What do you think?
Rate this book
ملك الشطرنج
في القطار الذي يقل الراوي إلى المزرعة التي أجبر على السفر للعمل بها، يلتقي بملك الشطرنج أو مجنون الشطرنج كما يصفونه أحيانًا. والراوي هنا شخصية ترقب الأحداث وتشارك بها، ومن خلال حواره مع ملك الشطرنج نقترب من عالم الأخير وحياته وأفكاره. حيث نجد أن ملك الشطرنج إنسان بسيط عاش حياة بائسة لا يعرف فيها سوى الشطرنج الذي -على حسب قوله- يلعبه بقلبه، بل ويلعبه دون رقعة أيضًا. والشطرنج هنا يمثل روحه. وانتصاره فيه هو تحقيق لانتصار روحي سام.
والرواية باللغتين العربية والصينية
تأليف: آتشنغ
ترجمة: د. نجاح عبد اللطيف
والرواية باللغتين العربية والصينية
تأليف: آتشنغ
ترجمة: د. نجاح عبد اللطيف
Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
1 person is currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
阿城
26 books15 followers阿城（男）（1949－ ）原名钟阿城。原籍重庆江津，生于北京。是当代寻根小说的重要代表作家，其作品深受中国传统文化的影响。除小说外，还创作和改编剧本。代表作是小说《棋王》...
Source: http://baike.baidu.com/link?url=G09Wm...
Source: http://baike.baidu.com/link?url=G09Wm...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 18, 2023
“Only he whose soul is in turmoil, forced to live in an epoch where war, violence and ideological tyranny threaten the life of every individual, and the most precious substance in that life, the freedom of the soul, can know how much courage, sincerity and resolve are required to remain faithful to his inner self in these times of the herd’s rampancy. “- Zweig ( from his biography on Montaigne)
The protagonist (Wang Yisheng )of Ah Cheng’s debut novella, The King of Chess, has in his possession the courage, sincerity and resolve Zweig talks about in his biography of Montaigne, even though Wang is probably unaware of that himself.
I can also see him as someone whom Zhuangzi would look at with a big approving smile.
I LOVE this character, as well as Ah-Cheng’s novella.
And to anyone who is interested in Chinese literature, please do not miss out on The King of Chess ( it has been translated).
A brief summary of the plot ( warning for mild spoilers) :
The story of The King of Chess takes place at the height of The Cultural Revolution, when the “educated urban youths”( 知青）are sent to remote villages, where the living condition is horrible and food meagre.
Both the narrator and Wang are among those youngsters, and they soon form a close bond.
Ah Cheng might have left traces himself in narrator, as the narrator is well-acquainted with world literature and talks about Balzac’s works. Balzac is one of the authors Ah Cheng loves and read as a teenager before he himself was sent to work in the villages as an educated urban youth.
Very different from the narrator is Wang, the protagonist, who has both a huge passion and talent for chess as well as a very worldly obsession for food, who knows next to nothing about literature. He also comes across as very naive when it comes to interpersonal relationships, and possesses an almost childlike innocence. Wang is also somewhat well-known for his chess skills in school.
Wang pesters the narrator for a chess game on the train, while not exactly interested in Chess, the narrator does take a liking to Wang.
Wang and the narrator are assigned to two different locations that are quite far from each other, yet, Wang, in search of a worthy rival in chess, goes to visit the narrator and befriends the other youngsters in the village.
After witnessing how great Wang’s talent is in chess, all the youngsters encourage Wang to partake a local chess tournament.
However, because Wang has missed too much work by wandering around seeking people to play chess with, he is not allowed to take the time off to take part in the tournament. Yet, winning the title doesn’t mean much to Wang. What he wants has always been to play.
So he plays.
The novella culminates in Wang playing against nine other top players, and winning.
This is very simple and straightforward story.
A story written with touching sincerity.
However, it’s also a story that’s very layered in its themes.
First of all, Wang serves as an exemplar of one who maintains inner peace in the mass hysteria that is the Cultural Revolution. His naivety might have helped, but I believe his holding on to the love of his mom and his love for chess are the what spare himself from being engulfed by the mania. Viewing from a humanistic lens ( I can’t help but making this association, having been reading about Montaigne and humanists in general this year), he has achieved the “human connection “ and the intellectual freedom ( symbolized by chess?)the humanists treasure.
