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Wintry Night
An epic spanning more than half a century of Taiwan's history, this breathtaking historical novel traces the fortunes of the Pengs, a family of Hakka Chinese settlers, across three generations from the 1890s, just before Taiwan was ceded to Japan as a result of the Sino-Japanese war, through World War II. Li Qiao brilliantly re-creates the dramatic world of these pioneers―and the colonization of Taiwan itself―exploring their relationships with the aboriginal peoples of Taiwan and their struggle to establish their own ethnic and political identities.
This carefully researched work of fiction draws upon Li's own experiences and family history, as well as oral and written histories of the era. Originally published in Chinese as a trilogy, this newly translated edition is an abridgement for English-speaking readers and marks the work's first appearance in the English-speaking world. It was well-received in Taiwan as an honest―and influential―recreation of Taiwan's history before the relocation of the Republic of China from the mainland to Taiwan.
Because Li's saga is so deeply imbued with the unique culture and complex history of Taiwan, an introduction explaining the cultural and historical background of the novel is included to help orient the reader to this amazingly rich cultural context. This informative introduction and the sweeping saga of the novel itself together provide an important view of Taiwan's little known colonial experience.
This carefully researched work of fiction draws upon Li's own experiences and family history, as well as oral and written histories of the era. Originally published in Chinese as a trilogy, this newly translated edition is an abridgement for English-speaking readers and marks the work's first appearance in the English-speaking world. It was well-received in Taiwan as an honest―and influential―recreation of Taiwan's history before the relocation of the Republic of China from the mainland to Taiwan.
Because Li's saga is so deeply imbued with the unique culture and complex history of Taiwan, an introduction explaining the cultural and historical background of the novel is included to help orient the reader to this amazingly rich cultural context. This informative introduction and the sweeping saga of the novel itself together provide an important view of Taiwan's little known colonial experience.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 27, 2015
This is an abridged translation of the original Chinese. It was a trilogy, but they only translated the 1st and 3rd volumes and abridged them.
The first part (book 1) draws you straight in and has you caring about the protagonists. Just before the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, a Hakka family moves to the mountains in the hope of starting a new life. A few years later, Taiwan is ceded by the Chinese to the Japanese, and the Japanese struggle to take control of the island.
The second part (book 3) is disjointed and it's difficult to feel anything much for the new protagonist as he is drafted by the colonial Japanese and sent to The Philippines to assist the Japanese troops. But his mother (who is one of the protagonists in part 1) still tugs at the heart. I often wondered why the translators chose certain scenes in part 2, such as the kamize and harakiri. It didn't really seem to aid the story.
I had first lent this book to a friend and on discussing it we both agree that if they were only going to translate 2 volumes it should've been volumes 1 and 2, which apparently ended with the main protagonist's death after his release from Japanese prison for his rebel activities against the Japanese. It would seem more complete.
The first part (book 1) draws you straight in and has you caring about the protagonists. Just before the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, a Hakka family moves to the mountains in the hope of starting a new life. A few years later, Taiwan is ceded by the Chinese to the Japanese, and the Japanese struggle to take control of the island.
The second part (book 3) is disjointed and it's difficult to feel anything much for the new protagonist as he is drafted by the colonial Japanese and sent to The Philippines to assist the Japanese troops. But his mother (who is one of the protagonists in part 1) still tugs at the heart. I often wondered why the translators chose certain scenes in part 2, such as the kamize and harakiri. It didn't really seem to aid the story.
I had first lent this book to a friend and on discussing it we both agree that if they were only going to translate 2 volumes it should've been volumes 1 and 2, which apparently ended with the main protagonist's death after his release from Japanese prison for his rebel activities against the Japanese. It would seem more complete.
November 16, 2018
Wintry Night is a fascinating novel and a must read for anyone interested in Taiwan’s history from late 19th century until the end of WWII. The book is divided into two parts, which are the abridged translations of the first and third volumes of the Wintry Night trilogy by Li Qiao. Skipping the second volume left a gap of almost five decades between the two parts. The first part traces the lives of the Pengs, a Hakka family when they first settled in Fanzai Wood, a mountainous village in Hsinchu County, while the second part, which focuses on the final years of WWII, talks about the agony of the descendants of the Pengs and other Fanzai Wood settlers, who were conscripted by the Japanese to serve in the Philippines and the Pacific.
This novel deserves five starts for its historical value and its portrayal of the late settlers to Taiwan and their struggles during the Japanese occupation. It is truly an amazing and very well researched novel. As a work of fiction, however, the novel was slow at times, which probably explains why it was abridged. My biggest qualm with this novel is the sheer misery that it portrays. It is extremely sad and heartbreaking, and it only gets worse with every page. If you enjoy bleak, heart wrenching novels then this is the one for you.
