The Vintage Book of Contemporary Chinese Fiction

by Carolyn Choa (Editor), Carolyn Choa (Editor)

David Su Li-Qun and Carolyn Choa introduce nineteen of China's most enthralling writers-to date largely unknown outside their native land. From Shanghai to Beijing, we meet people whose lives have been transformed by their country's turbulent recent history.

Cheng Nai-shan writes about the present-day life of the former Shanghai upper class and their children. Sent to work on a rural commune at age fifteen, Wang An-yi now writes about the struggles of the urban underclass. Wang-Meng, once exiled to Tibet, now writes award-winning, character driven stories. Mo Shen had been a railway porter before emerging as a writer after the fall of the Gang of Four. With these and seventeen other writers represented, The Vintage Book of Contemporary Chinese Fiction is a literary testament to a post-revolutionary nation in transition.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, China, Literature

308 pages, Paperback

First published November 13, 2001

Reviews

[Boris Gregoric · Rating 3 out of 5]

...stories mostly set in the 1970's, dealing with the aftermath of the 'great' cultural revolution (the Gang of Four's abuse of power; not sure that even President Mao Zedong was aware of some of the glaring abuse)...most of them firmly within the 'realistic' genre ---

few good ones breaking the linear narrative framework —easily the best one to my understanding of fiction, Wang An Yi's Between Themselves ... (if only the editor would have cut out many of those pesky adverbs) it would be masterful short story. another good one is the Distant Sound of Tree Felling. strangely it made me think of Washington state or Oregon.

also, loved the six short pieces, micro fictions really, from bai xiao yi. wonderful wicked sense of humor here. nice counterpoint to the naturalist rest of the book..

definitely want to read more contemporary Chinese prose, particularly short fiction. novels too.

[Ram Kaushik · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant selection of Chinese short fiction that runs the gamut of emotion - wistful longing, anger, resigned acceptance, love - its all packed in this anthology. Many stories reference the brutality of the Cultural Revolution and its untold human cost of suffering in understated tones that somehow take your breath away. Lyrical at times, these stories give an unfamiliar reader a bird's eye view into the foundations modern Chinese society. The narrative style varies from time flashbacks, fables, viewpoints from different characters, etc. Highly recommended and probably a candidate for the best fiction I've read this year.

[Adella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this when I read it as a teenager

[Helen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this a bit hit-and-miss. There were some terrific tales in here but others I found a little too hard to engage with.

[juicyD · Rating 4 out of 5]

bai xiao yi goes off

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good stories. Some duds. Overall, interesting, but not really worth reading again.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best collection of short stories I've ever read. The book is literally one of a kind - the only English collection of contemporary Chinese short stories ever published. Imagine choosing the 20 best American stories from the past 50 years and introducing them to a new, totally ignorant audience. China is a BIG country and these stories span many years and styles and big events in Chinese history. Usually, I prefer simple kinds of everyday life stories to big, sweeping life and death and undying love kinds of stories, but many of the stories here beautifully combine both the BIG and the small. "Between Life and Death," maybe my favorite, is about the unconventional marriage of a mortician and an obstetrician while also addressing the marriage of life and death themselves. Stories like this seem like they could be heavy-handed and cliched, but they're quite the opposite. They're graceful and thought-provoking. Granted, not all the stories were AMAZING, but enough were to warrant the 5-star rating. I rarely want to read books more than once, but I'm definitely holding onto this slim yet content-packed volume for future readings.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. Some of the stories are short & to the point that you feel incredibly disappointed that you can't continue to read it! Others are more drawn-out and you get sucked into each character's life. The themes may be common Asian-related themes, but they are written in a beautifully concise manner and you come to appreciate each and every one of the authors! The book also provides short biographies on the writer, so you are able to appreciate how their individual lives influenced their stories...

[b bb bbbb bbbbbbbb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yes Comrade! You too can enjoy the patronizing, moral tedium of socialist realism! One can almost feel the writers checking over their shoulder, hoping the material their writing complies with party guidelines and agenda.

There were a lot of duds and otherwise mediocre stories in the collection. That said, there were a couple I enjoyed.In particular "Hong Tai Tai" by Cheng Nai-Shan, and the quirky collection of micro-stories by Bai Xiao Yi.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great collection of contemporary Chinese fiction. It offers some valuable insights into aspects of the culture and the magnitude of change China has undergone over the last three decades. Highly recommended....

[William West]

Review pending: right now, I'm skipping from story to story. The stories are engrossing up to now. This looks like a good way to introduce the reader to elements of Chinese culture of a century ago.

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book on a whim, and I'm really glad that I did.

This book felt like traveling. Seeing the different portrayals of people, as well as the different styles of storytelling was eye-opening.

I really liked how the stories varied.

[Paulina Ree · Rating 4 out of 5]

great short stories

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed bag! Some were excellent, some were okay.

[Bryan Neuschwander · Rating 3 out of 5]

A readable collection. I'm going with "Fate" by Shi Tie-Sheng as my favorite.