Writing Worth Reading
Writing Worth Reading
This book, which was written in the 18th century, is so important because it has helped Chinese culture to survive despite all the political upheavals and civil wars which have taken place since it was written. It reminds Chinese people what the true Chinese culture is all about and how to preserve it which is why I call it the ‘Bible of Chinese Culture’. Actually, many people try to copy this way of life even now.
这本书被很多人认为是中国历史上写的最好的一本小说。于我而言，这是一本理解中国文学的“圣经”。曹雪芹是汉族人，而这本家族小说写于18世纪。家族的命运与康熙王朝息息相关，全书都是关于家族成员和不同社会阶层之间关系的描写。
Tell me about your first book, Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin.
This book is believed by many to be the greatest Chinese novel ever written. For me it is like a bible for everything to do with Chinese culture. Cao belonged to the Han Chinese clan and the book is a huge family novel written in the 18th century. The family’s fortunes were tied up with the Kangxi dynasty and the book is all about the relationship between the family members and all the different classes.
It really is a wonderful book which has been translated by Penguin since 1970 and reprinted again and again. But many Westerners don’t know about this book, which is a shame because it is such a powerful book which I really love.
Why is it so important to you?
Well, it is such a good guide to our culture. In the book more than 100 people, buildings, poems, paintings and dreams are described in great detail. So you really find out the lifestyles of the people living there. I have read this book again and again ever since my childhood.
For example, there is a part which sums up how important food is in Chinese society. Xueqin writes about an aubergine recipe, which is a famous dish in the book, where the mother describes to her daughter and grandchildren how you need to wash the aubergines in snow, soak them with spring dew, pickle them with flowers from summer to season them and the thorns from autumn. And these are known as four-season aubergines. That is so beautiful. And why I think this book is so important is because it has helped Chinese culture to survive despite all the political upheavals and civil wars which have taken place since it was written.
Books like this remind Chinese people what the true Chinese culture is all about and how to preserve it, which is why I call it the ‘Bible of Chinese Culture’. Actually, many people try to copy this way of life even now.
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Xinran is a Chinese writer, broadcaster and founder of The Mother’s Bridge of Love, an organisation reaching out to adopted Chinese children all over the world. She chooses five books on Chinese history and culture and says the birth of a donkey is more likely to be celebrated in rural China than that of a baby girl.
谈谈您推荐地第一本书——曹雪芹的《红楼梦》吧。
这本书被很多人认为是中国历史上写的最好的一本小说。于我而言，这是一本理解中国文学的“圣经”。曹雪芹是汉族人，而这本家族小说写于18世纪。家族的命运与康熙王朝息息相关，全书都是关于家族成员和不同社会阶层之间关系的描写。
自上世纪70年代，企鹅书社就开始翻译出版并数次重印这本优秀的著作。然而很多西方人对此知之不多，鉴于我是由衷地喜爱这部著作，所以这不能不说是个遗憾。
为什么这部著作对您如此重要？
这部著作是如此完好的一部对我们文化的导读。书中对超过100个人物、建筑、诗词、绘画和梦境做了细腻入微的描写，你完全能从中感受到那个时代的生活方式。而我自从孩提时代就开始一遍又一遍地阅读此书。
比如书中有一段对饮食对于中国社会重要性的概括。曹雪芹写到了一道名菜茄子的做法；其中母亲向女儿描述了如何在雪水中涮洗茄子，如何把茄子蘸上春天的露水，如何在夏季用花，秋季用刺来腌制茄子以合时令——这就是人们熟知的四季茄子。这是多么美妙的事情，而这本书之所以重要，很大程度上因为他令中国文化在历经政治动荡和社会变迁之后幸存了下来。
这样的书提醒了中国人什么是中华文化，如何涵养这种文化；因此我称之为中华文化的圣经。实际上书中描述的生活方式在今天依旧被众人效仿。
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Xinran is a Chinese writer, broadcaster and founder of The Mother’s Bridge of Love, an organisation reaching out to adopted Chinese children all over the world. She chooses five books on Chinese history and culture and says the birth of a donkey is more likely to be celebrated in rural China than that of a baby girl.
