What do you think?
Rate this book
Chinese printing in English with a 1998 introduction by the author's daughter.
1119 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1939
90 people are currently reading
1760 people want to read
About the author
Lin Yutang
260 books343 followersProlific writer of a wide variety of works in Chinese 林语堂 and English; in the 1930s he founded several Chinese magazines specializing in social satire and Western-style journalism.
Lin, the son of a Chinese Presbyterian minister, was educated for the ministry but renounced Christianity in his early 20s and became a professor of English. He traveled to the United States and Europe for advanced study; on his return to China, he taught, edited several English-language journals, and contributed essays to Chinese literary magazines.
In 1932 Lin established the Lunyu banyuekan (“Analects Fortnightly”), a type of Western-style satirical magazine totally new to China at that time. It was highly successful, and he soon introduced two more publications. In 1935 Lin published the first of his many English-language books, My Country and My People. It was widely translated and for years was regarded as a standard text on China. The following year he moved to New York City to meet the popular demand for his historical accounts and novels. In 1939 he published his renowned English novel Moment in Peking. The Wisdom of China and India appeared in 1942.
Although he returned to China briefly in 1943 and again in 1954, Lin both times became involved in disputes stemming from his stand in favour of literature as self-expression rather than as propaganda and social education. In addition to writing books on Chinese history and philosophy, he made highly acclaimed English translations of Chinese literary masterpieces, such as Famous Chinese Short Stories Retold (1952).
Lin, the son of a Chinese Presbyterian minister, was educated for the ministry but renounced Christianity in his early 20s and became a professor of English. He traveled to the United States and Europe for advanced study; on his return to China, he taught, edited several English-language journals, and contributed essays to Chinese literary magazines.
In 1932 Lin established the Lunyu banyuekan (“Analects Fortnightly”), a type of Western-style satirical magazine totally new to China at that time. It was highly successful, and he soon introduced two more publications. In 1935 Lin published the first of his many English-language books, My Country and My People. It was widely translated and for years was regarded as a standard text on China. The following year he moved to New York City to meet the popular demand for his historical accounts and novels. In 1939 he published his renowned English novel Moment in Peking. The Wisdom of China and India appeared in 1942.
Although he returned to China briefly in 1943 and again in 1954, Lin both times became involved in disputes stemming from his stand in favour of literature as self-expression rather than as propaganda and social education. In addition to writing books on Chinese history and philosophy, he made highly acclaimed English translations of Chinese literary masterpieces, such as Famous Chinese Short Stories Retold (1952).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
Read
January 11, 2021In the short preface to this book, first written in English in 1939, Lin Yutang says
What is a novel but "a little talk," as the name 'Xiaoshuo' implies? . . . This novel is neither an apology for contemporary Chinese life nor an expose of it . . . it is neither a glorification of the old way of life nor a defense of it. It is merely a story of how men and women in the contemporary era grow up and learn to live with one another, how they love and hate and quarrel and forgive and suffer and enjoy, how certain habits of living and ways of thinking are formed, and how, above all, they adjust themselves to the circumstances in this earthly life where men strive but the gods rule.
If I had to characterize it in the way we often see these days, I'd say it's a cross between Dream of Red Chamber (whose influence is definitely present) and Tolstoi's War and Peace. It begins around the time of the Boxer Rebellion, and we see some of the violence, but largely at a distance as we are drawn into the lives of two families.
The cast is huge, centering around Mulan and her families, both birth and her in-laws. There is even a huge manor with many gardens as we find in Dream. There are also loving descriptions of food, customs, clothing, and gardens as also found in Cao Xuexin's multi-volume novel (which I am still reading!). But this novel begins with violent change, and ends with even more violent change: the Japanese invasion of China. Sandwiched between are the lives of ordinary people as China goes through the revolutions of the first part of the twentieth century.
The novel is over 800 pages long, short by Chinese novel standards. (I've been working through all four* of the Classic Chinese Novels, the most modern of which is Dream, written in the mid 1700s. The others are several centuries older). To my uneducated view, Moment in Peking represents a blending of Eastern and Western novel styles, with a greater leaning toward the East: it's long, it's leisurely, there is an omniscient narrator who occasionally pops in to comment on the action. The structure is more like a flowing river, or a string of beads, than the three-act structure that Western readers absorb over a lifetime of reading Western lit.
At the beginning, as we begin to get to know Mulan and her family (plus what would become her married family, when they rescue her after she got lost, kidnapped, and sold) Lin Yutang paints a vivid picture of life at the very end of the Qing Dynasty, with its traditions steeped in Confucianism, but living in a centuries-long compromise with Daoism and Buddhism plus local religious spinoffs. And, on the horizon, a glimpse of that exotic religion: Christianity.
Some of those traditions have calcified, others shape lives and give it not only sense, but order, and grace. Only which traditions and customs are good and which are bad? It depends on the people living them. Lin Yutang breathes a sense of wisdom, tolerance, and even redemption into his characters, though bad things do happen.
And so forty-odd years pass as the adults age and the young people marry, get involved in various ways in the waves of revolution and change, and have kids. Those kids grow. By the end, I was deeply involved in all their lives--and so we crash into the Japanese invasion.
The Japanese do not come off well in this novel, fair warning. The invasion was still going on when it was written--and of course we are seeing the invaders, not ordinary Japanese citizens at home. I don't think most Westerners, who may know something about the horrific numbers of helpless victims of Hitler and Stalin, know much about the systematic savagery of the invasion of China, especially in the northeast. We see just enough of it in this story to drive home the emotional fallout, and to profoundly enhance the poignancy of the ending message, if one knows the history of China through the next fifty years. But lingering is the sense of hope Lin Yutang conveys, and a belief that human beings can be better, one decision at a time.
One of my projects as I advance into old age is to whittle down my library, and decide which books I'll keep for reread, and which I'll pass on. This one is a keeper.
*English translations of, and a simple Chinese version of the Journey to the West.
What is a novel but "a little talk," as the name 'Xiaoshuo' implies? . . . This novel is neither an apology for contemporary Chinese life nor an expose of it . . . it is neither a glorification of the old way of life nor a defense of it. It is merely a story of how men and women in the contemporary era grow up and learn to live with one another, how they love and hate and quarrel and forgive and suffer and enjoy, how certain habits of living and ways of thinking are formed, and how, above all, they adjust themselves to the circumstances in this earthly life where men strive but the gods rule.
If I had to characterize it in the way we often see these days, I'd say it's a cross between Dream of Red Chamber (whose influence is definitely present) and Tolstoi's War and Peace. It begins around the time of the Boxer Rebellion, and we see some of the violence, but largely at a distance as we are drawn into the lives of two families.
The cast is huge, centering around Mulan and her families, both birth and her in-laws. There is even a huge manor with many gardens as we find in Dream. There are also loving descriptions of food, customs, clothing, and gardens as also found in Cao Xuexin's multi-volume novel (which I am still reading!). But this novel begins with violent change, and ends with even more violent change: the Japanese invasion of China. Sandwiched between are the lives of ordinary people as China goes through the revolutions of the first part of the twentieth century.
The novel is over 800 pages long, short by Chinese novel standards. (I've been working through all four* of the Classic Chinese Novels, the most modern of which is Dream, written in the mid 1700s. The others are several centuries older). To my uneducated view, Moment in Peking represents a blending of Eastern and Western novel styles, with a greater leaning toward the East: it's long, it's leisurely, there is an omniscient narrator who occasionally pops in to comment on the action. The structure is more like a flowing river, or a string of beads, than the three-act structure that Western readers absorb over a lifetime of reading Western lit.
At the beginning, as we begin to get to know Mulan and her family (plus what would become her married family, when they rescue her after she got lost, kidnapped, and sold) Lin Yutang paints a vivid picture of life at the very end of the Qing Dynasty, with its traditions steeped in Confucianism, but living in a centuries-long compromise with Daoism and Buddhism plus local religious spinoffs. And, on the horizon, a glimpse of that exotic religion: Christianity.
Some of those traditions have calcified, others shape lives and give it not only sense, but order, and grace. Only which traditions and customs are good and which are bad? It depends on the people living them. Lin Yutang breathes a sense of wisdom, tolerance, and even redemption into his characters, though bad things do happen.
And so forty-odd years pass as the adults age and the young people marry, get involved in various ways in the waves of revolution and change, and have kids. Those kids grow. By the end, I was deeply involved in all their lives--and so we crash into the Japanese invasion.
The Japanese do not come off well in this novel, fair warning. The invasion was still going on when it was written--and of course we are seeing the invaders, not ordinary Japanese citizens at home. I don't think most Westerners, who may know something about the horrific numbers of helpless victims of Hitler and Stalin, know much about the systematic savagery of the invasion of China, especially in the northeast. We see just enough of it in this story to drive home the emotional fallout, and to profoundly enhance the poignancy of the ending message, if one knows the history of China through the next fifty years. But lingering is the sense of hope Lin Yutang conveys, and a belief that human beings can be better, one decision at a time.
One of my projects as I advance into old age is to whittle down my library, and decide which books I'll keep for reread, and which I'll pass on. This one is a keeper.
*English translations of, and a simple Chinese version of the Journey to the West.
April 17, 2014
读最后一章的时候竟然激动地哭了。一方见寰宇，一刻化永恒。值得每一个中国人从这本书中去体会自己的“身份”，也推荐给外国朋友去真正地了解中国，认清一些近代东亚历史。
February 20, 2017
Why read this book
Moment in Peking has been described as an historical novel, originally written in English by Chinese scholar and writer Lin Yutang. The novel covers the turbulent events in China from 1900 to the mid-1930s, and includes the Boxer Uprising of 1900, the Revolution of 1911 that kicked out the emperor, the ensuing Warlord Era, and the start of the brutal Japanese invasion in the mid-1930s.
