金锁记

by Eileen Chang, 張愛玲

Die chinesische Wegbereiterin der Moderne Eileen Changs fünf brillante Erzählungen spiegeln die Umbruchzeit der 40er Jahre in China wider. Sie erzählen vom Leben der Frauen, die sich ihren Weg bahnen zwischen rigider Familienmoral und dem Versprechen auf Selbstbestimmung. In "Das goldene Joch", der bekanntesten Geschichte der chinesischen Moderne, muss eine Frau sich entscheiden, ob sie die Zwänge einer arrangierten Ehe oder die vermeintliche Freiheit des Konkubinats aushalten will.   Qiqiao ist mittellos, aber schön. Im China Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts hat sie die Wahl, sich vor das goldene Joch einer arrangierten Ehe spannen oder als Konkubine aushalten zu lassen. Qiqiao heiratet in die reiche Jiang-Familie ein und muss sich mit dem bettlägerigen Sohn abfinden. Sie hasst ihren Mann, und in ihrer Einsamkeit verliebt sie sich in den gut aussehenden Schwager. Gefangen in der strikten Familienordnung und den Gehässigkeiten ihrer Verwandtschaft hilflos ausgeliefert, beginnt sie Trost im Opium zu suchen. Qiqiao zerbricht an ihrer Zeit, in der das moderne Versprechen der Selbstbestimmung neben der rigiden Moral und dem konfuzianischen Familienideal steht. In dieser und vier weiteren Erzählungen erweckt Eileen Chang das sich wandelnde Shanghai der 40er Jahre zum Leben. "Eileen Changs psychologisches Gespür und ihr sprachliches Geschick sind überwältigend." Neue Zürcher Zeitung "Das goldene Die brillanteste Erzählung der gesamten chinesischen Literaturgeschichte." Kindlers Literaturlexikon

Genres: Fiction, China, Literature, Short Stories, Chinese Literature, Novels, Asia

Unknown Binding

First published July 10, 2000

About the author

Eileen Chang is the English name for Chinese author 張愛玲, who was born to a prominent family in Shanghai (one of her great-grandfathers was Li Hongzhang) in 1920.

She went to a prestigious girls' school in Shanghai, where she changed her name from Chang Ying to Chang Ai-ling to match her English name, Eileen. Afterwards, she attended the University of Hong Kong, but had to go back to Shanghai when Hong Kong fell to Japan during WWII. While in Shanghai, she was briefly married to Hu Lancheng, the notorious Japanese collaborator, but later got a divorce.

After WWII ended, she returned to Hong Kong and later immigrated to the United States in 1955. She married a scriptwriter in 1956 and worked as a screenwriter herself for a Hong Kong film studio for a number of years, before her husband's death in 1967. She moved from New York to Los Angeles in 1972 and became a hermit of sorts during her last years. She passed away alone in her apartment in 1995.

Reviews

[Solo Citazioni Colte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Io penso che Zhang Ailing sia una delle scrittrici migliori che il ventesimo secolo ci ha regalato. Questo romanzo breve (o racconto lungo) riesce a descrivere e a farci immaginare la psicologia di personaggi complessi. Essi sono simbolo di una Cina che è passata, ma che, come conclude l'autrice:

"La luna di trent'anni fa è già da tempo tramontata, e sono morti quelli di trent'anni fa, ma le storie di trent'anni fa non sono finite, non possono finire."

