سلام تحت ظلال الجنة

by Ch'ae Man-Sik, آلاء فتحي (Translator), مروة زهران (Translator)

منذ أن نشر تشيه مان شيك، أحد أشهر أدباء كوريا في القرن العشرين وأكثرهم تقديرًا حول العالم، روايته "سلام" تحت ظلال الجنة" في سيئول عام 1938، احتلت الرواية مكانة متميزة في تاريخ الأدب الكوري عموما، وبين الأعمال الروائية المُعبرة عن المجتمع في زمن الاحتلال الياباني لكوريا، على وجه الخصوص.
في 15 فصل، يقدم لنا تشيه مان شيك جدارية درامية هائلة، محتشدة التفاصيل، تحفل بالسخرية والتأمل والكوميديا السوداء، لحياة السيد الأستاذ يون وأسرته وصراعاته الدائمة للحفاظ على مكانته وثروته ومكاسبه الأخرى، والنجاة بطموحاته وسط مجتمع مُتقلب يخطو بثبات نحو الحياة الحديثة للقرن العشرين. تختلط الصراعات بين أفراد الأسرة، بالأوضاع الاجتماعية الآفلة، والتفكك المتسارع للقيم والتقاليد الأخلاقية للمجتمع الكوري، بالنظرة المتعمقة لأحوال المزارعين الكوريين تحت ظل الإقطاع، لتقدم للقارئ صورة مدهشة متعددة الطبقات، هادئة النبرة، عن الحياة الخفية للكوريين وثقافتهم الفريدة، إبان الحرب.
ترجمت أعمال تشيه مان شيك لعدة لغات منها: الإنجليزية والفرنسية والروسية والألمانية. تقدم دار آفاق أحد أهم أعماله لأول مرة إلى قارئ اللغة العربية، بترجمة عن الكورية مباشرة للمترجمتين آلاء فتحي ومروة زهران

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

Paperback

First published November 1, 1938

About the author

Ch'ae Man-Sik’s literary debut came in 1924 with the publication in Joseon Literary World (Joseon mundan) of the short story “Toward the Three Paths” (Segillo). His early stories and plays were written from a class-sensitive perspective, and with the publication in 1932 of “Ready-made Life” (Ledi maeideu insaeng), he began to focus his attention on the plight of intellectuals in an era of colonial oppression, a subject matter he continued to pursue in such works as “An Intellectual and Mung-bean Cake” (Interi wa bindaetteok) and “My Idiot Uncle” (Chisuk, 1938). Arrested by the colonial government in 1938 for his affiliations with Society for Reading (Dokseohoe), Chae was released on the condition that he participates in the pro-Japanese literary organization, Korean Literary Society for Patriotism (Joseon munin bogukhoe), a stipulation to which he duly complied after his release. In December 1942, for example, Chae Mansik inspected the Japanese Army's Manchurian Front and wrote a celebratory account of what he had observed there. After Korea’s liberation from the Japanese rule, however, he reproached the pro-Japanese actions of Korean intellectuals at the end of the colonial period, including his own, in such works as “The Sinner Against the Nation” (Minjogui joein) and “Path of History” (Yeongno, 1946). Until his death on June 11, 1950, shortly before the outbreak of Korean War, Chae produced satires of contemporary society in post-Liberation Korea. “Constable Maeng” (Maeng sunsa, 1946) and “Story of a Rice Paddy” (Non iyagi) captures in an especially vivid manner the turbulence and confusion of a society embarked on the difficult process of rebuilding the nation. Chae Mansik’s collected works were published by Changjak gwa bipyeongsa in 1989. (Source URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%27ae...)

Reviews

[Meredith Russow · Rating 2 out of 5]

okaaay? I mean I get it but also idc

[John Armstrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

A laugh-out-loud funny account of two days (precisely datable to Sep 10-11 1937) in the life of 72-year old Yun Tusop, generally known as Master Yun. He is the son of a Jeolla gambler who now has land, money, a house in the right neighborhood in Seoul, and fine clothes, and lacks only status, education and respectable connections to fulfill his dream of being a yangban.

But he has a plan to get them, and he’s made a lot of progress. He’s already had a pedigree fabricated that traces him back to distinguished yangban of the past, has been made a minor officiant in a local Confucian academy (whence his title “Master”), and gotten three family members (a daughter and two grandsons) married into yangban families, albeit impoverished ones. And now he has two other family members (his two grandsons) more or less on track to become local officials.

Master Yun’s life is clearly centered on his family. It spans four generations counting him and consists of the following (* indicates deceased), mostly living with him in his house in Seoul: (1) Yun himself; (2) his profligate son Ch’angsik, who has his own residence or rather residences which he shares with his concubines and the children he has fathered by them; (3) Ch’angsik’s effectively abandoned wife surnamed Ko (from a common family – she predates “the plan”); Changsik’s two legal sons (Yun’s grandsons) by his wife Ko, and their wives, (4) Chongsu, a deadbeat, (5) his wife surnamed Pak (yangban), (6) Chonghak, studying to be a police chief in Tokyo, and (7) his wife surnamed Cho (yangban); (8) the arrogant 15 year old son of Chonghak and Cho, kyongson (Yun’s grandson, child of a yangban mother); (9) Yun’s unnamed 31-year old daughter referred to as the Seoul Mistress, who was briefly married to (10*) an unnamed man (yangban) before he was run over by a streetcar; (11) T’aesik, Yun’s physically and mentally challenged, but much loved (at least by him), son by an “alehouse girl” who was given up by her when he was born and raised in the house by a nanny and is now 15 years old, the same age as Kyongson (though the latter is, technically, his granduncle); and finally, not a family member per se but a welcome participant in Yun’s domestic life, (12) Chunshim, a fifteen year old child kisaeng/fake schoolgirl (which she is depends on what she’s wearing and how she fixes her hair) who rubs Yun’s legs and accompanies him on outings but manages to resist his desire for more intimate services. And oh yes, there is also (14) Yun’s servant Taebok, who senses in the long widowed but still young Seoul Mistress an interest in him that could lead to marriage and son-in-law status.

Up to a year ago the household also included (13*) Yun’s wife, who greatly hated their son’s wife Ko while she lived, and died effectively cursing her. Ko would have rightly inherited the role of mistress of the household, but Yun, who hated Ko almost as much as his late wife did, instead gave the role to their grandson Chongsu’s wife Pak, and left Ko with nothing to do but spend long nights in her room stewing over her tragic fate and nurturing her hatred for the people who had dealt it to her.

The book makes it quite clear that the main activity of this large household is fighting with each other. Yun and Ko are inveterate enemies and fight at least once every day. Both actually enjoy it in a way and have the practice, almost unheard of in domestic squabbling, of each one waiting until the other has finished their current jab before delivering their own next blow. But most of the household members also engage to different degrees, the only ones who generally stay out of it being the two granddaughters-in-law Pak and Cho.

There is more to the book than Yun’s domestic life, but it is the centerpiece, and the fights between Yun and Ko must rank among the greatest comic episodes in all of Korean literature.

The tone of the book is clearly satirical and it’s fair to ask what the satire is aimed at. The translation includes an introduction by Carter Eckert, who provides a good answer to the question. He explains that the “peace under heaven” of the title refers to the tenet of the ancient Chinese Book of Rites that when the king rules properly his kingdom will be in a state of peace and prosperity, and that the current Japanese rule, occupation though it may be, is providing the peace and prosperity that enable Master Yun to pursue his business, social, and personal goals without restriction. Yun would be content with any government that did the same, but is particularly grateful to the current Japanese one for suppressing the Communists who, if they had their way, would take his land away. Unfortunately, the Japanese policy turns out to be a two-edged sword, and Yun and his family end up feeling its cut.

[Ashuri · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was interesting to see a satirical glimpse into the fake bourgeoisie life of the main characters. I had to read this book for my history class. The characters were amusing, and it allowed me to learn more about the history of Korean.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Très bon livre, lu en français (sous le ciel, la paix). Un très bon livre (humouristique) sur la vie des paysans sous l'occupation.

[Kayli Gragas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Peace Under Heaven was not what I hoped for. Judging by the description, I hoped for something that described a time period in history, while telling a story of someone specific, a historical fiction book. But after reading, I learned that the book was not really descriptive of the era in Korea, and the way the story of the old man was told, was simply uninteresting. I found it very difficult to stay interested in what was being told. I hoped for so much more but, it was carried on too long, and after the first half of the book I found it hard to remain engaged. The tale of the bitter, cruel, old Korean man was somewhat sad in the way he treated his servants and family. I believe the author could have benefited from either making the old Korean man’s story more detailed or describing and explaining the significance of the time period. I would not recommend this book to someone who already has trouble staying actively engaged in a book.

[Michael James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarcasm & Social Satire in Colonial Korea - Tragicomedy in the 1930s

I forgive the Korean-speaking salesman at the Japanese jewelry store in Seoul who thinks dignified 75-year old Master Yun is buying a ring for his granddaughter when she's a 15 year old child kisaeng. From Horseface Yun to the youngest grandchild, the family's rise and precarious present provides a clever historical commentary as a rush toward war and collapse awaits all.

[Max]

I can't tell if it's a poor translation or if this book is really that poorly written. If Chae Man-Sik was trying to criticize the Japanese or wanted to make a bigger statement about war, he could have done it with more clarity and passion, for not only is this one of the most convoluted stories I've ever read, it offers very little to take away.

[Rick Pfleeger · Rating 1 out of 5]

I HATED this book with a burning passion. I hated all of the characters and the plot was extremely dull. There were also some gross parts of the book that made me want to vomit. Honestly, this novel is one of my all-time least favorite books.

[Un Moine Vexé]

A fascinating glimpse at an intriguing time in Korean history.