This novel deserves five starts for its historical value and its portrayal of the late settlers to Taiwan and their struggles during the Japanese occupation. It is truly an amazing and very well researched novel. As a work of fiction, however, the novel was slow at times, which probably explains why it was abridged. My biggest qualm with this novel is the sheer misery that it portrays. It is extremely sad and heartbreaking, and it only gets worse with every page. If you enjoy bleak, heart wrenching novels then this is the one for you.
July 13, 2022
Covering a period I have read little about, from pre-Japanese colonial time until the end of World War II, the story provides insights into the challenges faced by three generations of Hakka settlers who sought a better life by working at the edges of mountainous wilderness in Miaoli county, encroaching on the aboriginal territory in Taiwan.
This book contains an abridged version of the first and third volumes of the author’s trilogy: Wintry Night (first generation Hakka settlers ) pre-Japanese time), The Deserted Village (second generation Hakka settlers, during the Japanese time), and The Lone Lamp (third generation Hakka settlers, which ends with Japan’s defeat).
The story starts with PENG Aqiang’s family moving into this wilderness. In PENG’s family is the foster daughter, Dengmei. Life for the settlers is hard and hazardous. As with all who try to make their living from the land, the work is arduous, and hunger is constant. When the initial supply of potatoes is depleted, the family must find food. In addition, at least initially, there was fear of attacks from the aboriginal tribes. Finally, there are issues of working with other members of the small village, and personal relationships that arise.
In this first volume, Wintry Night, we also meet LIU Ahan, who ultimately marries Dengmei and starts his own family.
In the second volume, not in the book, the story follows LIU Ahan’s anti-Japanese activities. Shortly after release from prison, Ahan dies.
In the third volume, The Lone Lamp, beginning around 1943, we meet Dengmei’s youngest son, LIU Mingji, and PENG Yonghui, a great grandson of PENG Aqiang. LIU is conscripted into the Japanese military services as a mechanic; Yonghui is also conscripted. Both are sent to the Philippines, though they serve in different regions. Much of this section focuses on their experiences during the war, and to a lesser extent on activities around Dengmei. This offers an insight into the relationship between the Japanese soldiers and those conscripts from Taiwan. One experiences the chaos during the last days of the war from Mingji’s perspective, in his desire to return to Taiwan however he can.
As explained by the translator in the introduction, this book is a classic, being “one of the first modern novels to deal with the uniqueness of the Taiwanese experience…” and Taiwanese identity. The author completed the trilogy about the time of the Kaohsiung riots, that protested “KMT meddling in election results.”
FB. A fascinating view of little described time in Taiwan’s history, pre-Japanese colonization to the end of World War II, told through the eyes of three generations of Hakka settlers to the mountainous region west of Miaoli. Life was hard and, at times, tragic, from trying to eke out a living and to serving in the Japanese military in the Philippines. Hunger seemed to persist throughout. “One of the first books in Taiwanese literature to talk about the uniqueness of the Taiwanese experience” and identity.
This book contains an abridged version of the first and third volumes of the author’s trilogy: Wintry Night (first generation Hakka settlers ) pre-Japanese time), The Deserted Village (second generation Hakka settlers, during the Japanese time), and The Lone Lamp (third generation Hakka settlers, which ends with Japan’s defeat).
The story starts with PENG Aqiang’s family moving into this wilderness. In PENG’s family is the foster daughter, Dengmei. Life for the settlers is hard and hazardous. As with all who try to make their living from the land, the work is arduous, and hunger is constant. When the initial supply of potatoes is depleted, the family must find food. In addition, at least initially, there was fear of attacks from the aboriginal tribes. Finally, there are issues of working with other members of the small village, and personal relationships that arise.
In this first volume, Wintry Night, we also meet LIU Ahan, who ultimately marries Dengmei and starts his own family.
In the second volume, not in the book, the story follows LIU Ahan’s anti-Japanese activities. Shortly after release from prison, Ahan dies.
In the third volume, The Lone Lamp, beginning around 1943, we meet Dengmei’s youngest son, LIU Mingji, and PENG Yonghui, a great grandson of PENG Aqiang. LIU is conscripted into the Japanese military services as a mechanic; Yonghui is also conscripted. Both are sent to the Philippines, though they serve in different regions. Much of this section focuses on their experiences during the war, and to a lesser extent on activities around Dengmei. This offers an insight into the relationship between the Japanese soldiers and those conscripts from Taiwan. One experiences the chaos during the last days of the war from Mingji’s perspective, in his desire to return to Taiwan however he can.
As explained by the translator in the introduction, this book is a classic, being “one of the first modern novels to deal with the uniqueness of the Taiwanese experience…” and Taiwanese identity. The author completed the trilogy about the time of the Kaohsiung riots, that protested “KMT meddling in election results.”
FB. A fascinating view of little described time in Taiwan’s history, pre-Japanese colonization to the end of World War II, told through the eyes of three generations of Hakka settlers to the mountainous region west of Miaoli. Life was hard and, at times, tragic, from trying to eke out a living and to serving in the Japanese military in the Philippines. Hunger seemed to persist throughout. “One of the first books in Taiwanese literature to talk about the uniqueness of the Taiwanese experience” and identity.
May 22, 2017
A remarkable epic tale of a Hakka family in Taiwan that spans generations. It begins in the late 1800s as the family heads off into the mountains to homestead and scratch out an existence on land they are attempting to own themselves. There is a middle section that is not included in the translation that describes their resistance to the Japanese occupation from the 1890s through the 1940s. The last section tells of the family's experience in WWII, both at home in Taiwan and as young men conscripted to fight for the Japanese in the Philippines. The writing was incredible and evocative and beautiful. It continually surprised me how the author could zoom in to particular details with precision while telling a much larger tale that comprised large numbers of people and many years. There is a particularly beautiful story about the day two men spend hiking and exploring their home valley together before they leave for war the next morning. And the telling of that morning is one of the more heart wrenching passages I've ever read. Please let me never be a mother sending my boy off to war. Overall, I feel like I understand Taiwan better - the people, the geography, and the history, and I enjoyed the ride.
August 29, 2017
A fascinating story of the struggles of a group of settlers in rural Taiwan spanning 60 years up to 1945 through the occupation of the japan and the Second World War. A lot of hard work, poverty and misery.
June 8, 2017
Translated from a Taiwanese trilogy, this book has two parts: Part One is the first book of the trilogy, Part Two is the third; the second book of the trilogy was omitted. Unfortunately, an unabridged translated version isn't available.
A few pages into the book, I had to draw a family tree. Part One of the book focuses on the extended Peng family, and without writing it all down, the names and relationships would have been a big jumble to me. Part Two shifts the focus onto the extended family of one branch of the Peng family, and I had to draw a whole new family tree to keep up with the story.
Though it tells a fictional story, the book is an educational introduction to Taiwanese history. Part One describes the hardships of those who first opened up aboriginal mountain lands for farming (a period of time that reminded me of the harsh life of American pioneers who moved West into Native American Indian territory). Part Two tells of the difficulties faced by Taiwanese men conscripted into the Japanese army towards the end of World War II. Frequent references were made to the anti-Japanese resistance movement (which reminded me of the French Resistance against the Nazi occupation of France). I would have liked to have read more about the anti-Japanese resistance, but alas, it was the omitted second book of the trilogy that focused on that part of history.
Despite finding similarities to other more familiar histories, the stories in Wintry Night are entirely Taiwanese. While the book at times read like a non-fiction account of one family's history, the author interspersed the story with poetic descriptions of the Taiwanese mountains and the spirit of Taiwanese people. One can imagine how much the environs were an integral part of the lives and livelihood of the early settlers, and how much being Taiwanese (and more specifically, Hakka Chinese) was at the heart of their identities.
While Part One told of hardships and struggles, it's clear that hope existed, and perhaps the Peng family would one day prosper. In this part of the book, people seemed to act rashly, and I didn't always understand a person's motivations. I wasn't sure if I was missing something, if the author wasn't developing the characters enough, or if some important detail was lost in the translation.
Part Two, meanwhile, was somber and depressing, with graphic descriptions of the casualties of war. Even the rare faint glimmer of hope felt more like a yearning, blind faith rather than a practical possibility. The endings of both parts were poignant and artistically beautiful, but left me feeling empty. As the reader, I knew the family would survive - as they did after every setback - but I still wanted to read more, to find out how they fared.
A few pages into the book, I had to draw a family tree. Part One of the book focuses on the extended Peng family, and without writing it all down, the names and relationships would have been a big jumble to me. Part Two shifts the focus onto the extended family of one branch of the Peng family, and I had to draw a whole new family tree to keep up with the story.
Though it tells a fictional story, the book is an educational introduction to Taiwanese history. Part One describes the hardships of those who first opened up aboriginal mountain lands for farming (a period of time that reminded me of the harsh life of American pioneers who moved West into Native American Indian territory). Part Two tells of the difficulties faced by Taiwanese men conscripted into the Japanese army towards the end of World War II. Frequent references were made to the anti-Japanese resistance movement (which reminded me of the French Resistance against the Nazi occupation of France). I would have liked to have read more about the anti-Japanese resistance, but alas, it was the omitted second book of the trilogy that focused on that part of history.
Despite finding similarities to other more familiar histories, the stories in Wintry Night are entirely Taiwanese. While the book at times read like a non-fiction account of one family's history, the author interspersed the story with poetic descriptions of the Taiwanese mountains and the spirit of Taiwanese people. One can imagine how much the environs were an integral part of the lives and livelihood of the early settlers, and how much being Taiwanese (and more specifically, Hakka Chinese) was at the heart of their identities.
While Part One told of hardships and struggles, it's clear that hope existed, and perhaps the Peng family would one day prosper. In this part of the book, people seemed to act rashly, and I didn't always understand a person's motivations. I wasn't sure if I was missing something, if the author wasn't developing the characters enough, or if some important detail was lost in the translation.
Part Two, meanwhile, was somber and depressing, with graphic descriptions of the casualties of war. Even the rare faint glimmer of hope felt more like a yearning, blind faith rather than a practical possibility. The endings of both parts were poignant and artistically beautiful, but left me feeling empty. As the reader, I knew the family would survive - as they did after every setback - but I still wanted to read more, to find out how they fared.
May 27, 2014
4.5 stars, really, but I wanted to boost the rating of this great Taiwanese epic, as I think it should be more widely read. It's an extremely compelling tale of a Hakka family starting a small farming village (Fanzai Woods, in Hsinchu County), and trying to merely survive in the midst of heartless landlords, typhoons washing away their entire fields, and then the Japanese occupation for 50 years. It's a novel of strength and identity, and a great portrayal of perseverance.
It's an historical novel, very carefully researched, including tales from the author's own family history in Taiwan, and it's extremely readable (though the first 10 or so pages made me think I wouldn't like it). There are tons of characters, and they all add a lot to the "family feel." I had a lot of trouble with the names, though. There are so many names, and many are somewhat similar. For example, there are three brothers named Mingji, Mingsen, and Mingcheng, all with distinct personalities... yet it takes a lot of work to remember who's who! The translator could have included a family tree, but I guess that's up to the reader.
It's a very fascinating epic tale (or tales, I should say), yet it's very compact and doesn't dwell long on unnecessary events. It keeps going very smoothly. It made me wish I could read Chinese, because there's a lot left out of the translation: the original work was a trilogy, and this translation only includes *condensed* versions of the first and last parts, for some reason. Pity. The whole tale spans over 50 years, though it wasn't jarring going from the first part to the last, even though over 40 years were skipped.
The second half is far more bleak, taking place almost entirely in the Philippines during World War II. Some Taiwanese men are forced to fight for the Japanese on Filipino soil, and our tale follows people from Fanzai Village. It's incredible what they went through, merely trying to survive. The book never fails to show how utterly pointless it was for the Japanese to force the Taiwanese to go to war for them, since the Taiwanese ended up not being utilized very much, and even after the War ended most of the Taiwanese survivors just wandered around trying to get back to Taiwan but instead dying of starvation, snakebites, and stupid enemy cruelty. Awful. But I couldn't put it down. I just wanted to know what happened to them...
It was pretty exciting to see the characters talk so much about Hsinchu, since I'm living there right now. They also mention Jhudong and Miaoli, and a bunch of other places...but not my town, Zhubei. Oh well - maybe it's in the second part!
It's an historical novel, very carefully researched, including tales from the author's own family history in Taiwan, and it's extremely readable (though the first 10 or so pages made me think I wouldn't like it). There are tons of characters, and they all add a lot to the "family feel." I had a lot of trouble with the names, though. There are so many names, and many are somewhat similar. For example, there are three brothers named Mingji, Mingsen, and Mingcheng, all with distinct personalities... yet it takes a lot of work to remember who's who! The translator could have included a family tree, but I guess that's up to the reader.
It's a very fascinating epic tale (or tales, I should say), yet it's very compact and doesn't dwell long on unnecessary events. It keeps going very smoothly. It made me wish I could read Chinese, because there's a lot left out of the translation: the original work was a trilogy, and this translation only includes *condensed* versions of the first and last parts, for some reason. Pity. The whole tale spans over 50 years, though it wasn't jarring going from the first part to the last, even though over 40 years were skipped.
The second half is far more bleak, taking place almost entirely in the Philippines during World War II. Some Taiwanese men are forced to fight for the Japanese on Filipino soil, and our tale follows people from Fanzai Village. It's incredible what they went through, merely trying to survive. The book never fails to show how utterly pointless it was for the Japanese to force the Taiwanese to go to war for them, since the Taiwanese ended up not being utilized very much, and even after the War ended most of the Taiwanese survivors just wandered around trying to get back to Taiwan but instead dying of starvation, snakebites, and stupid enemy cruelty. Awful. But I couldn't put it down. I just wanted to know what happened to them...
It was pretty exciting to see the characters talk so much about Hsinchu, since I'm living there right now. They also mention Jhudong and Miaoli, and a bunch of other places...but not my town, Zhubei. Oh well - maybe it's in the second part!
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