EP’s Reviews > The Vintage Book of Contemporary Chinese Fiction > Status Update
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EP
is 70% done
Will just short review stories I liked for later final review:
Han the Forger by Deng You-mei
Big Chan by Wang Ceng-qi
Both 3.75/5.
Story of redemption and reconciliation for the first, second is story secrets and greed taken to the grave (literally)
— Sep 20, 2025 02:40PM
Han the Forger by Deng You-mei
Big Chan by Wang Ceng-qi
Both 3.75/5.
Story of redemption and reconciliation for the first, second is story secrets and greed taken to the grave (literally)
EP
is 58% done
9/11/25
Fables by Wang Meng: 3.9/5
Interesting insight to (perhaps) cultural values here, I enjoyed “I am one of you” the most :D (it’s been almost a week I am foggy brained rn)
The General and the Small Town by Chen Xi-shu: 3/5
Story of outsider coming to country town and aiming impact then tragedy hits but his memory will be remembered bla blah. Not bad. Endearing little story. But mostly meh.
— Sep 11, 2025 05:26PM
Fables by Wang Meng: 3.9/5
Interesting insight to (perhaps) cultural values here, I enjoyed “I am one of you” the most :D (it’s been almost a week I am foggy brained rn)
The General and the Small Town by Chen Xi-shu: 3/5
Story of outsider coming to country town and aiming impact then tragedy hits but his memory will be remembered bla blah. Not bad. Endearing little story. But mostly meh.
EP
is 49% done
9/6/25, lack space, just small reviews
Cherry, Su Tong: 4/5
sad and sudden, nothing much to say, I only have ~30 characters to work with
Young Muo, Su Tong: 3/5
Shih Feng interesting character, would like to see longer Su Tong Work, short stories aren’t bad
The Window, Mo Shen: 2/5
overdramatic patriotic propaganda story, like a patriotic story one would read about the founding fathers as a kid in the U.S.
— Sep 06, 2025 04:34PM
Cherry, Su Tong: 4/5
sad and sudden, nothing much to say, I only have ~30 characters to work with
Young Muo, Su Tong: 3/5
Shih Feng interesting character, would like to see longer Su Tong Work, short stories aren’t bad
The Window, Mo Shen: 2/5
overdramatic patriotic propaganda story, like a patriotic story one would read about the founding fathers as a kid in the U.S.
EP
is 28% done
Between Themselves Wang An-yi
4.5
Reminded of Bartleby the Scrivener:
“To a sensitive being, pity is not seldom pain. And when at last it is perceived that such pity cannot lead to…succor, common sense bids the soul rid of it. What I saw…persuaded me that the scrivener was the victim of innate and incurable disorder…his body did not pain him; it was his soul that suffered, and his soul I could not reach”
— Sep 02, 2025 08:54PM
4.5
Reminded of Bartleby the Scrivener:
“To a sensitive being, pity is not seldom pain. And when at last it is perceived that such pity cannot lead to…succor, common sense bids the soul rid of it. What I saw…persuaded me that the scrivener was the victim of innate and incurable disorder…his body did not pain him; it was his soul that suffered, and his soul I could not reach”
EP
is 22% done
9/1/25:
“Life in a Small Courtyard” by Wang An-yi
4.5/5
This story was very sweet ☝🏻🥹
“I couldn't refrain from laughing. They still loved each other. They were only short of money.”
— Sep 01, 2025 08:36PM
“Life in a Small Courtyard” by Wang An-yi
4.5/5
This story was very sweet ☝🏻🥹
“I couldn't refrain from laughing. They still loved each other. They were only short of money.”
EP
is 14% done
Stories completed so far (8/31):
Beijing opera (David Su Li-qun): 2.75/5
Mid. Author/Editor self inserts his own story. Quite boring. Interesting notes on Chinese culture, but plain.
Hong Taitai (Chang Nai-Shan): 3/5
Meh. Same as above, forgettable. Again same notes to take on culture.
Fate (Shi Tie-sheng): 5/5
Absolutely adored this, reminds me of Dazai, especially his fairy tale collection and self-portraits
— Aug 31, 2025 06:27PM
Beijing opera (David Su Li-qun): 2.75/5
Mid. Author/Editor self inserts his own story. Quite boring. Interesting notes on Chinese culture, but plain.
Hong Taitai (Chang Nai-Shan): 3/5
Meh. Same as above, forgettable. Again same notes to take on culture.
Fate (Shi Tie-sheng): 5/5
Absolutely adored this, reminds me of Dazai, especially his fairy tale collection and self-portraits