[Monica. A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarà stato per il gran caldo ma, fra seconda signora, terza cognata, sorellina minore e quant'altro, ho fatto una gran confusione.
Mi sembrava di poter essere costantemente interrogata, ogni volta che leggevo un nome proprio, dallo spettro di una vecchia insegnante dispotica che mi chiedeva con insistenza: "chi è lei? la seconda o la terza signora? e se si tratta della terza, è la terza cognata di chi? e la sorella di chi altro?"
Insomma un inferno di continue inaguetezze al testo. Mi sono persa in queste futili domande tralasciando il filo logico della storia.
Solo dopo le prime 50 pagine, mi sono arresa e ho deciso di non farci più caso godendomi la storia, o forse mi sono solo assuefatta alla "gerarchia familiare cinese", se così si può chiamare.
Cosa rimane dunque alla fine di questo racconto? La storia di una donna cattiva inacidita dalla vita che si sente costantemente inadeguata e giudicata dal prossimo.
Il suo rancore sfocia in comportamenti spietati nei confronti della famiglia e soprattutto dei figli.
Il suo amore non ricambiato, il marito invalido che le hanno affibbiato, sono solo alcune delle scuse che la portano a scegliere l'oblio dell'oppio e che la trasformano in uno dei personaggi più irritanti che abbia mai letto.

[Pascale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has been my introduction to Chang and now I can't imagine why I hadn't read her before. The first story tells of Weilong, a good student living in Hong-Kong who, when her parents decide to emigrate back to their native Shanghai for economic reasons, takes the fateful step of asking her aunt Mrs Liang to help her out. Weilong is afraid of losing a year and would rather stay in the same school. However, Mrs Liang who, against the wishes of her family, chose to be the concubine of a wealthy old man rather than marry within her own class, is hardly the one to take studies seriously. She only accepts to help Weilong if the girl lives under her roof and not in boarding school, because she hopes to use her as bait to attract young men to her home. Now a wealthy widow with faded looks, Mrs Liang likes nothing better than to be seen as still attractive to younger men. Weilong ends up falling in love with one of the gigolos who hang around Mrs Liang's house. Although she has no illusions at all about Georgie, she marries him, on the understanding that from then on she will prostitute herself to provide for him, as well as for Mrs Liang who has used her cunning to convince Georgie to accept the deal. At first I couldn't believe that a sensible girl like Weilong would fall for such a piece of dirt as Georgie, but in fact Weilong goes into this crazy bargain with her eyes open. What she has realized is that for a committed but not stellar student such as her, it will be quite difficult to earn a living even after graduating. On the other hand, finding a husband both rich and to her taste is unlikely in Hong Kong society. In the end, she finds selling herself for the benefit of one she loves the lesser of two evils.
The second story also revolves around an unsatisfactory marriage, this time between Roger, a teacher, and a young woman called Susie. This time Chang is looking mostly at the expat community rather than at the Chinese and mixed blood communities. From the beginning of the story Roger is nervous about the outcome of his choice of Susie as his wife, because Susie's sister, Millicent, was abused by her husband on her wedding night and quickly divorced him. The rumors of this scandal are still reverberating in the expat community of Hong Kong, and Roger doesn't quite know what impact this has had on Susie. He soon finds out as she, too, flees home on their wedding night. Belatedly, Roger is forced to realize that the girls from that family have had so little sexual education they see the slightest embrace as a prelude to murder. Although many people suspect the truth, and don't condemn Roger, his predicament is so awkward in the scandal-loving expat milieu that he has to resign his job, and eventually commits suicide.
Both stories are quite absorbing and I was particularly struck by the translation, which is quite possibly the most foreignizing translation I've ever read. For some reason, while it can be said that Emmanuelle Péchenart goes out on a limb, the limb doesn't snap.

[xin jie · Rating 4 out of 5]

27/11

second read. changed to 4/5 becos when i started to read more carefully i found the descriptions really quite mesmerising

one of my favourites:
Upon the translucent blue silk umbrella myriad raindrops twinkled like a skyful of stars that would follow them about later on the taxi’s glistening front window of crushed silver and, as the car ran through red and green lights, a nestful of read stars would fly humming outside the window and a nestful of green stars.

I an certain that the original chinese version would have been much more poetic and enjoyable to read

like 猪狗不如 was literally worse than pig and dog and 狼心狗肺 was literally wolf and dog lunged 💀

[Nina J. Kors]

Non sono riuscita a leggerlo oltre le prime dieci pagine.
Ho fatto fatica a star dietro ai personaggi (Prima Moglie, Prima Padrona e via così).
La storia non è riuscita a prendermi e mi sono incastrata tra stanze e nomi di persona che indicavano i personaggi già nominati come Prima Sposa.
Chiudo e passo oltre.

