He published literary works such as border town, sanji of hunan travel, autobiography of congwen and so on. Project muse nature, woman and lyrical ambiguity in shen. The novel depicts the story of a teenage girl named cuicui in small outskirts of a village. Many of his classic novels are filled with truth and goodness. The book is different from the previous ones in the method of selection. The ching and payne book says that shen selected the works. Regional culture and identity plays a much bigger role in his writing than that of other major early modern chinese writers. Since yuelu publishing house intends to publish the works of congwen, huchu and i decided to invite research institute of shen congwen to compile the book. People from different backgrounds gathered and read shens works, trying to discover another side of him. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive. Region has played a very important role in the writing of shen congwen, who becomes obsessed with his regions customs, speech, manner, history, folklore and belief. Reading is always one of the best ways to learn a new language and culture.
Which in turn made his work mythical and considered of a higher standard. Dec 05, 2016 border town is a chinese novel written by shen congwen. It tells a story about a border town which has little connection with outside world in the early republic of china. The symbolized countryfolks in shen congwens the border town. The symbolized countryfolks in shen congwens the border town 256 attachment is to her dog. He left home at the age of 15 to join the army and tossed around in western hunan. Wang offers a detailed exegesis of the writers major works, arguing that mao dun, lao she and shen congwen give rise to the polyphonic development of chinese realism that lu. The border town the highlights of shen congwens novels. His style of writing is pure beautiful and his works lead the readers to an endless aftertaste. Nov 26, 2015 in 1922, the 20yearold shen congwen abandoned the soldiers life, and traveled on his own steam all the way to beijing, hoping to test into peking university.
Aug 23, 2019 the paper argues that the female character described in shen congwens hsiaohsiao can be compared with the male character of huang chunmings the drowning of an old cat because of the observed similarities in the characters visions of innocence and justice. This coming of age novel has been adapted for a chinese film as well. Some of his works translated into english are the chinese earth, the border. Selected works of shen congwen bookdna famous childrens literature by. Shen congwen is one of pioneers of modern chinese literature, and with border town one of his most famous books, it is easy to see why. Shen congwen is a chinese writer formerly romanized as shen tsungwen. An evocative novel by an author who was chosen for the nobel prize, but died before it was. Border town is a chinese novel written by shen congwen. Most of shen congwens works concentrate on the depiction of the people in western hunan, where he was born and bred. This essay compares the four published english translations of bian cheng border town of shen congwens novel, discussing personal, linguistic, social, political, historical, and crosscultural factors that might have influenced the translations and their reception when. Sep 01, 2009 shen congwen 19021988 is one of the most influential writers in chinas modern history. New culture movement, chinese modern literature, social life and customs, fiction. Jun 07, 2019 by presenting the best literary criticism on shen congwen in mainland china over the past 80 years, and views of how shen congwen has been understood, interpreted, and appreciated in japan, the us, and europe, the editors propose a new way to approach the topics of canonic writers, modern chinese literature, and world literature. He is very reluctant to accept any tips from any passengers for his work.
It is the story of a chinese girl and her grandfather who live near a town named caodong in the early part of the twentieth century. This article is an analysis of shen congwens story about a young girl who takes care of a little boy who is to become her husband. Shen congwen, author of fiction and prose who is commonly considered the greatest lyric novelist in modern china. Shen congwen 19021988 is one of the most influential writers in chinas modern history. Falling under the native soil genre of writings, shen describes in detail the daily lives of the villagers in a semifictional town in the authors home province of hunan. However, vocabulary, grammar and especially chinese characters prevent a lot of beginner to intermediate chinese speakers from diving into the world of chinese literature. Shen congwen and zhang zhaohe, married for over fifty years the release a few weeks ago of a book by shen congwen which will be discussed later. The journey to xiang and other short stories 1, has led me to read again his translated works and also to discover a remarkable book, four sisters of hofei by annping chin. This volume is about studies of shen congwen 19021988, one of the most important writers in modern china, but more importantly, it is about how shen congwen has been received in and beyond.
Border town by shen congwen, translated by jeffrey c. Shen congwen is a famous writer in modern literary history. Shen was born in 1902 to a rural family in the famous scenic phoenix town, hunan, he joined a contingent of local troops when he finished school in 1918. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. The exploration of cultural region, value, and time in shen. August 2, 2010 leave a comment novels by bertrand mialaret with lao she and lu xun, shen congwen is without doubt one of the great writers of the last century, but for shen congwen, no further translations, he has to be discovered by a new generation. Border town a grieve and beautiful idyll of western hunan.
Later on, supposing himself a member of it, shen wrote a series of romances about the miao people whose culture is served as the backbone of his fictions taking place in west hunan. Border town is set in a little mountain town called chadong, and centers on a solitary family. Border town was first published in 1934, and 85 years later, a literary event about shen congwen was held at the penghao theater in beijing on august 25. Buy border town by shen congwen from waterstones today. Border town by shen congwen overdrive rakuten overdrive.