When I left secondary school in 1967, jobs were hard to find in Singapore. In the day I worked as a factory odd-job labourer and at night I gave tuition to two primary school brothers. One day their father, a wealthy man working as general manager of a supermarket chain, gave me an old, dust-covered book, Moment in Peking. That was my first sight of this novel.
I’d already read some of Lin Yutang’s anthologies in school and was mesmerised by his expressive language and elegant diction which I imitated in my composition lessons, thus earning me the reputation of possessing the most “powerful” English among the secondary students in Singapore in the mid-1960s. So, an English-text novel by Lin was a treasure to me. I’ve since re-read and dip into this book countless times. (The book has since been translated into Chinese as 京華煙雲)
Although the novel is “historical” and the chaos of old China is now only a fading memory, the events Lin recounts has an immediacy for me. Lin begins his story in 1900 in Peking when the Yao family is making preparation to flee the city because of the Boxer Rebellion. My own father was born in 1911, the year the Emperor abdicated and the Republic established. My father left his village in Mei Hsien county in Guangdong province when he was 20, to seek his fortune in British Malaya and in Java (the Dutch East Indies then). He met my mother in Singapore, they married and then moved to neighbouring Riau island where he managed a sundry goods shop. I was born in 1951, two years after Mao’s Red Army drove out the Koumintang and closed the country’s borders.
Although I grew up in Singapore, I find the customs, practices and values of the people in the novel familiar to me. Reading Moment in Peking is to have a glimpse of life in the pre-communist world of my father and his migrant generation before they left the old country.
On writing this novel, Dr Lin Yutang says: What is a novel but “a little talk,” as the name hsiaoshuo implies? So, reader, listen to this little talk awhile when you have nothing better to do. This novel is neither an apology for contemporary Chinese life nor an exposé of it, as so many recent Chinese “dark curtain” novels purport to be. It is neither a glorification of the old way of life nor a defence of the new. It is merely a story of how men and women in the contemporary era grow up and learn to live with one another, how they love and hate and quarrel and forgive and suffer and enjoy, how certain habits of living and ways of thinking are formed, and how, above all, they adjust themselves to the circumstances in this earthly life where men strive but the gods rule.
Check out this link for more on the book
Moment in Peking has been described as an historical novel, originally written in English by Chinese scholar and writer Lin Yutang. The novel covers the turbulent events in China from 1900 to the mid-1930s, and includes the Boxer Uprising of 1900, the Revolution of 1911 that kicked out the emperor, the ensuing Warlord Era, and the start of the brutal Japanese invasion in the mid-1930s.
When I left secondary school in 1967, jobs were hard to find in Singapore. In the day I worked as a factory odd-job labourer and at night I gave tuition to two primary school brothers. One day their father, a wealthy man working as general manager of a supermarket chain, gave me an old, dust-covered book, Moment in Peking. That was my first sight of this novel.
I’d already read some of Lin Yutang’s anthologies in school and was mesmerised by his expressive language and elegant diction which I imitated in my composition lessons, thus earning me the reputation of possessing the most “powerful” English among the secondary students in Singapore in the mid-1960s. So, an English-text novel by Lin was a treasure to me. I’ve since re-read and dip into this book countless times. (The book has since been translated into Chinese as 京華煙雲)
Although the novel is “historical” and the chaos of old China is now only a fading memory, the events Lin recounts has an immediacy for me. Lin begins his story in 1900 in Peking when the Yao family is making preparation to flee the city because of the Boxer Rebellion. My own father was born in 1911, the year the Emperor abdicated and the Republic established. My father left his village in Mei Hsien county in Guangdong province when he was 20, to seek his fortune in British Malaya and in Java (the Dutch East Indies then). He met my mother in Singapore, they married and then moved to neighbouring Riau island where he managed a sundry goods shop. I was born in 1951, two years after Mao’s Red Army drove out the Koumintang and closed the country’s borders.
Although I grew up in Singapore, I find the customs, practices and values of the people in the novel familiar to me. Reading Moment in Peking is to have a glimpse of life in the pre-communist world of my father and his migrant generation before they left the old country.
On writing this novel, Dr Lin Yutang says: What is a novel but “a little talk,” as the name hsiaoshuo implies? So, reader, listen to this little talk awhile when you have nothing better to do. This novel is neither an apology for contemporary Chinese life nor an exposé of it, as so many recent Chinese “dark curtain” novels purport to be. It is neither a glorification of the old way of life nor a defence of the new. It is merely a story of how men and women in the contemporary era grow up and learn to live with one another, how they love and hate and quarrel and forgive and suffer and enjoy, how certain habits of living and ways of thinking are formed, and how, above all, they adjust themselves to the circumstances in this earthly life where men strive but the gods rule.
Check out this link for more on the book
Read
July 4, 2015Удивен съм от способността да се съберат и удържат в един ум и един роман толкова светове, такова замайващо количество характери и взаимоотношения, каквото бих предположил, че единствено вселената може да побере вкупом. Такова внимателно и обширно разбиране за разнообразието от човешки и междучовешки състояния. И толкова естествено и нелошо е различието и разминаването между всички тях.
Тази безкрайна вместимост на разнообразие е същината на пекинската философия, както я описва Лин Ютан, и разказвателната му стратегия се припокрива изцяло с житейската на пекинчани:
“Истинскитѣ наследници на старата пекингска култура се бѣха показали неуязвими за всички пристѪпи на модернизма; тѣ живееха сега така, както бѣха живѣли тѣхнитѣ пра-прадеди. Въ домоветѣ имъ цари пълно задоволство, въ гледището имъ за живота има безгранична сдържаность, въ навицитѣ имъ — философско презрение къмъ времето, въ разговора — мѪдрост, добродушие и лень. Защото въ стария Пекингъ минутата и вѣчността сѪ равнозначни. Това, което другаде е вѣкове, въ Пекингъ е само кратъкъ мигъ, въ който поколѣнията минаватъ от дѣдото до внука, и все сѪщата традиция и начинъ на животъ. Защото Пекингъ може да чака, да расте и да не остарява. Завладяванъ многократно, той е завладявалъ винаги своитѣ завоеватели, като ги е промѣнялъ и приспособявалъ къмъ собствения си ликъ.” (том 3, стр. 263)
Романът тръгва от портата на едно семейство и проследява историята му в продължение на около четирисет години (от края на XIX в. до към началото на 40-те на XX в.), разположени на хиляда и кусур страници на български. Погледът на разказвача прави олимпийски подскоци между пластовете, за да опише в един момент обществените и политически събития, в следващия момент — личните преживявания на всеки от героите си, после — да изобрази най-внимателно и подробно дрехите, стаите, украшенията, улиците, градините... и през цялото време да преплита съдби и нива, да сблъсква поколения, политики, класи, характери, философии, да дава радост на героите си, да им причинява страшна болка, да ги ражда, да ги убива, да ги оставя да се развиват, да им позволява да са сложни и недоизяснени, да вкарва най-различни типажи, обстоятелства и случки, да рисува все по-множествена картина, да щъка напред-назад, но никога да не бърза, да анализира, но никога да не отсъжда. Защото, както гласи предговорът от самия автор:
”Какво е романътъ, ако не кратка беседа, както китайското му име подчертава? Вслушай се въ тая кратка беседа, читателю, когато нѣмашъ предвидъ нѣщо по-добро.
Тя не е нито оправдание на съвременния китайски животъ, нито изложение за него, както много отъ последнитѣ китайски романи сѪ си поставили за цель да бѪдатъ. Не е сѪщо така нито възхвала на стария начинъ на животъ, нито защита на новия. Тя e само разказъ за това, какъ съвременнитѣ мѪже и жени израстватъ и се подготвятъ да живѣятъ едни съ други, какъ любятъ и мразятъ, какъ се борятъ и прощаватъ, какъ страдатъ и се радватъ, какъ се образуватъ навици за мислене и животъ и какъ, най-после, всички се приспособяватъ къмъ обстоятелствата въ тоя земенъ свѣтъ, гдето хората се борятъ, а боговетѣ управляватъ."
Преводът на Невяна Розева е безупречен, не знам дали съм чел нещо по-възхитително, откакто съзнателно обръщам внимание на тази част. Едно на ръка, че текстът се лее и не се препъва ни веднъж във всичките хиляда страници. Умът ми не побира обаче как през 1943 г. се е справила с всички китайски реалии, при това блестящо (съвсем дребен, но показателен пример: застреля ме нейният вариант на един празник, който на български се мъчи и гърчи по сто хиляди начина: Средата на есента, Есенния празник, Лунния празник, Средоесен и какво ли още не, а Невяна Розева го е заковала — Средесенния празник).
Лин Ютан байдъуей е голяма свежарка, китайски емигрант в Щатите, който след известно количество есета на родния си език започва да пише на английски. Има безчет книги за китайската култура и номинации за Нобелова награда през 1940 и 1950, а предполагаемо и още веднъж-дваж след това. Дълбочината и спокойствието на погледа му и игривата изящност на езика му в My Country and My People и The Importance of Living ми доставят несравнимо интелектуално удоволствие. Ще чета още и Лин Ютан, и Невяна Розева.