[Donato · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully structured story about the way we allow not only our culture but ourselves to keep us under a yolk.

[Francesca Morelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mi ha ricordato tantissimo il film 'Lanterne Rosse'.
Comunque vale la pena leggerlo.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The moon of thirty years ago has gone down long since and the people of thirty years ago are dead but the story of thirty years ago is not yet ended-can have no ending."

The Golden Cangue is a novella written by Eileen Chang in 1943. It revolves around the protagonist Qi Qiao and the degeneration of her family. Forced into a loveless marriage by her family, she endures the lowest status in her in-law family and sets out on a path of self-destruction that last for decades.

The Golden Cangue, an English translation of its original Chinese novella 金鎖記, is nothing short of a masterpiece by Eileen Chang. The story itself is simple and yet the vivid descriptive style of Chang's writing never fails to amaze me. The attention given to every single detail made me feel as though I was looking into one's forgotten past, a bystander witnessing the entire life of a fictional character. Qi Qiao is a complex figure - she manifests her own hatred and bitterness onto the lives of her own children, and yet I can't help but sympathize with her as well.

Th novella's title is derived from cangue, a device used for corporal punishment and public humiliation in the past. In the novella, Qi Qiao is trapped in the golden cangue of the wealthy Chiang household, and she in turn uses to golden cangue to destroy the lives of her own children, with the cangue symbolising her self-destruction and inability to escape from such a life.

[Salsadinoia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ero confusa dalla valutazione media di 3.9 per un capolavoro del genere, quindi sono andata a leggere le (poche) recensioni che ci sono. Alcune persone lamentano la difficoltà a districarsi con il sistema di parentela. Certamente non è una lettura facile per un lettore poco avvezzo alla dimensione cinese del clan familiare, che poi è soprattutto un codice di gerarchie. L'oggetto del testo è infatti la progressiva decadenza dei sistemi consolidati in duemila anni di impero cinese, messi in crisi dalla modernità e da nuove idee sociali e politiche. Qiqiao non è una "donna insopportabile", come ho letto in una recensione, ma una figura di natura tragica, consapevole che il proprio sistema di riferimento sta scomparendo, e che non c'è modo di ricostruirlo. Non è simpatica, ma se pretendiamo di leggere il romanzo in questi termini siamo fuori strada. Qiqiao è uno dei personaggi meglio costruiti di tutta la letteratura cinese e incarna il conflitto tra il vecchio e il nuovo, la resistenza al cambiamento culturale e la paura di perdere la propria identità. "La storia del giogo d'oro" è un libro immenso, punto. Leggetelo con l'attenzione che merita e non fatevi spaventare dal fatto che qualcuno non ha capito come collegare i personaggi.

[Clara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dieser Band versammelt fünf Erzählungen von Eileen Chang/Zhang Ailing, die sie zwischen 1940 und 1950 schrieb. Von der chinesischen Gesellschaft, hauptsächlich derer in Shanghai und Hongkong, zu dieser Zeit bekommt man im Laufe der Sammlung ein Bild, was das Leseerlebnis für mich interessant gemacht hat. Das goldene Joch und Der Weihrauchkessel waren für mich besonders bemerkenswert. In Das goldene Joch geht es um Familienverhältnisse und Heiratspolitik während mich im Weihrauchkessel die Thematik der Relevanz von Herkunft/Ethnie in der Gesellschaft Hongkongs fasziniert hat. Diese beiden Geschichten sind auch die, deren Handlung und Charakteren ich am liebsten folgte. Andere Erzählungen, vor allem Rote Rose, weiße Rose, las ich weniger gern. Zhangs Naturbeschreibungen und die Verwendung von Farben ("lauchgrün", "mondweiß"...) gefallen mir sehr. Aus dem Nachwort von Susanne Feckhorn konnte ich noch einiges mitnehmen und rückblickend Elemente der chinesischen Schreibtradition, wie die Einführung von adligen Hauptcharakteren durch Gespräche zwischen Bediensteten, erkennen. Insgesamt ein wechselhaftes, aber durchaus bereicherndes Leseerlebnis. Ich werde in Zukunft sicher noch mehr von Zhang lesen.

[Rui · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have known this author for a long time, but it wasn't until recently that I really got to know her through her books. I have to say, her writing is truly amazing. The level of detail in her stories is incredible, and they have the ability to transport you to another world. As I read, I found myself completely absorbed in the story and the characters, and I felt as if I was an invisible participant in their lives. The emotions she evokes - whether it's the coldness of a winter's night, the pain of heartbreak, or the innocence of childhood - are so vivid and real.

Her stories are primarily about love, but they often delve into much deeper and more complex themes. The interplay between romance and the harsh realities of the world, such as poverty and inequality, makes for a powerful and thought-provoking read. At times, her stories are so emotionally charged that I found myself feeling deeply sad. However, I also know that the sadness I felt is just a testament to the impact her writing has had on me.

I would highly recommend this author to anyone who is looking for an immersive and thought-provoking reading experience. Her writing is truly something special, and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future. May be i prefer read her books again.

[Till Raether · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seltsamerweise schreibt der Verlag im Klappentext, "Das goldene Joch" handele von einer Frau, die sich zwischen einer Zwangsehe und dem Leben als Konkubine entscheiden muss. Die Entscheidung aber ist bei Beginn der Geschichte längst gefallen, alle Erzählungen hier handeln von den Konsequenzen, oder davon, dass jemand Entscheidungen gar nicht fehlen durfte. Im Grunde beraubt sich die Autoren damit absichtlich eines wichtigen Plot-Elementes, der treibenden Frage, werden sie oder werden sie nicht. Beeindruckend, wie eine Schwimmerin, die sich einen Arm auf den Rücken bindet um es für sich selbst interessanter zu machen. Aber Eileen Chang würde sicherlich niemals einen so einfallslosen Vergleich verwenden, alle ihre Sprachbilder sind visuell, malerisch, haben mit Stoffen und Licht zu tun und sind überraschend, erhellend und anschaulich.

[Marie-Noëlle TANGUY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chère Eileen Chang, comme j'aime son écriture et son intelligence et sa maturité pour son jeune âge quand elle a écrit ses nouvelles. Après avoir lu et aimé il y a quelques années "l' amour dans une ville déchue" et surtout la deuxième nouvelle de ce recueil : "Ha Hsiao est triste en automne" que j'ai relue récemment, j'ai enfin lu "Deux brûle-parfums". Encore deux excellentes nouvelles, très fines, très tristes aussi et que dire.... lisez Eileen Chang !

[Matt Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Golden Cangue could have been a simple tale of the corruption of one soul and its fallout due to injustice, but Eileen Chang also lends depth to this deceptively slim volume through her epic scope, psychological realism, and unforgettable descriptions.

[fede]

“le parole, in fondo, non servono. tenersi a lungo per mano, questa era una vera consolazione, perché sono poche le persone che sanno davvero parlare, e ancora meno sono quelle che hanno veramente qualcosa da dire.”

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

阅读前半段的时候心里是为曹七巧惋惜的。我不禁想，七巧啊，若是没有被那些枷锁铐住的话，你该是个怎么样的人呢？或许是个有很多小毛病的正常人，但起码内心不会是这般阴暗的。很遗憾，这份惋惜在阅读后半部分的时候几乎被彻底磨灭了。我还是无法理解一个选择以把别人推进深渊的方式安抚自己的人。那是一条条鲜活的性命，却再也没有机会探寻属于他们的精彩人生了。话又说回来，曹七巧或许没有想过要安抚自己，她只是不甘心成为金锁下唯一的受害者。如今好几个三十年过去了，这个故事什么时候才能迎来一个结尾呢？我又该如何去追溯《金锁记》的悲剧背后的源头呢？

