ASIAN BOOK CHALLENGE 2022 - JULY : ASIA'S SUPERPOWER

JULY 2022 - THE NEW SUPERPOWER / WRITERS FROM CHINA

What You Might Read

The world's most populated nation and one of the first sufficiently civilised to publish works by Confucius etc. The choice of writing available in English is largely from the dissident tradition but still has an enormous variety to choose from. In all honesty it is one of the Asian literatures that I am least familiar with. Some of the writers will also fit into December.

You have the option to go back a "few" years.

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guangzhong
Monkey by Wu Ch'eng-en
The Water Margin by Shi Nai'An
Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin
The Art of War by Sun Tzu

Or nearer to today through the works of:

Eileen Chang
Gao Xingjian
Mo Yan
Ha Jin
Yan Lianke
Mai Jia
Li Yiyun
Guo Xiaolu
Liu Cixin
Yu Hua
Jung Chang
Han Suyin

and many more

What I will read:

Waiting by Ha Jin

and

The Garlic Ballads by Mo Yan

as a minimum

I might read China Dream or Soul Mountain. Some that I would like to read but I could not find a ready source are The Rice Sprout Song by Eileen Chang, Red Sorghum, Chronicles of a Blood Merchant and A Madman's Diary.

I've started with Heaven Official's Blessing Vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, which is a delightful mix of fantasy, adventure, and romance. I've already purchased the second volume and pre-ordered volumes three through five.

There's an animated series based on it that is pretty good and very faithful. Stream it on Netflix if possible, because the subtitles on Prime have the worst formatting I have ever seen.

I am planning to read Red Mandarin Dress by Qiu Xiaolong. I read and liked the first several books in his Inspector Chen series set in Shanghai, but it's been quite a while since I picked one up.

Paul, you might want to give this series a try sometime. Inspector Chen is a poet, and his poems are scattered throughout the books.

>6 cbl_tn: I have read the first two, Carrie, but had trouble locating #3. I definitely intend to go back to the series.

For China, I have been keeping AGE OF EMPIRES - Art of the Qin and Han Dynasties
on the couch to read and enjoy the beauty every night.

some recommendations

wild swan three geneations of women in the same family, from 1900 through the Cultural Revolution. Reads like a novel; fascinating

Daughter of Confucious a personal history told by the author Wang Su-lin to her translator earl herbert cressey, the story of her life from her birth in 1918 through the 50s. Found this book in a store in NYC have never found another copy. But if you do, you are in for a treat

spring moon

Stories of your life

Exhalation

three body problem

Have no idea what I will read yet will probably choose from some of the authors mentione above. monkey looks intriguing

I've read Wild Swans and second that one. I've read Monkey and quite long, funny. I might try The Dark Forest because I read the first in the series (twice). It was a challenging read.

I may have to read that. the three body problem took me a bit to get through but it was worth it.

Amazing to me how much sci fi coming from China. the poppy war is a fantasy example of one, that became one of my favs last year (still need to read the sequel to it dragon republic

>11 cindydavid4:, Oh I think The Poppy War has been on my horizon. Thanks for the reminder.

There are four volumes in Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en. I'll have a go at finishing the first volume, translated and edited by Anthony C. Wu in the 1970s. I had planned to read all four volumes through the year but that plan met with a reading block back in February..

Well I planned to go to the gym, but they closed at 3. Went to the bookstore instead and found they had Monkey King Brought it home, looks like its going to be fun. My dh came home from the Lego store where he works and brought with him a new set called the monkey kid. He'll have fun building Ill have fun reading!

I've started reading Lenin's kisses by Yan Lianke, which I am loving so far. It's very unconventional in plot and form.

I also have Invisible planets, an anthology of Chinese SF edited and translated by Ken Liu.

oh I like his work; will have to chec that out

I'll add another recommendation for Wild Swans. It does read like an epic novel.

Really enjoying the preface and introducing to monkey King, you get agood sense of history context and how the book changed over time
Loved how during the cultural revolution Mao did not bann this ancient book, instead turned into a play with Marxist themes!

Back in the day when I played Dungeons and Dragons, I happened to be in a group who I didnt know well. Was surprised to find out that all their characters were gods and semi gods with tons of magical weapons and tricks. I left within an hour, I was so bored, there was no challenge when they are all super heroes

Im about 1/2 way through Monkey king, and Im starting to get bored. I like monkey and the other characters, but its starting to get boring; he just always wins. Ill finish it, I do like the writing, and will see how it ends up.. But I put it down for a bit, reading somethihng else

I've read Iron widow and Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress so far, and can recommend both. The former is a dark YA fantasy, and the latter is a much quieter and funny read set during the Cultural Revolution. I'm also currently reading the memoir 1000 Years of Joy and Sorrows to round it out.

>20 bell7: I found Iron Widow delightful in a mean sort of way. I'll have to check out Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress.

I have grand plans for this month country. I'd like to read at least:
La Dure Loi du Karma/Life and death are wearing me out by Mo Yan, a 900-page book that I might have to read through July and August.
Shen Congwen's autobiography, titled Le Petit Soldat du Hunan in French, but I'm not sure it is translated into English.

And if times allows, I'd like to read:
A novel by Lao She. Again, I have not found yet the translation in English, but the French title isLa Cage entrebaillée.
And a graphic novel, Ma Maman by Li Kunwu, which have not yet been translated into English.

Strange to see so many books for which I can't find the English translation. It happened last month for some Indian books that were not originally written in English and again this month. Let(s see if I am luckier for the Japan month?

>21 quondame: oh I loved Balzac! read it ages ago

I completed Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie. He is Chinese born but lives in France and writes in French. Lived and went through reeducation in the cultural revolution.

I have three options for July, and so far am making the most progress with Vagabonds by Jingfang Hao. Yes, it's science fiction, but its larger theme is about two groups who don't trust each other and have trouble communicating because they don't understand each other. Her novellette Folding Beijing won a Hugo in 2016.

My other two options are The wedding party by Liu Xinwu and The way spring arrives, edited by Yu Chen and Regina Kanyu Wang

I finished Lenin's kisses which was very good. It's a satire on China's "communist capitalism" and its effects on ordinary people. It's humorous but also pretty dark in places. Stylistically it's interesting too, with a mix of regular chapters and extended endnotes containing context, sometimes as long as the chapters themselves. Only even numbers are used, odd ones being regarded as inauspicious. I enjoyed it.

Now I've started Invisible planets, short stories by Chinese writers of SF. The first two were very good. I tried reading the novel by this author (Chen Qiufan) and didn't get on with it at all due to very stilted "telling not showing" prose, but these stories are much better written. (Same translator, Ken Liu, so that wasn't the problem.)

I read two books for this month's challenge. A Map of Betrayal by Ha Jin may be my least favorite of the five books I've read by him, but it was still an interesting character study of a Chinese spy and the sacrifices he made to leave his country.

I enjoyed the memoir by Ai Weiwei, 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows, because I learned more about modern Chinese history from an insider and now I even understand the author's offbeat art a little more.

I read Nine Continents for this challenge. It was a read that had me experiencing a wide range of emotions while getting through it. Not for the fainthearted; informative, sad, eye opening, many things, and the author overcame it all.

Hard to describe my feelings on this one, my world view was expanded in a tragic kind of way. A society without human empathy, no morality, all kinds of abuse (especially for women and children), and no dignity for life is a dark place to live in.

Reading exhalation I was blown away by his earlier collection and forgot I had this. Hopefully have enough time to finish it.

I finished reading Buying a Fishing Rod for my Grandfather by Gao Xingjian. I'm glad I read this collection of short stories, because I had been wanting to read something by Gao, and his Soul Mountain is intimidating. I wasn't overwhelmed by it however. My review is here.

Edited to fix image.

put down Exhation and picked up the dragon repubic (had started this a while back so was finisheing it off) absolutely loved the poppy war and cheered Rin on to her goal. In this one, she is a whiny brat who insuts anyone and everyone; has forgotten everything she learned in the first book. I understood her PTSD, she did something in the first book that was horrific, felt she had no choice; but towards the end I had no sympathy for her. Felt the charactrs were flat, and honestly skipped through lots of the battles. What the author does do extremely well is world-building with historical influences. Id give it a 3 for that reason, but I wont be reading the last in the series

>33 cindydavid4: I wasn't a fan of The Poppy War and I really disliked The Dragon Republic. She Who Became the Sun has a decent fantasy China. And Iron Widow is wicked!

ooooo 'Mulan meets the Song of Achilles'? ok im in! Thanks for the rec (need to check what we are reading next month...)

Hunter School by Sakinu Ahronglong, translated by Darryl Sterk

I know this month is focusing on writers from the People's Republic of China, but I'm sneaking in an author from Taiwan, the Republic of China.

Ahronglong is a Paiwan, one of the indigenous peoples of Taiwan, and Hunter School is a collection of stories/essays about his people's culture, their loss of identity, and his attempts to preserve and revive their history and culture. It's not the kind of book I normally read, but it's well written and I found it interesting.

ya know, Taiwan I suppose should be in another category, but not sure what, so this month is as good as any other. I know nothing about the country except the revolution. Should read this to get more.

>37 cindydavid4: I looked but didn't see Taiwan mentioned for any of the other months, so I figured I may as well count it here.

I just learned that John Hersey, whose White Lotus, read in the 60s permanently shifted my view of a Eurocultured centered world and competed with the Judge Dee mysteries to introduce me to Chinese culture, was born in China and so sort of qualifies for this portion of the challenge.

I'm about in the middle of The Story of China which does not qualify, but provides dynastic, physical and cultural milestones so westerners like myself can have more background for Middle Kingdom reads.

>34 quondame: she who became the sun is very good. sorta like mulan but with a different flavor, i dont see song of achilles at all but barely half way through so well see. but so far i am enjoying very much. thx for the rec!

>41 cindydavid4: You're welcome! I'm currently reading the 50% pseudo-Asian The Priory of the Orange Tree which is OK, but isn't looking to make favorites by a long shot - and it is very long, 848pg HB.

From AGE OF EMPIRES - ART of the Qin and Han Dynasties, I am in love with so much astonishing beauty -

and, of course, The Kneeling Warrior.

just finished with she who became the sun and really loved it, its a gender twist on the story of the founder of the Ming dynasty, with the character the same name, but its definitely a fantasy, . Like my previous read dragon republic the main character has desires of greatness that she comes to understand comes at great costs. but I liked her strenght, intelligence, compassion despite what she she has to do to get what she wants. The ending lends itself to a sequel which I hope comes soon!

Note: people are comparing this with Mulan and Song of Achille. Dont be decieved: its not a heart warming tale of female empowerment, and except for the battles I have now idea how its connect to the Achilles story. But regardless its very much worth reading!

>44 cindydavid4: I think She Who Became the Sun works really well, much better than R. F. Kuang series. I like the intelligent and emotionally coherent protagonist.

>37 cindydavid4: / >39 amanda4242: Could have gone with October, but since China claim the island anyhow, I think that it is fair enough to put it here also.

>46 PaulCranswick: I wasn't really thinking about the mainland's position regarding the island. I just thought since Taiwan is officially the Republic of China July was a good fit.

>45 quondame: I agree; so much more interesting. And the writing was so good in general. My only complaint is a lack of character list. I kept getting confused by the Zhangs, and Chen and others and wished I had a way to remember where they were located besides go through the chapter headingsl I did appreciate the map tho; so unusual in historic fiction and for me so necessary!

so tomorrow is August - and Japan! have three reads up and ready but will wait for the thread.

>49 cindydavid4: It's up.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/343245#

grazi

I finished Invisible planets over the weekend and would highly recommend this collection of Chinese SF short stories. Most of them are set on earth, rather than in space, and set out possible future visions for humanity, some bleak, some positive, most falling somewhere in between. The prose was much more readable than I've found in the full length Chinese SF novels that I've read; I have no idea why that is, but there was far more showing and less telling in these stories and the writing was generally far less clunky.

I have found that as well, have enjoyed the stories of Ken Liu and ted Chiang; will have to look for that.

Went down a rabbit hole this morning looking for info on a writer and ran acrossthis info on Chinese writing prizes.

For those interested, this site also has a guide to contemporary Chinese literature. Published March 1, 2022, it's available digitally on Kindle/Amazon.

I read Balzac and the little Chinese Seamstress for this challenge. (a little bit late). I enjoyed the book, thoughtful humor.

friend of mine mentioned this book,Dream of the Red Chamber anyone read it? your thoughts?

>56 cindydavid4: I've read a five volume version under a different title The Story of the Stone: Vol. 1, The Golden Days. It can be a fun read, depending on the reader's approach. I only did a surface read, basically just following the plot and not worrying about keeping track of the characters or trying to understand most of the references.

ok. thanksIt does look interesting but I have so much on my reading plate at the moment, migt give it a pass till I can give moe time to it. My friend also remembers a movie when she was a kid in china; wonder if it ever came west

The Backstreets: A Novel from Xinjiang by Perhat Tursun, translated by Darren Byler and Anonymous

In The Backstreets we follow an unnamed Uyghur narrator through one night on the streets of Ürümchi. The narrator is made a stranger in his own land by the Han Chinese minority who control the region and we are witnesses to a thousand indignities driving him into madness.

This is an important work that gives insight into the Uyghur people and their situation under the rule of the People's Republic of China, but in didn't really click with me due to the stream of consciousness writing. Despite my dislike for the style, I am glad I read it and do recommend it.

Received via NetGalley, where it's available for request through December 21.