"Ако говорите въ Пекингъ оживено за политически или обикновени житейски събития, ще покажете само едно: че сте недостатъчно културенъ и напраздно сте живѣли в Пекингъ. Това, което отличава пекингското произношение отъ останалитѣ китайски наречия, не сѪ неговитѣ гласни и съгласни, но бавниятъ и плавенъ изговоръ, едновременно добродушенъ и мечтателенъ, който дава възможность на събеседницитѣ да преценятъ всичката сладость на разговора, презирайки и забравяйки напълно времето и неговия бѣгъ. Тази замечтана бавность се изразява и въ самия обратъ на речьта. Отиването на покупки е въ Пекингъ само една “разходка” изъ пазара, излизането вечерь е винаги “игра” съ лунната свѣтлина. Падането на самолетна бомба е “снесено яйце отъ стоманената птица”, нараняването отъ бомба — “изтегляне първа печалба отъ въздушната лотария”. Едно окървавено чело е само “украсено съ червена копринена везба”, самата смърть не идва, а показва “кривата си плитка” като нѣкой мъртъвъ просякъ край друма."
Тази безкрайна вместимост на разнообразие е същината на пекинската философия, както я описва Лин Ютан, и разказвателната му стратегия се припокрива изцяло с житейската на пекинчани:
“Истинскитѣ наследници на старата пекингска култура се бѣха показали неуязвими за всички пристѪпи на модернизма; тѣ живееха сега така, както бѣха живѣли тѣхнитѣ пра-прадеди. Въ домоветѣ имъ цари пълно задоволство, въ гледището имъ за живота има безгранична сдържаность, въ навицитѣ имъ — философско презрение къмъ времето, въ разговора — мѪдрост, добродушие и лень. Защото въ стария Пекингъ минутата и вѣчността сѪ равнозначни. Това, което другаде е вѣкове, въ Пекингъ е само кратъкъ мигъ, въ който поколѣнията минаватъ от дѣдото до внука, и все сѪщата традиция и начинъ на животъ. Защото Пекингъ може да чака, да расте и да не остарява. Завладяванъ многократно, той е завладявалъ винаги своитѣ завоеватели, като ги е промѣнялъ и приспособявалъ къмъ собствения си ликъ.” (том 3, стр. 263)
Романът тръгва от портата на едно семейство и проследява историята му в продължение на около четирисет години (от края на XIX в. до към началото на 40-те на XX в.), разположени на хиляда и кусур страници на български. Погледът на разказвача прави олимпийски подскоци между пластовете, за да опише в един момент обществените и политически събития, в следващия момент — личните преживявания на всеки от героите си, после — да изобрази най-внимателно и подробно дрехите, стаите, украшенията, улиците, градините... и през цялото време да преплита съдби и нива, да сблъсква поколения, политики, класи, характери, философии, да дава радост на героите си, да им причинява страшна болка, да ги ражда, да ги убива, да ги оставя да се развиват, да им позволява да са сложни и недоизяснени, да вкарва най-различни типажи, обстоятелства и случки, да рисува все по-множествена картина, да щъка напред-назад, но никога да не бърза, да анализира, но никога да не отсъжда. Защото, както гласи предговорът от самия автор:
”Какво е романътъ, ако не кратка беседа, както китайското му име подчертава? Вслушай се въ тая кратка беседа, читателю, когато нѣмашъ предвидъ нѣщо по-добро.
Тя не е нито оправдание на съвременния китайски животъ, нито изложение за него, както много отъ последнитѣ китайски романи сѪ си поставили за цель да бѪдатъ. Не е сѪщо така нито възхвала на стария начинъ на животъ, нито защита на новия. Тя e само разказъ за това, какъ съвременнитѣ мѪже и жени израстватъ и се подготвятъ да живѣятъ едни съ други, какъ любятъ и мразятъ, какъ се борятъ и прощаватъ, какъ страдатъ и се радватъ, какъ се образуватъ навици за мислене и животъ и какъ, най-после, всички се приспособяватъ къмъ обстоятелствата въ тоя земенъ свѣтъ, гдето хората се борятъ, а боговетѣ управляватъ."
Преводът на Невяна Розева е безупречен, не знам дали съм чел нещо по-възхитително, откакто съзнателно обръщам внимание на тази част. Едно на ръка, че текстът се лее и не се препъва ни веднъж във всичките хиляда страници. Умът ми не побира обаче как през 1943 г. се е справила с всички китайски реалии, при това блестящо (съвсем дребен, но показателен пример: застреля ме нейният вариант на един празник, който на български се мъчи и гърчи по сто хиляди начина: Средата на есента, Есенния празник, Лунния празник, Средоесен и какво ли още не, а Невяна Розева го е заковала — Средесенния празник).
Лин Ютан байдъуей е голяма свежарка, китайски емигрант в Щатите, който след известно количество есета на родния си език започва да пише на английски. Има безчет книги за китайската култура и номинации за Нобелова награда през 1940 и 1950, а предполагаемо и още веднъж-дваж след това. Дълбочината и спокойствието на погледа му и игривата изящност на езика му в My Country and My People и The Importance of Living ми доставят несравнимо интелектуално удоволствие. Ще чета още и Лин Ютан, и Невяна Розева.
"Ако говорите въ Пекингъ оживено за политически или обикновени житейски събития, ще покажете само едно: че сте недостатъчно културенъ и напраздно сте живѣли в Пекингъ. Това, което отличава пекингското произношение отъ останалитѣ китайски наречия, не сѪ неговитѣ гласни и съгласни, но бавниятъ и плавенъ изговоръ, едновременно добродушенъ и мечтателенъ, който дава възможность на събеседницитѣ да преценятъ всичката сладость на разговора, презирайки и забравяйки напълно времето и неговия бѣгъ. Тази замечтана бавность се изразява и въ самия обратъ на речьта. Отиването на покупки е въ Пекингъ само една “разходка” изъ пазара, излизането вечерь е винаги “игра” съ лунната свѣтлина. Падането на самолетна бомба е “снесено яйце отъ стоманената птица”, нараняването отъ бомба — “изтегляне първа печалба отъ въздушната лотария”. Едно окървавено чело е само “украсено съ червена копринена везба”, самата смърть не идва, а показва “кривата си плитка” като нѣкой мъртъвъ просякъ край друма."
March 21, 2017
"Humane, informative, reflective, fun"
After being interested in reading a novel about China for the first time, I came across a Canadian art teacher who has been living in China for the last 10 years. He recommended Lin Yutang's "Moment in Peking". He told me: "Hector, this is one of the most beautiful novels I've ever read".
Convinced to buy it, I checked the length of the novel. "Wow, 950 pages". This was going to be the biggest novel I have ever read (I'm an amateur reader).
So I finally bought it and had it in my hands and I start reading, motivated. After almost a month I was 650 pages through it and decided to take some time to reflect on it and one month later I took it again and devoured the 300 last pages.
Here my thoughts about the novel divide in 3 parts.
"The daughters of a Taoist"
In the first part of this novel we are introduced to Mulan and Mochow, the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Yao. We venture through their childhood and adolescence, and watch them experience love, tradition and the meaning of being a woman in Chinese traditional culture. It was a very entertaining section except for the abuse of romance that I found exaggerated. It's crazy to think that holding a hand or an arm could be such a big deal between man and woman. The culture was a very big part of this first section and I learned many things that are not so easy to find out in a museum in actual times.
"Tragedy in the Garden"
This was my least favorite section of the novel. It was hard to keep up with the many characters involved in the first section of the book and in the second we are introduced to even more that now are an important part of the novel. This section is about the maturity of Mulan and the girls and is full of weddings and soap opera kind of romantic drama. The most interesting of this section was the historical changes occurring in the background: the Manchurian government, the foreign influence, the changes that were happening around or characters and how these started to affect them ; their culture and believes.
The politics were slightly touched only to be exploded in the last section of the novel.
"The Song of Autumn"
This was the best part of the novel. Three hundred pages of amazing storytelling. This period of time when China was fighting with itself, changing governments on a daily basis and then uniting agains a common enemy. Being a mother now, Mulan sees the world in a different way and after some mayor changes in her life, she finally discovers unity and simplicity. This novel is charged with history about the war of resistance and it's a very powerful human story about power of will and patriotism. The last 50 pages are very emotional and full of great moments left with an ending that leaves you wanting for more.
Overall this novel was very good, with its down moments to its spectacular ones. A great story about a family in Peking and how life is just like a passing cloud in the infinite sky.
After being interested in reading a novel about China for the first time, I came across a Canadian art teacher who has been living in China for the last 10 years. He recommended Lin Yutang's "Moment in Peking". He told me: "Hector, this is one of the most beautiful novels I've ever read".
Convinced to buy it, I checked the length of the novel. "Wow, 950 pages". This was going to be the biggest novel I have ever read (I'm an amateur reader).
So I finally bought it and had it in my hands and I start reading, motivated. After almost a month I was 650 pages through it and decided to take some time to reflect on it and one month later I took it again and devoured the 300 last pages.
Here my thoughts about the novel divide in 3 parts.
"The daughters of a Taoist"
In the first part of this novel we are introduced to Mulan and Mochow, the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Yao. We venture through their childhood and adolescence, and watch them experience love, tradition and the meaning of being a woman in Chinese traditional culture. It was a very entertaining section except for the abuse of romance that I found exaggerated. It's crazy to think that holding a hand or an arm could be such a big deal between man and woman. The culture was a very big part of this first section and I learned many things that are not so easy to find out in a museum in actual times.
"Tragedy in the Garden"
This was my least favorite section of the novel. It was hard to keep up with the many characters involved in the first section of the book and in the second we are introduced to even more that now are an important part of the novel. This section is about the maturity of Mulan and the girls and is full of weddings and soap opera kind of romantic drama. The most interesting of this section was the historical changes occurring in the background: the Manchurian government, the foreign influence, the changes that were happening around or characters and how these started to affect them ; their culture and believes.
The politics were slightly touched only to be exploded in the last section of the novel.
"The Song of Autumn"
This was the best part of the novel. Three hundred pages of amazing storytelling. This period of time when China was fighting with itself, changing governments on a daily basis and then uniting agains a common enemy. Being a mother now, Mulan sees the world in a different way and after some mayor changes in her life, she finally discovers unity and simplicity. This novel is charged with history about the war of resistance and it's a very powerful human story about power of will and patriotism. The last 50 pages are very emotional and full of great moments left with an ending that leaves you wanting for more.
Overall this novel was very good, with its down moments to its spectacular ones. A great story about a family in Peking and how life is just like a passing cloud in the infinite sky.
October 31, 2007
Lin, Yutang is a brilliant Chinese writer who wrote countless good books in Chinese and in English. He was even nominated for Nobel prize in literature in 40s. He wrote moments in Peking first in English, then it was translated into Chinese. I first read it in Chinese in the 1980s. I re-read it in English two years ago. It is a great book for people who want to learn a little about China's past. The book described the life of a few ordinary but well-educated Chinese upper middle class familys' life from late 1800s to 1930s.
September 17, 2012
I saw bits and pieces of the series for this novel with Vicki Zhao, and when I looked it up, I found that it was serialized from a novel. I got a hold of a copy of the book and read it. I liked the book a lot better than the series. While the characters seem to hold love in a different light, and were very traditional, it was compliant with the people of that time and the way they dealt with love. My favorite character was the protagonist Mulan. And while it saddened me that she was not able to marry the one she loved, I was still happy that she did not have a sad ending. The novel spans a long time period, where the children of the characters have already grown up. The families in the novel goes through a lot of hardships and wartimes. For me, it was an enjoyable read, something I wouldn't mind rereading, and I was especially surprised to find that the novel was originally in English. A Chinese author, a Chinese setting.. Why is it in English? But I usually try to read a novel in its original language, so I was glad it was in English, as reading Chinese seems to take me much more time. Read it if you have the chance, you won't regret it... Hopefully haha.
October 14, 2011
This was my Grandfather's favorite book of all time, and for that reason, I felt a great appreciation for the literature. It is a long book which sometimes, to me, felt like it was dragging, and the language of the book requires extra effort to absorb. But it is a lovely story of humanity and devotion. I will likely not read it again, but I'm glad I finished the book.
December 4, 2011
I read this while living in Beijing in 2001. It was one of the few books in English that I could get my hands on, and I was transported. I really felt like it added to my understanding of the place I was living in, and it certainly filled in a few gaps in my knowledge of history.
I tried reading it again later, when I was home, but found it hard to get into.
I tried reading it again later, when I was home, but found it hard to get into.
May 29, 2013
This was just wonderful. Somuch detail about the History of the last 150 years in China but told through the story of a great and i teresting family.
July 21, 2023
An epic evocation of Chinese culture, attitudes, and feeling. The best epics are at once intimate and sweeping pictures of a human society, and this book has at its core the Taoist philosophy of "the Moment and Eternity as one". Truly truly beautiful. A new all time favourite.
September 3, 2020
210-Moment in Peking-Lin Yutang-Novel-1939
Barack
2019/03/04
2020/06/19
—— " Writing it all without tears, and dedicated it to the fighters who resisted Japan. It is not a hero who shed blood, who is a free citizen in China. "
"Moment in Peking" (Moment in Peking), first edition in France in 1939. The original version was written in English and later translated into Chinese. It tells the joys and sorrows and grievances of the three families of Zeng, Yao, and Niu in Peking from the Boxer Movement in 1901 to the War of Resistance Against Japan for more than 30 years.
Lin Yutang (Lin Yutang) was born in 1895 in Banzi Town, Pinghe County, Zhangzhou, Fujian, and died in 1976. He was born into a Christian family and his father was a church pastor. He received a Master of Arts degree from Harvard University and a PhD in Linguistics from Leipzig University. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature twice in 1940 and 1950. In 1966, he settled in Taiwan. Representative works: "Mom in Peking", "Su Dongpo", "The Art of Life", "My Country and My People", etc.
Part of the catalog
1. Taoist daughter
1.1. The owner of the back garden bury jewels, and Beijing city residents avoided the disaster
1.2. In case of rebellious soldiers being separated, post a confession and find someone on the road
1.3. Tomo worry about getting engaged for life, parents and children hanged by the screen
1.4. Mulan gave her dowry and piled up jewels, Suyun was jealous of her lips and tongue.
2. Courtyard tragedy
2.1. Shi Caiqian, Yao Mulan as the steward of the housekeeper, was guilty of retribution to the God of Wealth and ransacked the house
2.2. Niu's family loses power and is stretched, Zeng's house is suitable for entertainment
2.3. On the Chinese and Western Gu Lao's singularity on the enlightenment of the signed text and the jade girl drowning in the lotus
2.4. The duty of treasure hunting in the Royal Palace has been fulfilled.
3. Autumn singing
3.1. The degenerate shameless Suyun was abandoned, drill camp, possess skill, and rise high
3.2. Waving a pen for Wen Konglifu to complain about the patriotic parade, the youth suffered
3.3. The Japanese invaders slaughtered Manniang and hanged herself, Jinghua on the escape from Yanan
3.4. Following the government and bringing young Mulan into Shu, the nation's anti-Japanese war converged and the national power moved westward
It is said that Lin Yutang originally wanted to translate "A Dream of Red Mansions", but China was in a national crisis at that time, and the era depicted in "A Dream of Red Mansions" was a bit far away, so Lin Yutang simply rewritten a novel, that is, "Mom in Beijing". The shadow of the "Red Mansion" can be seen everywhere in this work. The mansion of the prince Yao Si'an bought is like the Grand View Garden. I didn't count the scenic spots in it. I guess it contains 24 sceneries. The couplet of "Qushui embraces mountains and mountains and rivers, idlers watch actors and actresses watch people" is also very interesting.
The first time I read "A Dream of Red Mansions" was in junior high school. I really couldn't bear the trivial life described in it and gave up halfway through it. But when I read "Water Margin", it was a waste of sleep and food. Now I can read such excellent works that describe daily life with fascination.
Perhaps because children have too little experience, they lack perception of the fun of "world insight" and "human feelings"; and when a person gets older, he often sees himself and what he has encountered from the characters in the novel. All kinds of people. Looking at the words, deeds and psychology of the characters from the perspective of God is really interesting. When I see that the characters in the novel have committed some problems but don't know it, I often sigh, then think of my own history, and take the initiative to reflect.
Lin Yutang has poured a lot of emotion into the two characters Mulan and Mo Chou, and his writing is so vivid and delicate. The older sister is lively and alert, and the younger sister is calm and meticulous. I suspect that such a woman should be extremely rare. Li Fu is really a lucky guy, and he can get the favor of these two women. If Mulan was born today, according to her temperament, she would probably pursue her love and marry Lifu instead of Sunya. It's just that if both husband and wife are too romantic, it might be detrimental to reality, and probably only a more realistic wife like Mo Chou can pull Lifu back rather than push it forward.
Some people say that if you find something you like, you will be happy every morning from 8 am to 8 pm; if you find someone you like, then you will be happy every night from 8 pm to 8 am. From the novel fortunate and unfortunate in marriage, the reader can easily feel it. The four characters of being unsuccessful in meeting people are both men and women.
Mulan said when persuading Hongyu that when a woman loves others, she feels that she has lost something. Not only women, but also men. When I find myself in love with someone, I always feel that I feel empty when I am alone.
Sexual temptation is the natural temptation for women to attract the opposite sex. Yingying chooses to use it as a means to master her husband; while Mulan Moshou uses love and wisdom. I think the latter is more permanent. The Han Wu Emperor's beloved concubine Mrs. Li once said, “Everyone who cares about people in Israel and sex will be fascinated by color, and love for relaxation.” It can be said to be very good. Sober.
"The young muleman rushed forward and said, "Miss, please take my car. Their mules are not good. "Miss Mulan thought for a while, and secretly compared it. The mule in the other car was a little thinner, but the mule man was more kind; and the young mule man had sores on his head. Its solid wood orchid. When choosing a vehicle, it is not the quality of the mule, but the appearance of the mule. In a person's life, there are some subtle things that are meaningless in themselves, but they are of great importance. After the situation has passed, look back The causal relationship, but found that its impact is amazing. If this young coachman does not have boils on his head, and if Mulan does not ride in another car with a small mule, things will be different on the way. while wood blue lifetime is also different. "
There are often not many decisive things in life. These are important things, if we look back at them . It is often found that life is disagreement at a small node. Like, I was left to go out today , or go to the right, it is a trifle. But the different paths you choose to walk may lead to different people you meet. Meeting or not meeting this person may affect our life. Little things become big things. Such reasoning together, life is actually not trivial at all. Because we never know a little thing. Some major events will be affected in the future. Therefore, the results encountered now have the foreshadowing reasons that were laid a long time ago.