Secondly, Wang’s obsession with food, especially when juxtaposed with his passion for chess is also interesting. Actually, his is more than a simple obsession, the way he treats eating and food can even be called pious. However, his obsession is different from the that of a food connoisseur. He is obsessed with food because he has been poor and understands hunger. This can be interpreted as an indictment of the era, but more importantly, I think this “ worldliness” is essential , it fleshes out the Wang’s character, it also makes the readers think about how basic materialistic fulfillment is essential to our inner peace and spiritual freedom.
Last but not least, there is an undercurrent of Taoist message through out the novella. As can be seen in the discussion of the chess techniques, but probably more so in the character of Wang himself.
This is one of the rare books that set in the cultural revolution era yet remain hopeful in its tone, there is even a note of heroism towards the end of the novella.
Wang deserves to be called a hero.
Because Zweig is right.
It does take so much to remain innocent and “remain faithful to his inner self in these times of the herd’s rampancy.”
This novella would be a perfect companion read for Chess Story by Zweig. Vice versa.
“夜黑黑的，伸手不见五指。王一生已经睡死。我却还似乎耳边人声嚷动，眼前火把通明，山民们铁了脸，肩着柴禾林中走，咿咿呀呀地唱。我笑起来，想：不做俗人，哪儿会知道这般乐趣？家破人亡，平了头每日荷锄，却自有真人生在里面，识到了，即是幸，即是福。衣食是本，自有人类，就是每日在忙这个。可囿在其中，终于还不太像人。倦意渐渐上来，就拥了幕布，沉沉睡去。”
The protagonist (Wang Yisheng )of Ah Cheng’s debut novella, The King of Chess, has in his possession the courage, sincerity and resolve Zweig talks about in his biography of Montaigne, even though Wang is probably unaware of that himself.
I can also see him as someone whom Zhuangzi would look at with a big approving smile.
I LOVE this character, as well as Ah-Cheng’s novella.
And to anyone who is interested in Chinese literature, please do not miss out on The King of Chess ( it has been translated).
A brief summary of the plot ( warning for mild spoilers) :
The story of The King of Chess takes place at the height of The Cultural Revolution, when the “educated urban youths”( 知青）are sent to remote villages, where the living condition is horrible and food meagre.
Both the narrator and Wang are among those youngsters, and they soon form a close bond.
Ah Cheng might have left traces himself in narrator, as the narrator is well-acquainted with world literature and talks about Balzac’s works. Balzac is one of the authors Ah Cheng loves and read as a teenager before he himself was sent to work in the villages as an educated urban youth.
Very different from the narrator is Wang, the protagonist, who has both a huge passion and talent for chess as well as a very worldly obsession for food, who knows next to nothing about literature. He also comes across as very naive when it comes to interpersonal relationships, and possesses an almost childlike innocence. Wang is also somewhat well-known for his chess skills in school.
Wang pesters the narrator for a chess game on the train, while not exactly interested in Chess, the narrator does take a liking to Wang.
Wang and the narrator are assigned to two different locations that are quite far from each other, yet, Wang, in search of a worthy rival in chess, goes to visit the narrator and befriends the other youngsters in the village.
After witnessing how great Wang’s talent is in chess, all the youngsters encourage Wang to partake a local chess tournament.
However, because Wang has missed too much work by wandering around seeking people to play chess with, he is not allowed to take the time off to take part in the tournament. Yet, winning the title doesn’t mean much to Wang. What he wants has always been to play.
So he plays.
The novella culminates in Wang playing against nine other top players, and winning.
This is very simple and straightforward story.
A story written with touching sincerity.
However, it’s also a story that’s very layered in its themes.
First of all, Wang serves as an exemplar of one who maintains inner peace in the mass hysteria that is the Cultural Revolution. His naivety might have helped, but I believe his holding on to the love of his mom and his love for chess are the what spare himself from being engulfed by the mania. Viewing from a humanistic lens ( I can’t help but making this association, having been reading about Montaigne and humanists in general this year), he has achieved the “human connection “ and the intellectual freedom ( symbolized by chess?)the humanists treasure.
Secondly, Wang’s obsession with food, especially when juxtaposed with his passion for chess is also interesting. Actually, his is more than a simple obsession, the way he treats eating and food can even be called pious. However, his obsession is different from the that of a food connoisseur. He is obsessed with food because he has been poor and understands hunger. This can be interpreted as an indictment of the era, but more importantly, I think this “ worldliness” is essential , it fleshes out the Wang’s character, it also makes the readers think about how basic materialistic fulfillment is essential to our inner peace and spiritual freedom.
Last but not least, there is an undercurrent of Taoist message through out the novella. As can be seen in the discussion of the chess techniques, but probably more so in the character of Wang himself.
This is one of the rare books that set in the cultural revolution era yet remain hopeful in its tone, there is even a note of heroism towards the end of the novella.