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

这部书也是我在喜马拉雅的“回响剧场”中听到的。

它是一出彻头彻尾的悲剧，令人绝望。讲述的是封建大家庭对女性的压迫，而作为受害者的七巧，也在无形中将这种压迫延续到了自己的子女身上。

相比之下，我更喜欢《第一炉香》和《倾城之恋》这样相对现代的故事，因为更有共鸣。封建家族的世界似乎离我太遥远了，尽管为他们的命运感到悲哀，但读起来像是在看一个与我无关的故事。

我一直以为“金锁记”讲的是一个名叫“金锁”的女孩，读到一半才意识到，“金锁”其实是金钱所铸成的锁链——

“三十年来，她带着黄金的枷锁，用那沉重的夹角劈杀了几个人，没死的也送了半条命。”

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

因为翻译课才读的这本书，觉得英译中确实很难还原中文的原汁原味，只能说原作者对文字的驾驭能力真是高超。

[Lina · Rating 3 out of 5]

看话剧之前巴巴地读完了 短短一篇 很是压抑绝望 并不是很能欣赏的题材 张爱玲写人的刻薄怨毒是出色的 你知道写得不错但就是喜欢不起来…“她觉得她这牺牲是一个美丽的，苍凉的手势。”真是悲哀 人呐 还是要努力争取自己的命运 即使再落后的时代 也能挣出自己的一口气来

[songs · Rating 3 out of 5]

who what when where why

[Barty (Bartholomew) Wu · Rating 4 out of 5]

嗯…… 四分。我可能还没有到能完全欣赏张爱玲的年纪。我看的是中文原著。小说前半部分叙事节奏有点慢了，但是到了后半段剧情、人物之间关系的发展加速了不少。有挺多震撼人心的片段，比如七巧羞辱她女儿、和童一起吃饭楼梯的片段、一个美丽而苍凉的手势。读到最后，会发现文本前半部分的伏笔设置得都很不错。七巧骨子里的自卑和傲气体现得淋漓尽致。非常喜欢有点意识流的心理描写。只是前半部分实在有点难熬。

[Unalettriceatokyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐️

[Rose Yu · Rating 4 out of 5]

一天内读完，看得很揪心……

[Félicité · Rating 5 out of 5]

perversed mother hello !

[Adriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

La mia scrittrice preferita per quanto riguarda la letteratura cinese del Novecento, lei e le sue storie meritano tantissimo!! Felice di averla scelta come argomento di tesi 🎀

[Matteo Celeste · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5, in realtà...

[Mengmeng Liu · Rating 5 out of 5]

重读这篇，依旧触目惊心。就像小说最后一段话，“三十年前的月亮早已沉下去，三十年前的人也死了，然而三十年前的故事还没完——完不了。”

类似的人物和类似的故事我也见过，人和人之间的感情，人和世界的连结，是多么复杂啊。如果自己给自己带上金锁了，那永无幸福的日子了。

这就是我心目中中国最好的现代短篇小说之一，写得真好，自有一股涌动的气韵在其中。

[Mickey · Rating 3 out of 5]

book 15

[Giacomo Huang 黄荣平 · Rating 5 out of 5]

è un libro stupendo: la amo

[rui ♡³ · Rating 2 out of 5]

it would be three stars if not for the wades-giles giving me a massive fucking headache.

edit: now that i’m reading the original, i can safely say that chang’s chinese writing far surpasses her english writing. i wasn’t entirely impressed with ‘the golden cangue’*, but 金锁记 is absolutely spectacular so far.

* perhaps because it feels overly foreignised? far be it from me to promote localisation as a translation approach, but the writing in ‘the golden cangue’ was extremely stilted and awkward in the way only a too-literal translation can feel. i can certainly see the 信 / faithfulness, but it lacks the 雅 / elegance and sometimes even the 达 / intelligibility.