" Mulan once heard her father say: "Furgitation is harmful to the mind. His other reason is: "If you are upright and self-sufficient, evil spirits cannot invade." "In Mulan's future life, there were many times when she remembered her father's words, this truth became her life guide, she gained life's optimism and courage from it. A world that all evil cannot invade is naturally a A beautiful world that makes people optimistic and striving, naturally people who live in such a world will have courage, can fight, and can endure it. "
"The imperial court sent military attachés to suppress the Boxer Rebellion. They were killed in ambush by the Boxer Rebellion. The defeated soldiers surrendered to the Boxer Rebellion. The Boxer Rebellion had won the hearts of the people and was proud of it. It simply occupied Beijing, killed foreigners, killed religious people, and burned churches. Foreign envoys protested. , The minister resolutely sent people to "investigate" the situation of the Boxer. The result reported that the Boxer was “sent from heaven to expel foreigners and wash the country’s shame”. Instead, he secretly put tens of thousands of boxers into Beijing. Once the Boxers entered the city, they were in Cixi Under the protection of the Queen Mother and King Duan, they committed crimes and made everyone tremble and shocked the whole city. They wandered around looking for "Da Maozi", "Er Maozi" and "San Maozi", and they all killed them. "Refers to foreigners, "ermaozi" and "sanmaozi" refer to religious believers, those who work in foreign companies, and English-speaking Chinese.
They burned churches and foreign houses everywhere, destroyed foreign mirrors, umbrellas, foreign clocks, and foreign paintings. More Chinese were killed than foreigners. Their method of proving whether the Chinese are "Er Maozi" is very simple: ask the suspect to kneel in front of the altar of the Boxer on the street, burn a yellow form to their god, and if the person is guilty or innocent, the paper ashes will fly upward. , It depends on whereabouts. The altar is located on the street, facing the direction of the setting sun. People who want to express Xinyi and Tuan must burn incense, and those Tuan Yong will fist and worship the Monkey King, the Monkey King in this novel is the god they worship. As a result, the streets are filled with cigarettes and the smell is tangy, and people feel as if they have entered a foreign land and a fairyland. Even the court officials set up altars at home, inviting the leaders to do the work at home, and the servants of the family also joined the Boxers to take advantage of the situation to threaten the master. "
The Boxer ’s starting point may be good , hoping to achieve national self-improvement . But the method they used is ignorant. The wrong method is used, and many people with ulterior motives will get involved in fishing in troubled waters. Boxer such a radical approach , probably conductivity caused by Allied Forces invaded Beijing, one of the factors.
" The head of this wealthy family is indifferent to everything except books, antiques, and children. He has two reasons for not marrying a concubine. First, his wife is not allowed. Second, in his 30s. When he married Mulan’s mother at the age of 20, there was a sudden change in his life. Under that sudden change, he changed from a prodigal son who was greedy and lustful, into a real Taoist sage. Before that period of time, he For his family, his life was a smoky dark day. He drank, gambled, rode horses, fencing, punched, played with women, raised singers, kept prostitutes, wandered about the rivers and lakes, and made friends with officials.
However, he suddenly changed. One year after his marriage, his father died. Among the wealth left to him, there are pharmacies and tea shops in Hangzhou, Suzhou, Yangzhou, and Beiping. They often sell medicinal materials from Sichuan, tea from Fujian and Anhui, and some Pawnshop. In those years, the development and change of his inner spirit was really mysterious and unpredictable. Before marriage and after marriage, even his wife does not know whether he has truly become a new man. He quit gambling, his famous alcoholism suddenly stopped, lust and indulgence, and other things that damaged his steel-like body were also completely stopped; he even abandoned business and business, because his brother-in-law Feng was uncle Feng. A veteran business man, he was completely in charge of him. "
Probably only those who have been caught up in temptation can escape from temptation more easily. I think that if you want to be born, you must first enter the world. Without first experienced the "color is the color space is empty" stage , jump directly to "sex is zero, Kongjishise" stage, I think that is the foundation of a house of cards, easy to collapse.
" Mulan replied: "They are all up, but Tiren and his sister are not up. "So he asked again, "Why did you say last night that all those antiques are worthless rubbish?" "If you treat those things as waste, they are waste. "Father's words are too profound for Mulan, too difficult to understand. "Do you really want to leave those things?" At least hide those jade and amber animals. I need to. "The father said, "Good boy, I'm already hiding." "So she told her in detail what was buried like a big secret. Mulan remembered the name of each item. She asked her father, "What if someone finds those things and digs them up?" The father said, "Listen, child. You know, everything has its own master. In the past three thousand years, those Zhou Dynasty bronzes have had hundreds of owners. In this world, no one can hold an item forever. Take it now and say, I am the master. One hundred years later, who will be the master again? " "
Chinese thinking emphasizes from the inside out. The changes in the outside world are complicated and messy, so you must set your own mind before you can rationally look at gains and losses. Mulan's father saw it thoroughly, so he could afford it and put it down.
" Fights occur from time to time between boxers and the army, because boxers only fight with swords and guns, and suffer a lot. As soon as they hear the sound of guns, the boxers flee in all directions. What is the nature of boxers? Clear. In the army, half said that the boxers should be eliminated, and half said no. The boxers won the hearts of the people because they burned churches and killed foreigners hated by thousands of people. The imperial court ordered the incorporation of boxers in the spring, and now let the army again To suppress boxers, the recent court seems to favor them again and adopt their xenophobic policy. "
Some superstitious mobs gathered together to scare ordinary people, and neither had strict military discipline. There is no sophisticated equipment. How is it possible to compete with the regular Qing army or foreign army?
" Mrs. Yao had already told him about his dream last night. In the dream, I only remembered that she was walking in the valley. A large stream was flowing in the middle of the valley, and there was a forest on the other side. She was holding Mo Chou's hand at that time. She felt that she heard Mulan calling her. She suddenly thought that Mulan was not by her side and seemed to have not seen her for several days. At first, Mulan's voice seemed to come from the top of the tree. When she turned and entered the gloomy woods, I found that many trails were blocked. I didn't know what to do. I heard Mulan yelling. The voice was clear and audible, but weak and weak. It seemed to come from across the stream. The voice was: "Where am I!" Where am I! "The mother turned around and saw the child's figure, picking flowers on the grass across the stream. She couldn't see the boat or the bridge. She couldn't help but wonder how the child passed? She left Moshou behind. shore, wading in the shallow rapids themselves in the past.
January 7, 2024
I can say without hesitation that this one of the most moving pieces of literature I've ever read. I was reduced to tears at the end and I'm certainly going to be thinking about it for quite sometime.
I'm lucky enough to have a copy by chancing on a copy at a used bookstore. I truly wish that this and many other works of chinese literature were more readily available in English. Western audiences definitely don't have the familiarity with these books that they should.
I cannot recommend this book enough. I feel unworthy even writing down my thoughts about it.
I'm lucky enough to have a copy by chancing on a copy at a used bookstore. I truly wish that this and many other works of chinese literature were more readily available in English. Western audiences definitely don't have the familiarity with these books that they should.
I cannot recommend this book enough. I feel unworthy even writing down my thoughts about it.
June 18, 2020
Esta es la historia de dos familias chinas, principalmente los Yao y los Tseng, cuyo camino arranca en el Levantamiento de los Boxers y finaliza en plena guerra contra las fuerzas de ocupación japonesas.
Mulan es la principal protagonista de la familia Yao y Sunya el de la familia Tseng, afincados en Pekín y que trazarán lazos con otras familias, personajes y una serie de concubinas. Familias nobles, acomodadas que dejan atrás los tiempos de la dinastía Qing para entrar en tiempos de incertidumbre para China, como la odisea de la pequeña Mulan con los Boxers, los problemas de ambas familias durante la era de los señores de la guerra, las persecuciones comunistas y a los miembros del Kuomintang y la posterior ocupación y atrocidades de los japoneses.
Es una épica novela relatada con una gran sencillez. Se aleja de otras novelas similares que abarcan varias generaciones y decenas de nombres. Esta es una historia de apenas dos generaciones en los 50 años que abarca el relato. Sin embargo, Lin Yutang puede describir con todo lujo de detalles las costumbres, los ambientes, las personalidades y el contexto histórico de un libro que es perfectamente accesible para el lector extranjero y que, incluso, parece orientado a él.
El estilo de vida clásico chino, con sus concubinas, sus tratos de cortesía (hermana pequeña, hermana mayor, tía, tío, padre, etc. no son siempre sinónimos de parentesco de sangre en China) y sus ritos siempre son complicados para el lector occidental, pero Lin Yutang los explica y describe con gran precisión y claridad. Sus 1.000 páginas no decaen y para los amantes de la novela histórica es una delicia, y los que no sean tan amantes del género tampoco tendrán excusa, ya que no abusa de las referencias históricas (Guerra y paz, de Tolstói, en este sentido es más duro). En cambio es un placer leer las descripciones de la China de Sun Yat-sen, el cambio en la mentalidad y en la vida de los chinos bajo la ocupación, la masacre de estudiantes de marzo, cómo el autor describe la sociedad china durante el negocio y consumo de Opio y la influencia y costumbres de los manchú durante la era de los señores de la guerra.
El autor tampoco cae en recrearse en el sentimiento antijaponés y la bochornosa masacre de Nanjing lo denuncia con un aplomo y estilo sinceramente encomiable. Una novela escrita en 1939, con los sucesos de la historia reciente china aún frescos pero escritos con una pausa y rigor poco habituales, sin caer en el odio (razonable, por otra parte) latente.
La edición que leí fue una joya literaria que adquirí hace unos años, de la editorial Sudamericana e impresa en 1945, aún cuando el país era la República de China. Los nombres de las ciudades aparecen con la romanización antigua y, por ejemplo, Tianjin es Tientsin, Szechuen es Sichuan y Shantung es Shandong. Otras no son tan fácilmente reconocibles, como Chungking (Chongqing), que recuerde ahora mismo, pero una consulta en Google rápidamente pone al lector en ruta. Un placer de novela, de las mejores para entender el comienzo de siglo XX en China. Una lástima que el relato terminase ahí. Me hubiera gustado ver cómo trataba el autor el establecimiento de la República Popular.
