Category: Chinese
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On this day, Gao Xingjian was born in 1940
Happy birthday to Nobel laureate Gao Xingjian, a painter, novelist, essayist, and more. Below, read about two essay collections Gao published with Cambria—in which he discusses aesthetics, the climate crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic—and a study of his original artistry: Called “a tour de force” and “a most valuable collection of writings and public statements,”…
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Mo Yan Speaks—On politics, literature, translators, and more
Most English readers became familiar with Mo Yan after he was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Literature—with this prize, however, came assumptions, based on a poorly translated remark, that the writer was silent against the status quo and thus complicit with it. His latest book Mo Yan Speaks shows, however, that, far from being…
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Book Review: “Insects in Chinese Literature” by Wilt Idema
“Insects in Chinese Literature will appeal to many audiences: entomologists and insect lovers will find it delightful, while specialists in Chinese literature will appreciate the copious notes and careful documentation of each text’s provenance. The works included will enrich both the Chinese and the comparative literature classroom. Quirky and eclectic, this anthology is full of unexpected…
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English Translation of Liu Zhenyun’s Bestseller “Children of the Melon Eating Age” 吃瓜时代的儿女们
In 2017 Paper Republic selected Liu Zhenyun’s Chi gua shidai de ernumen 吃瓜时代的儿女们 as one of the best books in Chinese, noting: Following his previous award-winning books such as I Did Not Kill My Husband and A Word is Worth Ten Thousand Words, Liu Zhenyun’s new book continues his typical sick humour and absurdism. The lives of four…
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Book Excerpt from Mo Yan Speaks
Nobel Laureate Mo Yan, whose name literally means “don’t speak,” is renowned for his fiction, which includes The Garlic Ballads; Red Sorghum; Shifu, You’ll Do Anything for a Laugh; Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out; The Republic of Wine; and Big Breasts and Wide Hips (all translated into English by Professor Howard Goldblatt). Mo Yan’s fiction has captivated a global audience…
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Honoring the Life and Legacy of Professor Yü Ying-shih
We are greatly saddened by the passing of Professor Yü Ying-shih, whom we came to know through his memoir, From Rural China to the Ivy League: Reminiscences of Transformations in Modern Chinese History, which was scheduled to be published this month. Professor Yü set the gold standard for humanity and scholarship. As noted by Professor…
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Dr. Wu Lien-Teh, First Chinese Nobel Prize Nominee for his work on the plague—One of the modern Chinese celebrities in “Imperfect Understanding”
Imperfect Understanding: Intimate Portraits of Modern Chinese Celebrities by Christopher Rea
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Cultural exchange among early Chosŏn Korea, Ming China, and Muromachi Japan
Shedding light on the three-way cultural exchange among early Chosŏn Korea, Ming China, and Muromachi Japan, Professor Jongmook Lee examines poetic exchanges between Hanlin scholar Hua Cha 華察 (1497–1574) and his Korean counterpart So Se-yang 蘇世讓 (1486–1562); see, for example, page 25 (below) in his chapter “Establishing Friendships between Competing Civilizations: Exchange of Chinese Poetry…
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Essential Books for Taiwan Studies
The following are essential books for Taiwan Studies. The first three have just been published in the new Literature from Taiwan Series, in collaboration with the National Museum of Taiwan Literature and National Taiwan Normal University. A Taiwanese Literature Reader edited by Nikky Lin According to Taiwanese writer and historian Ye Shitao (see next book),…
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China Studies – 10 Important Books
Today on China’s National Day, we highlight books that have made important contributions to China studies. Below are ten books that have earned stellar reviews and should be in all China-studies library collections. Check to see if these titles are in your library. If not, please let your librarian know that there is a 25% discount…