We added some words other than the old works on the front. The yellow dog is an important character in the book. A moving testament to the human spirit, border town is a beautifully written novel, considered shen congwen s masterpiece for its brilliant portrayal of chinese rural life before the communist revolution. Dec 11, 2009 the border town and other stories by shen congwen.
Border town a grieve and beautiful idyll of western hunan, selected works of shen congwen, collectors edition chinese edition shen cong wen on. So how fitting that i was lucky enough to receive border town, the precommunist revolution masterpiece by shen congwen 19021988, who although virtually unknown in the west, is considered one of chinas best modern writers. Shen congwen, december 28, 1902 may 10, 1988, formerly romanized as shen tsungwen, was one of the greatest modern chinese writers, on par with lu xun. The symbolized countryfolks in shen congwens the border.
The man is in charge of a small local ferry, and the girl is his orphaned granddaughter, cuicui. New in the harper perennial modern chinese classics series, border town is a classic chinese novelbanned by maos regimethat captures the ideals of rural china through the moving story of a young woman and her grandfather. Shen congwen has 42 books on goodreads with 2523 ratings. His novel border town was banned under maos regime, only to become an inspiration to a new generation of chinese writers in the late twentieth century. New culture movement, chinese modern literature, social life. Collections of his stories published in english include the chinese earth 1947. In 1922, the 20yearold shen congwen abandoned the soldiers life, and traveled on his own steam all the way to beijing, hoping to test into peking university. On shen congwens texts of selfexplication, by isabelle rabut. New in the harper perennial modern chinese classics series, border town is a classic chinese novelbanned by maos regimethat captures the ideals of rural china through the. He lived with the couple for some time before the three writers moved to shanghai together in 1927.
At the age of 20, he left western hunan and began his life of learning and writing. Aug 26, 2019 border town was first published in 1934, and 85 years later, a literary event about shen congwen was held at the penghao theater in beijing on august 25. Congwen shen and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Other examples in shens works include hui ming of hui ming and old mrs. The border town the highlights of shen congwens novels chinese edition shen congwen on. Shen congwen, bian cheng, border town, frontier city, translation, dialect, west. It creates a harmonious world of the border town through a poignant and beautiful romantic tragedy. His novel border town was banned under maos regime, only to become an inspiration to a new generation of chinese writers in the late20th century. New in the harper perennial modern chinese classics series, border town.
In the 1930s he gained fame with his longer works such as border town and the long river. Wang offers a detailed exegesis of the writers major works, arguing that mao dun, lao she and shen congwen give rise to the polyphonic development of chinese realism that lu xun primarily set into motion. In shen congwens early works, the image of the miao people appeared strange and extraordinary. Translating shen congwens xiaoxiao, by eugene eoyang the transformations of work and life.
His first attempt was a failure, and, faced with the reality of poverty, turned to writing and selfstudy. He was known for combining the vernacular style with classical chinese writing techniques. By presenting the best literary criticism on shen congwen in mainland china over the past 80 years, and views of how shen congwen has been understood, interpreted, and appreciated in japan, the us, and europe, the editors propose a new way to approach the topics of canonic writers, modern chinese literature, and world literature. A moving testament to the human spirit, border town is a beautifully written novel, considered shen congwens masterpiece for its brilliant portrayal of chinese rural life before the communist revolution. The book includes representative works portraying the rural literary world of shen congwen such as border town, autobiography of shen congwen. Former residence of shen congwen travel guidebook must visit. In beijing shen congwen met several influential figures of the new culture movement including ding ling and her husband hu yepin. At age 16 he joined a regiment in yuanling, where he spent the next few years adding to his scanty education and observing the border. In this paper, i study the power and limits of the lyrical mode that characterizes his nativesoil writings by making a connection between the aesthetics of. Shen congwen, one of the most accomplished modern chinese writers, is known for his nativesoil literary works. Shen congwen spent his childhood and adolescence here.
Download read the border town 1936 by shen congwen in. English translations of shen congwens masterwork, bian cheng border town, by jeffrey c. Shen congwen project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. The paper argues that the female character described in shen congwens hsiaohsiao can be compared with the male character of huang chunmings the drowning of an old cat because of the observed similarities in the characters visions of innocence and justice. This wonderful novel provides a look into life in china before the communist revolution. What is some good mandarin literature for beginner. Traveling with the contingent, which usually stationed at the borders of hunan, sichuan and guizhou provinces, shen witnessed endless border conflicts and the lives of miao tribesmen.
1233 1192 473 1340 1264 1435 330 332 112 525 499 401 1425 913 358 714 236 630 919 101 1512 809 399 5 1064 780 1259 189 1140 39 1062 319 199 949