Mulan es la principal protagonista de la familia Yao y Sunya el de la familia Tseng, afincados en Pekín y que trazarán lazos con otras familias, personajes y una serie de concubinas. Familias nobles, acomodadas que dejan atrás los tiempos de la dinastía Qing para entrar en tiempos de incertidumbre para China, como la odisea de la pequeña Mulan con los Boxers, los problemas de ambas familias durante la era de los señores de la guerra, las persecuciones comunistas y a los miembros del Kuomintang y la posterior ocupación y atrocidades de los japoneses.
Es una épica novela relatada con una gran sencillez. Se aleja de otras novelas similares que abarcan varias generaciones y decenas de nombres. Esta es una historia de apenas dos generaciones en los 50 años que abarca el relato. Sin embargo, Lin Yutang puede describir con todo lujo de detalles las costumbres, los ambientes, las personalidades y el contexto histórico de un libro que es perfectamente accesible para el lector extranjero y que, incluso, parece orientado a él.
El estilo de vida clásico chino, con sus concubinas, sus tratos de cortesía (hermana pequeña, hermana mayor, tía, tío, padre, etc. no son siempre sinónimos de parentesco de sangre en China) y sus ritos siempre son complicados para el lector occidental, pero Lin Yutang los explica y describe con gran precisión y claridad. Sus 1.000 páginas no decaen y para los amantes de la novela histórica es una delicia, y los que no sean tan amantes del género tampoco tendrán excusa, ya que no abusa de las referencias históricas (Guerra y paz, de Tolstói, en este sentido es más duro). En cambio es un placer leer las descripciones de la China de Sun Yat-sen, el cambio en la mentalidad y en la vida de los chinos bajo la ocupación, la masacre de estudiantes de marzo, cómo el autor describe la sociedad china durante el negocio y consumo de Opio y la influencia y costumbres de los manchú durante la era de los señores de la guerra.
El autor tampoco cae en recrearse en el sentimiento antijaponés y la bochornosa masacre de Nanjing lo denuncia con un aplomo y estilo sinceramente encomiable. Una novela escrita en 1939, con los sucesos de la historia reciente china aún frescos pero escritos con una pausa y rigor poco habituales, sin caer en el odio (razonable, por otra parte) latente.
La edición que leí fue una joya literaria que adquirí hace unos años, de la editorial Sudamericana e impresa en 1945, aún cuando el país era la República de China. Los nombres de las ciudades aparecen con la romanización antigua y, por ejemplo, Tianjin es Tientsin, Szechuen es Sichuan y Shantung es Shandong. Otras no son tan fácilmente reconocibles, como Chungking (Chongqing), que recuerde ahora mismo, pero una consulta en Google rápidamente pone al lector en ruta. Un placer de novela, de las mejores para entender el comienzo de siglo XX en China. Una lástima que el relato terminase ahí. Me hubiera gustado ver cómo trataba el autor el establecimiento de la República Popular.
January 20, 2025
Mostly family drama with intense scenes of the second Sino-Japanese war at the end, this book follows a large extended family across three decades and four generations, making me care deeply about all the characters (even if I hated a character, I still really wanted to know what happened to them), keeping my attention in a chokehold for 800 pages. I felt like I really did know these characters for thirty years, watching them grow up, be dramatic rich people, but also respond to crisis with unflinching strength. While anyone into contemporary Chinese history is guaranteed to love this, I also think it deeply appeals to the classics crowd. It has the same gossip and romantic pining of Austen, the family tenderness of Alcott, the vengeful ghosts of Brontë. There’s something for everyone here, from gossip and scandals to wartime spies and drug busting. If a book is going to be 800 pages it had better be worth it, and this story proved it’s worth to me over and over again, providing story after story of what this family went through as well as reflections on Taoist philosophy and a distinct emphasis on the changing roles of women in such a dynamic period of history.
December 19, 2019
One of the best books of the more than 40+ books I have read relating to China. Despite being largely a work of fiction, the books takes place against a backdrop of very real historical events in the early 20th century in China.
Lin Yutang is incredibly intelligent and has an impressive grasp of the English language. This book was first wrote in English and only years later translated into Chinese. Lin Yutang is very well known in modern-day China and is highly respected for his intelligence and ability to write beautifully in Chinese and English.
The story follows the lives of several families who are related by various marriages of their children as they grow up (and grow old) as the Qing Dynasty begins to crumble, and, along with it, a way of life that has been in place for hundreds of years. In the wake of the Qing Dynasty various factions of warlords begin fighting and seizing power from each other before the Kuomintang and the Communists begin to rise and establish their control of the country.
The story is long and winding with a large number of characters, and at times it can be difficult to remember minor characters relations to the other characters, but the story is beautifully told. In addition, one of the best aspects of the books is it's ability to inform the readers of the incredibly complex manner of family life and social relations that disappeared along with the end of China's thousands of years old Dynastic rule.
This book will entertain both those casually interested in China as well as those who are deeply interested in understanding more about China's recent past and how it informs some of today's family practices.
Lin Yutang is incredibly intelligent and has an impressive grasp of the English language. This book was first wrote in English and only years later translated into Chinese. Lin Yutang is very well known in modern-day China and is highly respected for his intelligence and ability to write beautifully in Chinese and English.
The story follows the lives of several families who are related by various marriages of their children as they grow up (and grow old) as the Qing Dynasty begins to crumble, and, along with it, a way of life that has been in place for hundreds of years. In the wake of the Qing Dynasty various factions of warlords begin fighting and seizing power from each other before the Kuomintang and the Communists begin to rise and establish their control of the country.
The story is long and winding with a large number of characters, and at times it can be difficult to remember minor characters relations to the other characters, but the story is beautifully told. In addition, one of the best aspects of the books is it's ability to inform the readers of the incredibly complex manner of family life and social relations that disappeared along with the end of China's thousands of years old Dynastic rule.
This book will entertain both those casually interested in China as well as those who are deeply interested in understanding more about China's recent past and how it informs some of today's family practices.
February 9, 2022
I had the hardest time finding this book. New versions weren't sold anywhere, yes, even Amazon, and I had to pay what I considered a hefty sum for a used copy. As someone who mainly reads books borrowed from the library, I debated a bit before I hit the purchase button and what persuaded me in the end was the urge to read a book written by the very first Chinese author to make the New York Times Bestsellers list.
And....I'm so glad I did! A true classic that I will never regret adding to my bookshelf. Moment in Peking was written in the 1930's but the entirety of its plot spans early 1900's up to the 1930's a little before WW2. All the political events, traditions of each decade, superstitions, Chinese culture, values and arts are clearly portrayed in this book through the eyes of two large, extended families living in Peking throughout those years. Each character brings all these flavors of China to life through their own lens. Moment in Peking had an equal balance of plot driven characters and character driven plots that made this small font but long pages 600+ page book a satisfying read. I teared at the end because China felt like an actual character in the book for me and knowing what it went through and what was to come when the Japanese invaded was heart wrenching.
I wish I had a chance to meet Lin Yutang in person....and I wish there was a part 2 to this book from 1930's up to present day China.
And....I'm so glad I did! A true classic that I will never regret adding to my bookshelf. Moment in Peking was written in the 1930's but the entirety of its plot spans early 1900's up to the 1930's a little before WW2. All the political events, traditions of each decade, superstitions, Chinese culture, values and arts are clearly portrayed in this book through the eyes of two large, extended families living in Peking throughout those years. Each character brings all these flavors of China to life through their own lens. Moment in Peking had an equal balance of plot driven characters and character driven plots that made this small font but long pages 600+ page book a satisfying read. I teared at the end because China felt like an actual character in the book for me and knowing what it went through and what was to come when the Japanese invaded was heart wrenching.
I wish I had a chance to meet Lin Yutang in person....and I wish there was a part 2 to this book from 1930's up to present day China.
January 4, 2014
I read this book years ago, but just reading the title of it brings me to a place of beauty and love mixed with sacrifice and pain. I love books that take place in historical Japan and China. This one was in a war-torn China. If you like historical fiction and beautiful writing you will like this book. Terrific writing!
June 8, 2022
I read this book years ago, but just reading the title of it brings me to a place of beauty and love mixed with sacrifice and pain. I love books that take place in historical Japan and China. This one was in a war-torn China. If you like historical fiction and beautiful writing you will like this book. Terrific writing!
August 16, 2011
Okay, I'm biased. But I loved this.
November 23, 2018
通过小说的形式记录了从清末到抗日战争初期的重要历史事件。民国时期普通人可以游玩中南海、玉泉山，可以发表各种文章，可以游行，但政府也向学生开枪，也会随意抓人。人物故事模仿红楼梦等名著的痕迹明显，略显平淡。
June 17, 2025
Moment is a long novel - 702 pages in my edition - a sweeping generational saga spanning 1900 to 1938. It follows several families through one of China’s turbulent historical periods. Its length never drags, however - Lin’s prose is precise. Every paragraph, every line, is carefully considered - there is not one word of fluff or padding in the whole story.
There are at least 50 characters and so a genealogical chart at the beginning of the novel is very helpful. Each figure is drawn distinctly, and many are explored in depth. The characters are certainly a main strong point. They feel exquisitely real, in how they learn, love, fight, grieve, work, and play. Because the story covers almost 4 decades of time, there are births, growth and deaths and the evolution of the various personalities feels natural and understandable.
One of the most important characters is Yao Mulan, whose life forms the core narrative thread of the novel. It begins and ends with her undertaking a journey. Her personality defies easy explanation, but watching her navigate the decades was a huge pleasure. I loved her character, her father Old Yao, her sister Yao Mochow, and Kung Lifu.
The families are a mix of upper class (Yao, Tseng, Feng, New) and lower class (Sun, Kung). Class dynamics are explored, and I also found the whole insight into Chinese family structure fascinating. The terms of address and how social norms and conventions shape the family relationships were very interesting to me.
The emotional depth and breadth of this book imprinted itself strongly on me.
There are passages of
- Stunning beauty (when some of the characters view a sunrise from a mountain)
- Refined culture (when a poetry competition is arranged in the garden mansion)
- Philosophy (one of the characters is a devoted Taoist)
- Joy (when Mulan is reunited with her father, twice - once when she is a child and once when he returns to her after a ten year pilgrimage)
- Sorrow (when Mulan loses a child, or when a family is murdered)
There are many more examples of each but those are some of the ones that stood out to me.
There are short digressions or conversations on poetry, architecture, seating arrangements, fashion, religion, addiction, sexuality, and food. Each of these is brilliantly worked into the story to give context and interesting information but never severing the narrative flow or seeming superfluous. The political upheavals are always present in the background, but they are not the primary focus of the book, until the end when the Japanese invade. It looks at the people and how they would have lived in this time period. A familiarity with Chinese history would assist but not be necessary.
An exquisite novel, one of the finest I’ve read. 6 out of 5 stars!
There are at least 50 characters and so a genealogical chart at the beginning of the novel is very helpful. Each figure is drawn distinctly, and many are explored in depth. The characters are certainly a main strong point. They feel exquisitely real, in how they learn, love, fight, grieve, work, and play. Because the story covers almost 4 decades of time, there are births, growth and deaths and the evolution of the various personalities feels natural and understandable.
One of the most important characters is Yao Mulan, whose life forms the core narrative thread of the novel. It begins and ends with her undertaking a journey. Her personality defies easy explanation, but watching her navigate the decades was a huge pleasure. I loved her character, her father Old Yao, her sister Yao Mochow, and Kung Lifu.
The families are a mix of upper class (Yao, Tseng, Feng, New) and lower class (Sun, Kung). Class dynamics are explored, and I also found the whole insight into Chinese family structure fascinating. The terms of address and how social norms and conventions shape the family relationships were very interesting to me.
The emotional depth and breadth of this book imprinted itself strongly on me.
There are passages of
- Stunning beauty (when some of the characters view a sunrise from a mountain)
- Refined culture (when a poetry competition is arranged in the garden mansion)
- Philosophy (one of the characters is a devoted Taoist)
- Joy (when Mulan is reunited with her father, twice - once when she is a child and once when he returns to her after a ten year pilgrimage)
- Sorrow (when Mulan loses a child, or when a family is murdered)
There are many more examples of each but those are some of the ones that stood out to me.
There are short digressions or conversations on poetry, architecture, seating arrangements, fashion, religion, addiction, sexuality, and food. Each of these is brilliantly worked into the story to give context and interesting information but never severing the narrative flow or seeming superfluous. The political upheavals are always present in the background, but they are not the primary focus of the book, until the end when the Japanese invade. It looks at the people and how they would have lived in this time period. A familiarity with Chinese history would assist but not be necessary.
An exquisite novel, one of the finest I’ve read. 6 out of 5 stars!
February 5, 2025
Lin Yutang wrote this in English, and it might be the first time I have thought "this is written for a Western mind" positively. While half of this book is describing typical Peking culture and customs, the other half is describing the slow creeping history of Japanese occupation in the 1930s. Though still very fresh in Yutang's mind (published in 1939!), I think he described this all in an incredibly digestible way for those unacquainted with the history or culture, while not patronizing his audience at the same time.
This was a family saga. There was a lot of melodrama, tedious conflicts, and overwritten scenes. But I also was invested in each one of the characters. I think Yutang wrote every character with feeling and didn't stick close to stereotypes. The only complaint I have is Yutang's classic misogyny, and particularly with the character of Redjade and her entire storyline. As far as for everyone else, I think they were all imperfectly real. The last 100 pages or so really made the whole book pay off in that regard.
I've never finished a Tolstoy book, but I imagine if you liked War and Peace, this would appeal to you. It also touches a lot on generational differences, a West/East philosophical conflict, and modernism versus tradition. I don't think Yutang really points out which side you should take on any of these debates, and for that I was grateful and also appreciative of Yutang as a whole.
There's no doubt more to say, as this was 800+ pages, but I think this would be a book that either works for you or doesn't. Not to say this wow'ed me, but I did have an enjoyable time reading it.
This was a family saga. There was a lot of melodrama, tedious conflicts, and overwritten scenes. But I also was invested in each one of the characters. I think Yutang wrote every character with feeling and didn't stick close to stereotypes. The only complaint I have is Yutang's classic misogyny, and particularly with the character of Redjade and her entire storyline. As far as for everyone else, I think they were all imperfectly real. The last 100 pages or so really made the whole book pay off in that regard.
I've never finished a Tolstoy book, but I imagine if you liked War and Peace, this would appeal to you. It also touches a lot on generational differences, a West/East philosophical conflict, and modernism versus tradition. I don't think Yutang really points out which side you should take on any of these debates, and for that I was grateful and also appreciative of Yutang as a whole.
There's no doubt more to say, as this was 800+ pages, but I think this would be a book that either works for you or doesn't. Not to say this wow'ed me, but I did have an enjoyable time reading it.
August 31, 2019
没第一次看一本书的时候，就像是看烟花一样。那种微妙或愉快或沉闷或悲伤的感触往往一破而过，高兴在那么一瞬间，之后就是浓浓的不满足，渴望这烟花永远不要完，要永远绽放。可慰的事，书更像是被录下来的烟花，那种波澜壮阔精彩纷呈可以无数次的回味。烟花绽放只在那一霎那，这本书确实可以永恒存在，借书中之言，这是不是就是："刹那和永恒是一而二，二而一的。"林语堂大师虽然已经逝世，但因为这本书的存在，他也是得道长生了。
知道这本书最早赵薇演的京华烟云，然后听说它曾经被两次诺贝尔文学奖提名，所以才慕名来看，结果自然是不虚此行。本书主要讲的京城的几个大家族在那些个特殊的年代所发生所经历的事情，围绕着木兰的一生漫漫谱曲。看过红楼梦的人，会感觉书中很多地方情节人物和红楼梦非常相像，这大概也是林先生想通过他自己的书来向外国人看红楼梦的出彩之处。当然这本书还是远远不同于红楼梦，红楼梦的主角是一个痴人贾宝玉，而这本京华烟云的主角却是巾帼不让须眉的姚木兰——人如其名，谁说女子不如男。如果木兰出生在今天，让然会让不少自称男子汉大丈夫的男人感到汗颜。
顺势应命，道法自然，木兰虽然是生在富贵之家，懂得人生要活的精彩不只是在意钱财，该享受是要享受，该过平凡生活时也不心存不满。这真的是我所想并且要达到意境啊。她是古典中国女性和现代女性完美的结合体，用形容美的那句话就是"增一分太"古典"，减一分则太"现代"。用现代的话来说，她可能就是林语堂的女神了。木兰做少女时有少女样，做少妇时有少妇样，中年时也没有糊涂半分。甚至她对立夫的爱情，真的可算是白玉无暇，发乎情止于礼。所留下的没有伤痛，回忆时，我想木兰应该也是笑着的，不是吗？里边的人物，有恨木兰的，缺鲜有木兰所恨的。本来看完第一部的时候，我还是更喜欢莫愁，那个像宝钗一样的女子。她是更好的贤内助，但是像所有古代中国文人一样我更喜欢红颜知己——此书中非木兰莫属。真的是娶妻当娶姚木兰，做女子则做姚木兰，我是否有福气碰到这么一位呢？
突然感觉姚先生好像就是林语堂自己在书中的展现，他的一言一行都是林语堂希望所能达到的。他所扶养的木兰，不是也是林语堂的女儿吗？做人要在做姚先生这样的男人！到此书的下卷就是基本上讲中国近代的历史了，从小说家眼中的世界会于社会所推行的历史有出入的。不知道这本书这一点有没有什么删节的地方。看到木兰包括其周围的人在那个多灾多难的年代或是命运凄惨，或是平渡生活，在整个大势之下显得那么渺小，不得不感慨，人类的渺小。我和这个世界是一体，我既世界，世界既我。在最后整个国家陷入混乱时，我们中国人虽然惨败，但是作者还是说出了希望，我们成为一体，将变得无比强大，这不也是成道吗？
知道这本书最早赵薇演的京华烟云，然后听说它曾经被两次诺贝尔文学奖提名，所以才慕名来看，结果自然是不虚此行。本书主要讲的京城的几个大家族在那些个特殊的年代所发生所经历的事情，围绕着木兰的一生漫漫谱曲。看过红楼梦的人，会感觉书中很多地方情节人物和红楼梦非常相像，这大概也是林先生想通过他自己的书来向外国人看红楼梦的出彩之处。当然这本书还是远远不同于红楼梦，红楼梦的主角是一个痴人贾宝玉，而这本京华烟云的主角却是巾帼不让须眉的姚木兰——人如其名，谁说女子不如男。如果木兰出生在今天，让然会让不少自称男子汉大丈夫的男人感到汗颜。
顺势应命，道法自然，木兰虽然是生在富贵之家，懂得人生要活的精彩不只是在意钱财，该享受是要享受，该过平凡生活时也不心存不满。这真的是我所想并且要达到意境啊。她是古典中国女性和现代女性完美的结合体，用形容美的那句话就是"增一分太"古典"，减一分则太"现代"。用现代的话来说，她可能就是林语堂的女神了。木兰做少女时有少女样，做少妇时有少妇样，中年时也没有糊涂半分。甚至她对立夫的爱情，真的可算是白玉无暇，发乎情止于礼。所留下的没有伤痛，回忆时，我想木兰应该也是笑着的，不是吗？里边的人物，有恨木兰的，缺鲜有木兰所恨的。本来看完第一部的时候，我还是更喜欢莫愁，那个像宝钗一样的女子。她是更好的贤内助，但是像所有古代中国文人一样我更喜欢红颜知己——此书中非木兰莫属。真的是娶妻当娶姚木兰，做女子则做姚木兰，我是否有福气碰到这么一位呢？
突然感觉姚先生好像就是林语堂自己在书中的展现，他的一言一行都是林语堂希望所能达到的。他所扶养的木兰，不是也是林语堂的女儿吗？做人要在做姚先生这样的男人！到此书的下卷就是基本上讲中国近代的历史了，从小说家眼中的世界会于社会所推行的历史有出入的。不知道这本书这一点有没有什么删节的地方。看到木兰包括其周围的人在那个多灾多难的年代或是命运凄惨，或是平渡生活，在整个大势之下显得那么渺小，不得不感慨，人类的渺小。我和这个世界是一体，我既世界，世界既我。在最后整个国家陷入混乱时，我们中国人虽然惨败，但是作者还是说出了希望，我们成为一体，将变得无比强大，这不也是成道吗？
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2021
For fans of Pearl Buck, this epic novel is set at the turn of the twentieth century and is richly embedded with the history of China. I really enjoyed following these families as their members grew up, married, bore children and aged.