Wang deserves to be called a hero.
Because Zweig is right.
It does take so much to remain innocent and “remain faithful to his inner self in these times of the herd’s rampancy.”
This novella would be a perfect companion read for Chess Story by Zweig. Vice versa.
“夜黑黑的，伸手不见五指。王一生已经睡死。我却还似乎耳边人声嚷动，眼前火把通明，山民们铁了脸，肩着柴禾林中走，咿咿呀呀地唱。我笑起来，想：不做俗人，哪儿会知道这般乐趣？家破人亡，平了头每日荷锄，却自有真人生在里面，识到了，即是幸，即是福。衣食是本，自有人类，就是每日在忙这个。可囿在其中，终于还不太像人。倦意渐渐上来，就拥了幕布，沉沉睡去。”
January 4, 2020
阿城那个时代的作品，能够塑造王一生这样的人物的没有读到多少。看过太多的苦情文学，以至于很长时间都排斥这个时期的作家写的东西。读到这篇的时候是有些开心的，王一生一直以来对棋术纯粹的追求正应该是人类在平淡生活之外的不可缺少的经验。
相比，更喜欢树王这一篇，对大自然的践踏，革命的疯狂，人的非理性写得克制但又十分到位。这个短篇拍成电影该有多震撼。
相比，更喜欢树王这一篇，对大自然的践踏，革命的疯狂，人的非理性写得克制但又十分到位。这个短篇拍成电影该有多震撼。
May 30, 2024
结结实实地好看。喜欢《棋王》一篇
June 26, 2017
天下英雄出我辈，一入江湖岁月催
March 16, 2024
الطعام والملبس غريزتان في الانسان ومنذ ان خُلق البشر وهم مشغولون طوال يومهم بالبحث عن الطعام والملبس، ولكن من يحبس نفسه داخل هذه الدائرة الضيقة فلن يصبح انساناً في النهاية.
December 31, 2022
في القطار الذي يقل راوي القصة إلى المزرعة التي أجبر نوعاً ما إلى السفر للعمل فيها،يلتقي بملك الشطرنج (مجنون الشطرنج) ومن خلال حديثه معه يتعرف عليه ..نرى الملك أحياناً يترك عمله في المزرعة أوقاتاً طويلة ، ليبحث عمن يلاعبه ..وفي أثناء ذلك تتاح للملك فرصة المشاركة في مسابقة كبرى للشطرنج وبسبب خارج عن إرادته لا يستطيع الوصول في الوقت المناسب وعوضاً عن ذلك يطلب منازلة الفائزين الثلاثة الأوائل ، ليجد نفسه يلعب ضد تسعة لاعبين في وقت واحد ..
* أستخدم الكاتب اسلوب السرد في مجمل القصة ، تحيط بها أجواء صينية قد تبدو غامضة على مجتمعنا مثل : الطاوية،مفاهيم اليين واليانغ ، والكلاسيكيات الأربعة وغيرها ..
* أستخدم الكاتب اسلوب السرد في مجمل القصة ، تحيط بها أجواء صينية قد تبدو غامضة على مجتمعنا مثل : الطاوية،مفاهيم اليين واليانغ ، والكلاسيكيات الأربعة وغيرها ..
July 9, 2017
太盛则折，太弱则泻。
November 27, 2018
I like the style of a Cheng
August 6, 2020
能看出阿城有很多想说但不能说的东西，借助小说隐喻的表达。三个故事我最喜欢棋王，孩子王次之。
August 8, 2021
吃蛇肉写得好好！我也想吃！
October 9, 2021
A great story that once you start reading, you cannot stop.
December 20, 2022
为棋不为生：养性 谋生 不可混为一谈
April 10, 2023
Touched my heart beacuse of its sincere and plain emotion.
March 11, 2024
被《树王》震撼到了
November 4, 2024
知青文学，只看了棋王
December 9, 2024
都挺好读的，人物都是可爱的。喜欢棋王。故事都不免伴随着无奈，也是那个��代最无可奈何的无奈。有被后面两个关于孩子的短篇吓到。孩子是最无辜的又往往是第一批被牺牲的，被政治、被贫穷、被饥饿，人都是要活着的呀。
August 10, 2016
我读的第一本阿城的短篇小说，非常有意思！
January 15, 2017
The purity
April 2, 2018
رواية حزينة تختزلها ما قاله بطلها "الحزن هو توابل المثقفين الأوغاد".
March 15, 2020
👌🏼ممتنة للصدفة التي أوقعتني على مثل هذه النوڤيلا
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews