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Chinese Literature - 中国文学 Mary1407 and I have talked about doing a blog here about Chinese authors. We decided to start with "A Dream of Red Mansions". This has also been called "A Dream of Red Chamber" of "The Story of the Stone". 这就是所谓的中国语言，石头记，或 石頭記. Writen by Cao Zhan (曹霑) during the Qing Dynasty in the 18th century. It is one of the four great classical novels of China. Briefly, the story centers around a family into which a is born with a piece of jade stone in his mouth. The stone had been placed there, and imbued with sentience though the efforts of two sages, a Taoist and Buddhist immortal. It's been a while since I've read the first part of the story, so please feel free to correct this interpretation. According to the author, it is written in a colloquial style for easy reading. Western readers may have trouble at first with all the Chinese names of the people involved in the story. There are huge number of characters who come and go throughout the tale. The three book version I purchased did come with a family tree diagram. While this helped, there are still a daunting number of names to remember. In particular, the story is about the daily life of the young hero of the story, a somewhat wild and emotional lad, and in general about the rise and fall of his family, and Chinese culture at that time. How many have read it? What do you think? Please feel free to correct my synopsis above. Below I have posted a Google translation. I've also asked Chinese language speakers to feel free to post in Chinese language, because it is very easy to paste that into Google translate to see what they are saying. Anyway, we'll see how it goes. Google translation: Mary1407和我刚才讲了在这里做一个关于博客中国作者。我们决定开始与“红楼梦”。这也被称为“梦红楼”的“石头的故事”。这就是所谓的中国语言，石头记，或石头记。清代在18世纪Writen曹湛（曹沾）。它是中国四大古典小说之一。 简单地说，围绕一个家庭的故事为中心，其中一个儿子出生了一块翡翠原石，在他的嘴里。石头已经摆在那里，而且充满了知觉，虽然两个圣人，道教和佛教神仙的努力。它已经有一段时间，因为我读过这个故事的前半部分，所以请随时纠正这种解释。 据笔者，这是写在一个口语化的风格，为方便阅读。西方读者可能会遇到麻烦，在第一次与参与故事的人所有的中国人的名字。还有谁来去整个故事的字符数量巨大。我购买三本书的版本都配备了家谱图。虽然这有帮助，还是有名字记住了一项艰巨的数量。 特别是，故事讲的是故事，有点狂野和情感的小伙子，年轻英雄的日常生活和一般在当时的兴衰他的家人，和中国文化。 有多少人看过？你有什么感想？请随时纠正上述我国梗概。 请随意张贴在中国的语言。任何人都可以使用谷歌翻译，看你说什么。 |
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I have a 3 volume set, hard bound, translated by Yang Hsien-Yi and Gladys Yang, illustrated by Tai Tun-Pang. It was published by the Foreign Languages Press, Bejing. I don't really have a way to compare English and Chinese editions, and due to cost, other English translations. The notes about the translation do mention that the original writing is done in a colloquial style and this seems to have been maintained in my English translation. It seems to me easy to read, the descriptions are quite vivid, though not overly flowery. I enjoy reading it. My volumes does come with a chart that shows how the main characters relate to each other. To be honest, I tend to get lost in all the Chinese names of people that come and go in the story. A full glossary would nice. Also, I've read other reviews and it seems other translations have the names as slightly different. A note from the publishers states: "The numerous editions of this novel can be divided into two main groups: those based on the early manuscript copies of the eighty-chapter version, and those based on the later 120-chapter printed edition. Our first eight chapters have been translated from the Photostat edition published by the People's Literature Publishing House, Peking (Beijing), in September 1973 according to a lithographic edition printed by the Yu-cheng Press, Shanghai, in about 1911. This Yu-cheng edition had been made from a manuscript copy kept by Chi Liao-sheng of the Chien-lung era. The last forty chapters are based on the 120 chapter edition reprinted by the People's Literature Publishing House, Peking, in 1959 from the movable-type edition of 1792. The Chi Liao-sheng manuscript of the first eight chapters is one of he earliest copies extant. In our translation certain minor errors and omissions made by the man who copied the original manuscript have been corrected according to other versions. The translation is in three volumes of forty chapters each."
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Oops, meant "eighty" (80) chapters, not eight.
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Their life sounds somewhat romantic with its hardships and happiness. If found some information on both of them. You may already know these things, but for anyone else reading, Gladys was the first Oxford graduate in Chinese language, where she met Yang Xianyi. They spent 7 years in prison during the cultural revolution. They had 3 children. Gladys died in 1999, and Xianyi in 2009. They translated a number of Chinese classics and works. They had a very interesting life.
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I tried to insert a picture of them, but I don't see a way to do it. I've seen others insert pictures. Perhaps it's my membership level.
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While at my local library the other day I checked and they have the exact same edition that I have, Perhaps if I lived in a larger city I might find another edition. But so much to read. Currently I am reading all of Cheng Man Ching's books on Tai Chi Chuan. And then Yang Chung Fu's books on the same subject. Fortunately, these books are fairly short. After that there is still a long reading list for the summer before school starts again at the end of September!
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I found a book in the library this week titled "Women poets of China" complied by Kenneth Rexroth and Ling Chung. Here is one by Tzu Yeh titled Songs of Tzu Yeh. There are 5, this is number one: I cannot sleep For the blaze of the full moon. I thought I heard here and there A voice calling. Hopelessly I answer "Yes." To the empty air. The poems in this book are quite beautiful. I'm enjoying them all.
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Very nicely said Mary. These are the types of poems I like the most. Simple with a number of meanings, depending on how it touches the reader. A well written poem evokes something within us. Here is another by different poet in the book. Again there is the evocation of a life and a mystery. Her name was Sun Tao-hsuan, who lived in the 12 century. A poem that took her perhaps a few minutes to write has lasted 800 years. This may be all that is left of her thoughts, dreams, pains and life. She may have even forgotten she wrote it by the end of her life. Yet somewhere it was kept safe, and passed along. There is no title, though a note says it is to the tune of "A Dream Song", with which I am unfamiliar. The shadows of the torn green Plantain leaves toss in disorder. Half of the full moon Rises above the vermillion balcony. The wind blows down from the emerald sky A song like a string of pearls. But the singer is invisible Hidden behind her embroidered curtains.
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A simple way to look at it would be, beauty remains hidden within beauty during a time of disorder. Perhaps the disorder is in this persons household and only temporary. Again there is a calling out and sharing of beauty. The human spirit floats into a half dark sky. A quiet metaphor regarding fate. I wonder about the "vermillion balcony" and if that has special meaning. I feel it might, but not sure what it could be. I like the idea of an "emerald sky", especially since It is night, the moon is gibbous, but to the writer the darkness appears green, the color of life. Emerald is also my favorite color, so maybe that's why I like it.  I decided to look into what was going on in China during that time to provide some background to this writer. I have no idea what part of China she lived in, and this could be important. This is very brief, leaving out a lot of detail. 1100 to 1200 a.d., the 12 Century, was during the Song Dynasty. Early in the 12th century, The Song Dynasty was overthrown, and the capitol moved south, forming the Southern Song. Art and poetry were widely practiced. Confucian thought dominated. Commerce, even for the common person grew strong and widespread. Chinese cites were among the largest and most civilized on earth. The binding of women's feet and the upturned corners on building began during the Song Dynasty.
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Thanks for the comment. Please feel free to post your favorite by Li Qingzhao. Perhaps our silent watchers will enjoy it too.
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Tu Fu, is one of the great Chinese poets from the Tang dynasty (618-907). From my local library I found a book called "One Hundred Poems from the Chinese", by Kenneth Rexroth. He is also over the author/translators of the women's poems I have already posted. Tu Fu was friends of Li Po, another Chinese poet. Tu Fu spent many years of his life wandering up and down the Yangtze River. He died of an illness on a boat at the age of 58. His poems were noted for their wonderful natural imagery, and relating to the simple life of common people. Here is one I liked evoking the beauty of a sunset and nature after having a little wine. Sunset Sunset glitters on the beads Of the curtains. Spring flowers Bloom in the valley. The gardens Along the river are filled With perfume. Smoke of cooking Fires drifts over the slow barges. Sparrows hop and tumble in The Branches. Whirling insects Swarm the air. Who discovered That one cup of thick wine Will dispel a thousand cares? -Tu Fu
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Thanks for the great post Mary. I had not heard that he passed away. In honor of his memory, I just bough his translated book "Water Margin" or "Outlaws of the Marsh", which is on my classic Chinese book list. I've quite a lot to read these days, but when I finish it, I'll post a review. Mr. Shapiro (沙博理) led a very interesting life.
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