This work divided into three “books”. As the first book opens we meet the members of the Yao family of Peking. They are: Mr. & Mrs. Yao; Coral, a young widow; sons, Tijen and Afei; daughters, Mulan aged ten and Mochow who is eight; also their servants, Silverscreen, Brocade, and Bluehaze. They are leaving the city due to the dangers surrounding the Boxer Rebellion and traveling south to a second home in Hangchow. Mulan becomes the central character and we follow her, her family and in-law’s families through her adolescence and into to adulthood. The ending of the book occurs at the beginning of the second Sino-Japanese War.
“Such was the triumph of the human spirit. There was no catastrophe so great that the spirit could not rise above it and, out of its very magnitude, transform it into something great and glorious.”
The family table at the beginning is very helpful to understand the relationship between the characters.
This work divided into three “books”. As the first book opens we meet the members of the Yao family of Peking. They are: Mr. & Mrs. Yao; Coral, a young widow; sons, Tijen and Afei; daughters, Mulan aged ten and Mochow who is eight; also their servants, Silverscreen, Brocade, and Bluehaze. They are leaving the city due to the dangers surrounding the Boxer Rebellion and traveling south to a second home in Hangchow. Mulan becomes the central character and we follow her, her family and in-law’s families through her adolescence and into to adulthood. The ending of the book occurs at the beginning of the second Sino-Japanese War.
“Such was the triumph of the human spirit. There was no catastrophe so great that the spirit could not rise above it and, out of its very magnitude, transform it into something great and glorious.”
The family table at the beginning is very helpful to understand the relationship between the characters.
November 27, 2019
(I read the Chinese edition of the novel; I did not realise that Lin wrote the book in English.)
'Moment in Beijing' is an epic historical novel. It is, I like to believe, an honest depiction of the life of Chinese families: the expectations, obligations of each member (however unfair it seems in modern times), the inter-relationship amongst various members of the family, and so on. These are achieved with such compelling prose that it is truely eye-opening, and mind blowing (even for someone like me with a Chinese cultural background).
In the book there are also a number of travel journal-like chapters to various famous beauteous localities in China. These are so well narrated that the beauty and the charms of these places are genuinely brought to life.
Towards the end of the book though, it details the brutality of war, and the savagery of aggressors; and becomes political, and patriotic. The book does end with an uplifting, inspiring note for the Chinese people.
'Moment in Beijing' is an epic historical novel. It is, I like to believe, an honest depiction of the life of Chinese families: the expectations, obligations of each member (however unfair it seems in modern times), the inter-relationship amongst various members of the family, and so on. These are achieved with such compelling prose that it is truely eye-opening, and mind blowing (even for someone like me with a Chinese cultural background).
In the book there are also a number of travel journal-like chapters to various famous beauteous localities in China. These are so well narrated that the beauty and the charms of these places are genuinely brought to life.
Towards the end of the book though, it details the brutality of war, and the savagery of aggressors; and becomes political, and patriotic. The book does end with an uplifting, inspiring note for the Chinese people.
February 4, 2022
Đối với mình thì cuốn này thuộc dạng khá hay nên là mình chỉ đánh giá khoảng ba sao thôi. Về phần dịch thì mình thấy rất trôi chảy, không bị lấn cấn ở chỗ nào hết, rất hài lòng về phần này. Còn đối với phần cốt truyện, mình thấy được, khi mà mình đọc đến khoảng giữa gần cuối sách thì mình cảm nhận được rằng nó là một cái sự chuyển giao giữa chiến tranh và hòa bình vậy, theo mình thấy thì khúc này rất hay và mình cũng rất thích nó nữa. Văn phong của tác giả không hợp với mình lắm, hơi khó đọc một chút, mình nghĩ là sẽ không phù hợp lắm cho những bạn mới bắt đầu đọc sách. Dù là cuốn này có liên quan đến lịch sử nhưng theo mình thì mọi người cũng không nhất thiết phải tìm hiểu về lịch sử vào thời kỳ đó, tại vì khi đọc thì mọi người cũng có thể hiểu được phần nào đó rồi á. Cơ bản là mình thấy mọi người nên đọc cuốn này nha!
December 4, 2025
One of the best cultural essays for a coming of age novel spanning from 1900-1938. It doesn’t frontier political development but envelopes family dynamics and societal structure through domestic environment. It’s philosophical and critiques many aspects without judgement. It covers the transition of a closed Imperial nation to a western influenced Republic. Characters are realistic and set this towards literary fiction. They aren’t vilified but built to represent truths in different lights, the flaws build upon them in unique ways and score a great narrative undercurrent. Yutang contextualised culture a lot and writes essays between narration to give depth the purpose. My favourite novel of all time, will read again and again. Long story but worth it.
September 4, 2025
It’s rather disappointing. Especially Redjade’s frail, Hsi-shih-like demeanor and her Tai-yu-esque “burning manuscripts” ending—feels like she’s merely a cheap knockoff of Lin Tai-yu, yet lacks Tai-yu’s rebelliousness. Among the sisters, she’s one of the most conservative in thought. What’s worse, her death springs from the paranoia that “Afei only wants to marry her out of pity.” A comment I once saw captures it perfectly: “She copies Lin Tai-yu’s surface but not her essence.”
Mulan is a composite of “Hsiang-yun’s boldness + Chen Yun’s grace”, yet her character feels overly perfect, flat, and idealized. Mochou is eerily reminiscent of Paochai. All in all, many main characters feel too derivative, like a Dream of the Red Chamber fanfic where roles are cosplayed with name changes.
Structurally, the latter half does diverge from the Hung-lou Meng template (though that’s not necessarily a good thing). Hung-lou Meng follows “internal rot leading to a linear downfall” (from “jade halls and golden stables” to “the mansion’s collapse”). Yet for the Yao and Tseng families, even when Lifu is imprisoned (around page 800 in a 900-page book), they can still bribe their way out. The so-called “internal decay” of a declining family fortune is never truly depicted; it’s only after page 850, when the external force of Japanese invasion strikes, that the family’s fate is crushed.
That said, considering it was written in 1939, the mere fact that it was originally composed in English already cements its status. Even from foreign readers’ perspective, in terms of both prose and readability, it ranks among the foremost works about China.
P.S. I read the 1999 old edition by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. The number of spelling and punctuation errors is shockingly high—and there are even a few grammatical mistakes. Seriously who on earth did the beta reading
Mulan is a composite of “Hsiang-yun’s boldness + Chen Yun’s grace”, yet her character feels overly perfect, flat, and idealized. Mochou is eerily reminiscent of Paochai. All in all, many main characters feel too derivative, like a Dream of the Red Chamber fanfic where roles are cosplayed with name changes.
Structurally, the latter half does diverge from the Hung-lou Meng template (though that’s not necessarily a good thing). Hung-lou Meng follows “internal rot leading to a linear downfall” (from “jade halls and golden stables” to “the mansion’s collapse”). Yet for the Yao and Tseng families, even when Lifu is imprisoned (around page 800 in a 900-page book), they can still bribe their way out. The so-called “internal decay” of a declining family fortune is never truly depicted; it’s only after page 850, when the external force of Japanese invasion strikes, that the family’s fate is crushed.
That said, considering it was written in 1939, the mere fact that it was originally composed in English already cements its status. Even from foreign readers’ perspective, in terms of both prose and readability, it ranks among the foremost works about China.
P.S. I read the 1999 old edition by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. The number of spelling and punctuation errors is shockingly high—and there are even a few grammatical mistakes. Seriously who on earth did the beta reading
October 8, 2025
I have read this book several times over the years, starting in 1974. I loved this book that I have read it again and again over the years. it's about two families and the story of their lives and the beliefs and changes over the years. it is richly told that you feel you are part of the families. this book has lasted the test of time since it's 2025 and ready to read it again. i found out there was a sequal and look forward to reading the continuation of the families' lives and the changes of the times and how they adapt.
this book was published in 1939 and was written in 1936-1938. it is not the reprint from 1998.
this book was published in 1939 and was written in 1936-1938. it is not the reprint from 1998.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews