韓少功的馬橋詞典）is a good novel as well.

陸文夫之美食家，Wen Lufu's Gourmet is a nice novella too, and a nice introduction to contemporary Chinese culture right when it began (the book, ending in the Deng Xiaoping era is perhaps the best introduction I have found to understanding societies shift into what it is today)

Camel Xiangzi (駱駝祥子）by 老舍 Lao She, as well as his play Tea House (茶館）provide a nice set of novels that understand society up until 1950, which is kind of important and interesting as a context, as well as good reading.

魯迅 Lu Xun's Outcry/Call to Arms (two translated titles of 呐喊) is pretty much essential reading to understand the environment of China at the beginning of the 20th century, and still has some resonance today as well.

Bu Ning's 卜寧(published using Wade-Giles as Pu Ning) Flower Terror (无名书之文品）is also a great book, and far more interesting than any pseudo dystopia nonsense Western authors have cooked up (I target Orwell especially).

The blogger Han Han 韓寒 is probably the single most generation-moving author in China today, and possibly the world, but I am not sure what is available in translation, and, to be honest, I do not think to highly of him.

As for 張愛玲 Zhang Ailing, there is a great deal published under her English name of Eileen Chang, most notably perhaps the novella Love in a Fallen City (傾城之戀）.

[JBI]

It is quiet and quiet where your gold lamp dies,
How far can a pomegranate-blossom whisper?
...I will tether my horse to a river willow
And wait for the will of the southwest wind.
李商隱 Li Shangyin 813-858 tr. W. Bynner
JBI is in Beijing, China for the year, so will be less frequently posting.


hello JBI, so glad to see you quote 李商隐的诗 as your signature(whose translation please?). and nice to meet you in Litnet

The translator is sited as Tr. W. Bynner at the bottom, though his translation is kind of meh (I took it because it is in the public domain, and the moderators on this forum refuse me the right to post significant blocks of text in Chinese).

[Mr.lucifer]

How good is gao xingjian?

[JBI]

How good is gao xingjian?

I haven't read him, but from what I understand, even if he wasn't banned, people here still wouldn't read him. I hear he is much better as a visual artist though. As it is, he is really just one amongst many authors - he just happened to get famous.

[Mr.lucifer]

I haven't read him, but from what I understand, even if he wasn't banned, people here still wouldn't read him. I hear he is much better as a visual artist though. As it is, he is really just one amongst many authors - he just happened to get famous.

What about jin yong?

[JBI]

What about jin yong?

He's an interesting author, however, not really available in English. Plus, I am not his biggest fan, but think he is an interesting phenomenon, in the sense that he is the one author whose popularity spanned most significantly-sized Chinese populations in the world, including South-East Asian, North American, and eventually mainland.

[Ane]

Thanks a bunch, I'm interested in both classical and contemporary literature, but would like to avoid the mainstream. At any rate, I have a lot to go on now, so thank you!

[yuka]

The translator is sited as Tr. W. Bynner at the bottom, though his translation is kind of meh (I took it because it is in the public domain, and the moderators on this forum refuse me the right to post significant blocks of text in Chinese).

i knew 许渊冲 translated Lishangyin's poems, but not so sure who is W. Bynner.

[yuka]

if read just for fun, choose Jinyong.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

What is "martial arts fiction"? Is it like action adventure? Or, is it more involving the philosophical elements of martial arts?

Chinese literature is something I've been curious to check out. I think I'll look into Jin Yong.