Category: Book Reviews (书评)

“Bisezhai Village” (碧色寨): Chronicling the Collision of Cultures behind the Building of the Yunnan-Vietnam Railroad

Kunming-based Fan Wen (范稳), author of  a trilogy set on the border of Yunnan and Tibet, has launched a new novel exploring the history of the Yunnan-Vietnam railway that linked Haiphong with Kunming in 1910. Bisezhai Village (碧色寨) portrays the clash of cultures between the French, then colonial masters of Indochina just south of Yunnan and the … Continue reading “Bisezhai Village” (碧色寨): Chronicling the Collision of Cultures behind the Building of the Yunnan-Vietnam Railroad →

Ran Ping’s “Legend of Mongolia”

Legend of Mongolia (蒙古往事) is a fictionalized biography of Genghis Khan, the leader who united the fiercely independent tribes known today as the Mongols, thanks to his iron resolve, military savvy, shrewd alliances, and willingness to shed blood. Written mainly in Chinese prose, the book is peppered with original poems by the author, Mongolian words, … Continue reading Ran Ping’s “Legend of Mongolia” →

“Canticle to the Land:” Named One of Top Ten Books of the Year by “China Reading Weekly”

The last novel in Fan Wen's Yunnan-Tibetan trilogy, Canticle to the Land (大地雅歌), has been designated as one of the top ten Chinese books published in 2010 by China Reading Weekly (中华读书报), an influential B2B publication serving China's publishing industry. To learn more about this novel, visit: The Creation Story: An English-language excerpt from Canticle to … Continue reading “Canticle to the Land:” Named One of Top Ten Books of the Year by “China Reading Weekly” →

Mini-review: Gao Ping’s “Tsangyang Gyatso, The Sixth Dalai Lama “

Leave me to myself. Go away. I have had enough of your demands on me. I didn't ask for it. What right do you have to make me your Dalai Lama? What right do you have to make me a eunuch, while still leaving my body and passions intact? (From Paul Williams' The Erotic Verse of the … Continue reading Mini-review: Gao Ping’s “Tsangyang Gyatso, The Sixth Dalai Lama “ →

Stephanie Meyer Red-hot in China: Could it be the Footnotes?

As of early 2010, Meyer's entire Twilight series---all four translated volumes---now rank among the "Top Ten Fiction Best Sellers" in mainland China. In Taiwan, they took the top four slots on the island's list of best-selling fiction. What's driving the sales: A newly acquired national passion for vampire romance? The image of the photogenic female … Continue reading Stephanie Meyer Red-hot in China: Could it be the Footnotes? →

“King Gesar” Book Review: Epic Ballad Turned Novel Lacks Poetry

Writes David Yao (姚达兑) in a review of the new best-seller, King Gesar (格萨尔王), by Alai (阿来): . . . the tale of King Gesar is recited by [the roaming bard] Jin Mei, while the entire novel is recited by Alai; King Gesar recounts his world-weariness and confusion to Jin Mei, while the novelist makes use … Continue reading “King Gesar” Book Review: Epic Ballad Turned Novel Lacks Poetry →

Hotter than Kimchee: The Korean Wave as Chinese Management Literature

Esoteric Asian herbal recipes. Petty infighting in an ancient court. The travails of a frustrated-imperial-chef-turned-physician serving a Korean empress. This hardly sounds like a prescription for a gripping TV series, let alone for a hard-copy guide to career management success in the 21st century. Yet Jewel in the Palace (Dae Jang Geum in romanized Korean) … Continue reading Hotter than Kimchee: The Korean Wave as Chinese Management Literature →

Kim Jong Il, a Chinese Orphan and North Korea’s Nuke Test

What’s the link between Kim Jong Il, a Nanjing orphan, and Korea’s recent nuclear test? The answer to that conundrum lies buried deep within Kim Jong Il’s Godson Yang Bin: From Orphan to Sinuiju SAR Chief, a Chinese book just published in English by Fortune Gate (HK) Ltd. If you’ve never heard of the “Yang … Continue reading Kim Jong Il, a Chinese Orphan and North Korea’s Nuke Test →