桑青與桃紅

by Hualing Nieh, 聶華苓

聶華苓這部獲得國際肯定的小說，以印象式速寫及戲劇性的表現形式，強烈的爭議話題，成為作者最具特色之代表作。
七○年代初，《桑青與桃紅》在《聯合報》副刊連載時，因政治和性的尺度問題被迫腰斬；一直到世紀末的二十多年間，這部小說一如小說主角經歷飄泊與離散，到處流浪，陸續有中文各地區的出版社出版。如作者形容：「有大刀亂砍的版本，有小刀修剪的版本，有一字不漏的全本。」一九九○年，《桑青與桃紅》獲美國國家書卷獎，此後成為離散文化（Diaspora）研究的文本，是探討女性文學、少數民族文學、移民文學的必讀經典。時報文化於一九九七年推出的，是在兩岸三地出版的第七個版本，當時做為「新人間」系列的第二號作品，在華文小說界的標竿性地位不容小覷。而今轉眼過了二十三年，此書又已絕版多年，殊為可惜，並且在不知不覺間已經成為有志創作、喜愛文學的青年學子作家流傳學習、卻苦於不易取得的文學經典，因此時報出版決定再度推出新世紀珍藏版，以饗讀者。
正如李歐梵教授為文所述：「這本書的意義，隨時代的變遷而不同。」七○年代初出版的時候，其藝術性是前衛的，被解讀的面向側重在政治性，八○年代，轉而被視作探討女性心理的開山之作。九○年代，《桑青與桃紅》又被納入離散文化研究的領域，許多美國大學教中國文學的教授都採用這本小說作教科書，也榮獲美國國家書卷獎肯定，並獲美國出版社保證「永不絕版」。李教授說得好：「在這個世界性的移民大地圖中，我們都是桑青與桃紅的子孫。值得我們慶幸的是，這本小說終能經得起時代的考驗而永垂不朽。」

Genres: Fiction, China, Historical, Chinese Literature, Historical Fiction, School, Literature

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[新新 Xin-Xin · Rating 4 out of 5]

台灣新版的標準字還有美國版的封面都挺有趣，然後英文書名是 Mulberry and Peach，桑葚＆桃子，原來桑葉跟桑葚是同樣的植物嗎？（可能顏色的印象差太多了我有點震驚）

這本小說實在太有名，實際打開前就看過有點太多的介紹，本來以為只是完成個 checklist，結果可能是寫法特殊，看得很是沉迷且完全沒有被劇透過的感覺。

小說分成四節：逃難的四川、紛亂的北平、躲藏的台北、瘋狂的美國
（形容詞都是我自己加的）
喜歡前三節，最後雖然沒有那麼易讀但也覺得很適合，末尾收在帝女雀填海和聶華苓自己寫的「桑青與桃紅流放小記」真的很好很好，也有點唏噓。

然後覺得白先勇的專文「世紀性的漂泊者——重讀《桑青與桃紅》」還好（氣音）

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very political. But I am so glad I read this book. It was afamous book in taiwan (banned at some point)- so I was surprised I was engaging in conversations with other women about this novel. They read it in their own language - so it's very impressive to be able to bridge thoughts and ideas with other people through this novel. Wow - literature has no boundaries, no matter what language they are in!

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be one of the most underrated pieces of literature from the 20th Century. The structure and poetics uniquely conveys the fractured identities of Chinese women who have had to deal with the various forms of struggles in our modern world. Though I'm sure we would don't get the full impact in English, it is still very much worth reading.

[Briar Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing novel-- historical allegory, a nuanced exploration of the effects of trauma, alienation, sexual exploitation, and imprisonment on a woman's psyche, a kind of American road trip picaresque in places, with Gothic themes, cannibalism, dissociative identity disorder, and Chinese folklore all thrown in the mix. Do read it if you get the chance, and if you do, try to get the edition of the novel with an afterword by Sau-ling Cynthia Wong; the afterword provides some thoughtful analysis, plus a GREAT deal of historical, cultural, and linguistic context that this non-Chinese reader found invaluable. Ultimately, MULBERRY AND PEACH is that rare text that I can confidently describe as both "very experimental" and "a pretty fast, easy read"; this is a *fun* book, for all its depth, and for all its serious, tragic, and grotesque subject matter. Read it once to enjoy the crazy ride, then read it again to think about every authorial choice Nieh has made as carefully as possible.

[Sarah Gregg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hua-Ling Nieh's writing is tantamount to dreaming a song/story, it does not directly appeal to the senses but rather, enters the reader's mind subconsciously. A fascinating portrayal of a woman surviving post World War II turmoil in China, it blatantly and delicately explores the impact of the cultural, lingual, political, and social upheaval that is part of revolution. Mulberry herself undergoes a complete dissociation of her 'hated', 'weaker' Chinese self and morphs into Peach, the 'liberated', 'strong' American self. A wonderful story of survival, mental illness, and cultural transplantation, something many Americans do not appreciate. Should appeal to anyone interested in Chinese or Chinese/American history, feminism, or mental illness in literature.

[Citron Pineapple · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a classic of Asian women’s literature. Schizophrenic, sex, desire, diaspora politics’ conscience and multinational identity. Really recommended.

[orion · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this for class. conceptually very interesting. i think it could be better written. also just hella confusing at the end

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not even sure how to start with this text - very (wonderfully) dense and rich with a very postmodern pastiche of the historical, allegorical, and epistolary novel; Mulberry's diary entries are interspersed with radio broadcasts and other forms of communication, as well as maps and drawings. It's extremely visceral and corporeal, but, as unsettling as many scenes are to read, I think it quite effectively images Mulberry's and Peach's anguish stemming from cultural upheaval and displacement. It thematizes history (both of a specific place and as a concept/construct), memory, trauma, migration, nation-state politics, gender, sex(uality) and labor, and the construction of identity as it relates to all of the aforementioned, almost to the point of oversaturation - you could easily spend an hour unpacking each page. Two hours if you don't have an awareness of modern Chinese history and politics (Wong's afterword is helpful).
It deserves to be read critically, of course, but as I was reading I found that it was worthwhile to not try very hard... to just sit and *feel* the text, let it wash over me. It kind of steals into your subconsciousness. Certain moments feel hallucinatory, like when you're drifting off to sleep and you're just a little delirious and you feel like the world is spinning. All in all, it's an intensely stirring tale - incredible for how its about a very specific cultural and political moment in Chinese history but also feels so universal in its address of fraught identity. I wonder what changes occurred in translation from Chinese to English.

[Jeremy Olivier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to read this book shortly after Nieh died late last year. I was fascinated by her story and had read good things about Mulberry and Peach.

My first impression upon finishing it was that it was an extraordinary work of fiction. A feminist allegory for the trauma and misery China endured as it was hurdled into modernity in the 20th century, Nieh’s work is a melding of eastern and western literary traditions. Having lived in Taiwan for the past more than decade, and spent some time in China, I was enthralled by her use of dual narrative, nonlinear structure, and mythology to tell this story. The translators also did a masterful job of bringing those elements into compelling prose.

That said, the book is complex and challenging, with some sections difficult to completely comprehend, especially to those with little background in China’s history. But for those who stick it through, it is well worth it.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhere between a 3 and 4. 3.5? This is a challenging, layered text which much to offer the reader. A pioneering story, ahead of its time, follows a traumatized young woman experiencing dissociative identity disorder that parallels living through many political upheavals in 20th century China. I definitely appreciated this book but it is not an easy or enjoyable read. I think it helped that I've read quite a few books focused on China this year so I was familiar with some of the context. But definitely needed the afterword.

[Graham Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the parts of the story set in China and Taiwan to be much more gripping and interesting than the parts set in America. The parts in America seemed to be reaching for the abstract/surreal/impressionist, but for some reason (translation maybe? missed references?) never seemed to hit levels needed to justify the lack of plot compared with the parts in China and Taiwan.

That said, the book overall has a very compelling intensity and that "horror in slow motion" that really zoomed in historical fiction can achieve so well.

[yenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

being very generous with the rating because i didn’t actually enjoy the process of reading this ALL the time but well. anything less would feel like an affront to the level of skill shown in this.. anyway not going to copy paste my sg review but HER MIND HER WRITING INSANE ! like for a 200 page novel there is SO much here to unpack.. tiring as it was, i feel like my mind has been expanded by this novel. so 5 stars for literary genius

[Shze-Hui Tjoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good!!! Not every genre-bending book is also fun to read, but I thought that this one was. The split-personality format felt like an unusual and creative way to talk about surviving political turmoil/atrocity, and then trying to start a “new life” in exile. I feel like Nieh caught something that’s hard to describe, about the depth of the fissure between the old world and the new.

[Kiek Korevaar · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I’ve ever read

[Pei-chi]

好喜歡白先勇的後記

[Sharon Liu · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - had to read this book in both English and Chinede to grasp the context, a lot is lost in translation for the English version

[lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

三年後重讀。驚人之天才

[Xinyi · Rating 5 out of 5]

（后续补一下未删节原版）形式设计和行文控制上太有意思了 尤其是最后一节的桑青日记中故意省略标点的处理 让读者直观地感受到了滑向边缘的精神状态何如//李欧梵老师的评文写得很诚恳 人生也好研究也好 兜兜转转似乎总是绕不开来处

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

this book was so fuckin awful...... it was literal garbage tbh. no idea what was going on, there was sex everywhere???? for basically no discernible reason???? and everyone was annoying, bye.

[Yilda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, An Enlightening Read

Mulberry and Peach was certainly an enlightening book. It's extremely far from all other books I read (and I really wouldn't have read it if it hadn't been assigned) but I did read it and I ended up liking it.
Nieh's writing style is one of the most unique I have ever encountered. The patchwork-style writing, the different mediums (diary, letter, notes, newspaper clippings) were refreshing. In many other books, I wouldn't have liked this, and I tend not to. But for Mulberry and Peach, the style simply worked. Even through the English translation, many themes shone through (though unfortunately there was unavoidably some lost as well).
I learned so, so much about the historical context of Asia, a region I do not usually read a lot about. The afterword was also very interesting, and helped me realize how many of the symbols and themes carried over to Chinese history.
The best part about this novel is that it was so raw. There were no unnecessary embellishments, fancy turns of phrase. It rang with a clarity and simplicity, yet also had very potent messages.
(This feels like a school write-up. But I'd encourage you to read it, if you have time to spare. It isn't long, and truly a very interesting read that will stay with you for very long.)

[Stephkay · Rating 1 out of 5]

What did I just read?

I've read (auto)biographical books about women, I've read Chinese history and Chinese history about women and emigration/immigration, and even about mental illness (whether the reader finds it true or not, at one point Mulberry/Peach is described as schizophrenic) but I have not read anything like this before.

If you're interested in any of those topics, read a different book.

If you need them all together in one book, in first person, with rambling sentences that don't end before starting another, and characters that don't get developed before moving on, well, maybe this one is for you.

[Linda]

Translated with Jane Parrish Yang as an International Writing Program Project in Iowa

[Kensal · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you like good or even mediocre writing and don't want to read nasty stuff, never ever read this book. I usually only post books I liked, but this was bad enough for a warning...

[Rishi Kulkarni · Rating 3 out of 5]

What even was this. I guess I liked it?

[鵝肝醬 · Rating 5 out of 5]

看了兩遍還是不敢說自己看懂了。
有很多別出心裁的寫作手法，特別喜歡其中用了很多短句、且每句分段的敘事方式，有種用鐵鎚將句子一下下釘進心臟的衝擊感，一種快到讓人喘不過氣卻又停不下來的感覺？

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hell yes.

[Kelsey Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loaned to Adam H

[Izetta Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an extraordinary piece of modern literature and I am shocked that I didn't know about Nieh's body of work before reading Mulberry and Peach. Genre-wise, Nieh's Mulberry and Peach cannot be categorized. Nieh has used a range of storytelling methods that produce an entirely original novel.