Chinese love classics. Chinese literature: a brief excursion into the history, genres and features of the works of modern Chinese writers Chinese novels in Russian

Briefly about the books that we have read so far, one way or another related to China, and what we think about them and what we recommend - so that you can decide for yourself whether to read any of the listed or maybe even take it with you on a trip.

“Wolf Totem”, Jiang Rong (“Wolf Totem”)

A difficult but very interesting semi-autobiographical book about the way of life of nomadic shepherds from the point of view of a Chinese student.
They even made a movie based on this novel, but we haven’t gotten to it yet.

China. Mid 60s. Chen Zhen, a member of the young Chinese intelligentsia, finds himself in Inner Mongolia, one of the most remote and distinctive provinces of China. The young man settles in the yurt of the old Mongol Bilig. From him, Chen Zhen learns that since time immemorial, the Mongols have worshiped the wolf totem, which, according to them, symbolizes the victory of charisma over the forces of the elements and makes it possible to exist in extreme conditions. Having lived among the cold steppes, Chen Zhen gradually discovers the amazing but simple world of a nomad, built on the confrontation between people and wolves...
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“The River at the Center of the Earth: Up the Yangtze - Back into China's Past”, Simon Winchester
(The River at the Center of the World)

In 1996, a British journalist published a book about his journey along the Yangtze River. He decided to swim it all from the mouth to the source. And he, in principle, succeeded. The book is funny and interesting at times.

“Dream in the Red Chamber”, Cao Xueqin (Red Chambers, 红罗梦）

A Chinese classic, something like “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” set during the Qing Dynasty in the 17th and 18th centuries. One of us only made it through a few dozen pages, because the number of heroes multiplied at an unprecedented speed. We read that in this work there are about two hundred main characters, and two or three times more minor characters.
Verdict: if you are interested in Chinese classics and are not intimidated by the number of characters, it’s worth at least giving it a try.

“The Dream in the Red Chamber” is a multifaceted story about the decline of two branches of the Jia family, against the background of which - in addition to three generations of the family - are countless of their relatives and household members.
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“Lost Horizon”, James Hilton (Lost Horizon)

The book was written in 1933, and in terms of the level of excitement around and romanticization of places and characters, it is comparable to Bram Stoker’s book “Dracula”. The idea of ​​​​a “lost paradise”, a certain enchanted place Shangri-La, gained such popularity that at first there was a long debate about which places the author described, and then the Chinese, for commercial purposes, simply took and renamed the city of Zhongdian to it.
Yulia specially read this book before visiting eastern Tibet, since, according to one version, the blue mountain described in the book as a landmark is a mountain from the reserve. There really was a very similar mountain, which gave a beautiful touch of romance to the places visited. The book itself is interesting, but completely fictitious, if anything.

“The Magpie Bridge”, Liu Hong.

It can be translated as “bridge of birds” or “bridge of forty”, but apparently does not exist in Russian translation. A cute novel intertwined with Chinese superstitions and rituals and the famous legend of the shepherd and the weaver.

“Midnight in Beijing”, Paul French (Midnight in Peking)

Detective. On the first pages there is a brutal murder, and then it is investigated, investigated, everyone is found, but... If you're expecting a thriller and sharp plot twists every ten pages, no, that's not what the book is about. The narration is leisurely, for those who like to savor the atmosphere. Personally, I didn’t really like it, but some people thought it was great. All the action takes place in Beijing's hutongs, some of which remain to this day.

“Favorite Monkey of the House of Tang”, Master Chen

A spy-detective-entertainment novel based on some real events and figures of ancient China. The events in the book take place in Chang'an (ancient Xi'an). It may seem too easy to some, however, if you don’t go into looking for inaccuracies, it’s a great way to while away a few evenings.

“Shanghai baby”, Wei hui (上海宝贝）

The sensational scandalous bestseller outside of China made a lukewarm impression on most readers: well, sex, well, drugs, well, a love triangle. Nothing special.

In addition to hoodlit, sometimes you come across entertaining or simply beautiful books on a particular topic. Here are a few of them:

“Jews in China”, Pan Guang (犹太人在中国)

A large, weighty book that briefly tells three stories: about the Jews of Kaiping, about the wealthy Sephardic community (former Spanish Jews) and the Jewish ghetto in Shanghai, and about the Russian community in Harbin. There is not much text, mostly photographs from family archives and copies of numerous documents. Nevertheless, it is informative and not boring.

“Chinese propaganda posters”
(Chinese propaganda posters, TASCHEN publishing house)

For those who like to look at illustrations and inscriptions. Unfortunately, there is very little text with explanations.

With his smooth, warm, red face that radiated light in all directions, Chairman Mao Zedong was a major figure depicted in Chinese propaganda posters produced between the birth of the People's Republic of China in 1949 and the early 1980s. The portrait of Chairman Mao depicts the stoic superhero, also known as the “Great Teacher”, “Great Leader”, “Great Helmsman”, “Supreme Commander”, in all kinds of situations: inspecting factories, smoking a cigarette with ordinary workers, standing on the banks of the Yangtze River in a robe , leading, standing at the bow of a ship, or floating above a sea of ​​red flags, always surrounded by strong, healthy, ageless men, masculine women and children in baggy, sexless, monotonous clothes. The purpose of each poster was to show the Chinese people what behavior was considered morally right and how great the future of Communist China would be if everyone followed the same path to utopia by uniting together. This book brings together a selection of colorful propaganda art and cultural artifacts from Max Gottschelk's extensive collection, many of which are incredibly rare.
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“Spirits and deities of the Chinese underworld”, Alexander Storozhuk, Tatyana Kornilieva.

This book is an encyclopedia afterlife in Chinese beliefs. It recreates the picture of traditional popular ideas about the structure of the world of the dead, echoes of which to this day are an integral part of Chinese culture. The main attention is paid to the forms that have found expression in modern Chinese temple culture. In addition to describing the deities of death and their henchmen, the monograph talks about the Chinese “ Book of the Dead“Yuli baochao, about rituals of remembrance of the dead, about the types of hells, about the structure of the subtle body of a person, about the Afterlife Departments and the Registers of Fate. The book is supplied big amount unique illustrations.

Intended for the widest range of readers.
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“Legends of Ten Chinese Traditional Festivals”, Zhan Tong.

A small book with beautiful illustrations and legends associated with the ten major Chinese holidays - in English and Chinese.

“In the Realm of the Gods”, Victoria Cass

A somewhat strange collection of Chinese legends, fairy tales and fables. More precisely, the collection is normal, but the legends themselves are radically different from those to which we are accustomed in the Western world. The story can end well, badly, or not at all. You never know what kind of moral there will be in the end, or whether there will be one at all.

Interesting for those trying to understand the Chinese mentality in a broader context than trading on the market and. The introductions to the chapters are also worthy of attention.

If you have read any of this and have something to add or, conversely, recommend something more interesting on the topic, share it in the comments.

The fundamental work of the American researcher John G. Gray is dedicated to China, one of the most ancient and mysterious countries in the world. During his several years in this country, J.G. Gray collected and systematized a wealth of material about nature Chinese civilization. System government controlled, life, religion, culture, family relationships, rituals, crafts, methods of urban and agricultural management - the author covered almost all aspects of the life and activities of the peoples of the Middle Kingdom.

Armies of Ancient China III century. BC. - III century AD

I. Popov

The book is dedicated to the history, organization, weapons, tactics and traditions of the Chinese armies of the 3rd century. BC e. - III century n. e. The publication includes color illustrations reflecting the features of weapons and clothing of warriors during the existence of the first centralized Chinese states - the Qin and Han empires.

Addressed to a wide range of readers.

Letters to Ancient China Herbert Rosendorfer

Our world through the eyes of a 10th century Chinese mandarin? Parties and whiskey, television and - oh the horror! – FACTORY porcelain and ALUMINUM teaspoons?! Is our world seen by a person from an ABSOLUTELY DIFFERENT WORLD? WHAT he looks like in letters sent to the distant past! Perhaps it’s better not to think!.. Industrial espionage Jacques Bergier The entire history of industrial espionage, from Ancient China to the present day, will pass before the reader’s eyes. The book talks about the methods that monopolies resort to to find out the secrets of their competitors.

In the garden of the times Nina Moleva

This book is unusual in every way. It combines a scientifically-reasoned catalogue, biographies of artists and living history considered one of the best private collections of art from the 15th–17th centuries in Europe, supplemented by sections Ancient Egypt, Ancient China, Greece and Rome. The fabric of the narrative includes literary portraits of art historians, restorers, artists, architects, and writers who interacted with the collection over its 150-year history. Founded in the 1860s by the artist of the Office of the Imperial Theaters, entrepreneur I.E. Grinev, the collection and…

History of faith and religious ideas. Volume 2. From... Mircea Eliade

This work is a classic example of research in the field of the history of religion. Religious ideas are presented here not only in chronological order, but also united by a common understanding of the diversity of religious life of all cultures and continents. Eliade masterfully masters the methods of comparative anthropology and demonstrates general trends in the development of religious ideas. The book is dedicated to the most dramatic and important period in the world history of religions. Its title, naturally, does not cover the ecumenical breadth of the material that...

LOULAN and other short stories by Yasushi Inoue

Contents: LOULAN - short story FLOOD - short story STRANGER - short story ABOUT THE HARNESS CAUSED BY WOLVES - short story IN THE COUNTRY OF RAKSHASI - short story THE HISTORY OF THE KINGDOM OF SIMHALA - short story EUNUCH ZHONGHAN YUE - short story THE SMILE OF BAO-SY - short story For the first time the reader holds in his hands a translated version of Japanese language a book of historical stories and stories that never mention Japan. Moreover, among the heroes of these works there is not a single Japanese. And yet it is very japanese book. Its author is a novelist, playwright, essayist, poet, classic of Japanese literature of the 20th century...

The Silent History of Russia Nikolay Levashov

Russia is a unique country, unique in all respects. Just take the name of the country and... a whole layer of information will emerge that the majority of Russian residents do not have the slightest idea about. The name of the country - Russia, arose from another word - Rasseya, which, in turn, was formed from the name Rassenia. Russian history has more than seven and a half thousand years of the new era, which came after the victory in a difficult war with Ancient China. And the symbol of this victory was the Russian warrior piercing a serpent with a spear, currently known as George...

History of the Huart Barry Stone

History of the Barry Hewart Stone

Dedicated to the sacred and mysterious order of Sinologists Barry Hewart's magnificent first novel, Bridge of Birds, has made him one of the most notable flowers on the literary field of recent times. The adventures of the Venerable Master Li, an aged sage "with a slight flaw in character" and the Tenth Ox, a simple country boy with impressive muscles and a more subtle intellect than he gives himself credit for, have won acclaim among fantasy fans and, importantly, critics, winning the prize for "Best Mythopoetic Novel 1986". In Barry's new novel...

Zen Flesh and Bone Paul Reps

The book is a collection of ancient texts of Zen Buddhism, telling about the life of laymen and monks of ancient China and Japan, as the embodiment of high aspirations for moral ideal. Being a valuable monument of the culture and history of these countries, it reveals the origins of their spiritual heritage, facilitates understanding of the character of their peoples, contributing to the further rapprochement of East and West.

The secret meaning and solution to the Lao Tzu codes Alexey Maslov

The mysterious sage and great initiate Lao Tzu - who was he? A wise philosopher? A wandering hermit? A reverent service husband? Was there even one? The book tells about the great mystery of Lao Tzu - one of the dedicated sages of ancient China, who was one of the first to bring mystical teachings to people. But he “hid” this teaching about the mystical comprehension of the One and the path-Tao in a special way among discussions about the science of government and the well-being of people. And you need to know the special language of the Chinese ancient tradition in order to reconstruct those codes...

The Dragon. Back to the Future Igor Alimov

Dragon 2. Back to the Future Igor Alimov

Ancient China, 210 BC. This date will go down in history as the year of the death of Qing Shih Huang, the first person who managed to unite the six Chinese kingdoms into united empire. But for now, the first emperor of China is alive, and with the help of a magic mirror he is trying to combine the power of five mysterious objects - a dragon, a qilin, a snake turtle, a phoenix and a tiger, in order to gain truly divine capabilities. And this dream, through the efforts of the faithful adviser Gao, is closer than ever to fulfillment. It is at this moment that unknown forces are transferred to ancient empire…

Judgments and Conversations of Confucius

They left us Wisdom, passed on Knowledge to us. They hid nothing from us. The judgments and conversations of Confucius (Lunyu) are the cornerstone of the philosophy of Ancient China. The legendary monument consists of 20 chapters, where the main provisions of the spiritual and ethical teaching created by Confucius are presented in the form of conversations or individual statements.

The Dragon. Sometimes they come back Igor Alimov

The Dragon. Book 3. Sometimes they come back Igor Alimov

Kostya Chizhikov and his company finally escaped from Ancient China, leaving Emperor Qin Shi-huang with his nose, but without a powerful Mirror. Now they are where they wanted so much - in the modern capital of the modern Celestial Empire. But there are no fewer mysteries in today's China. Kostya Chizhikov, who came to Beijing for the first time, is pursued by acquaintances who came from nowhere; the great sinologist Fyodor Sumkin tries himself in the role of James Bond's colleague; Nika, a girl from the future, completely disappeared somewhere, but Deng Xiaoping appeared. For now, however, only...

In the process of studying the course “Culture of China”, the student should gain an understanding of basic concepts, the main directions of cultural development in various periods of Chinese history. Recommended reading for this purpose: Civilization. All about China. – M., 2001 .

The book examines issues arising at this stage of historical and cultural development of society. These are problems of cultural homogeneity of society, intercultural conflicts, basic patterns of cultural functioning of human communities, issues of cultural development of various regions of China. The monograph gives a holistic view of the theory and history of cultural policy in China, meets the state educational standard for cultural studies and is intended for lectures and seminars.

A new, unconventional look at the problems and processes occurring in culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. presented in the work of a famous cultural scientist: Vasiliev L.S. Cults, religions, traditions in China. – M., 2001. The materials are based on a generalization of the theory and practice of the formation of cults, religion and traditions in China.

Kravtsova M.E. History of Chinese culture. – St. Petersburg, 1999. This study covers most of the problems associated with the cultural processes that took place in Manchuria and other areas of the country. It examines the achievements of Chinese civilization in various branches of culture and the contribution of the Chinese people to the treasury of world culture.

Meets the state educational standard in cultural studies and is intended for lectures and seminars, a collection of articles by scientists - employees of the Smolensk State pedagogical institute: Life and customs of old China. – Smolensk, 2003. The topics of the articles are extremely diverse: the Chinese and their civilization; education; Chinese family: parents and children; how the Chinese live; funeral rites and ancestor worship; scientific knowledge Chinese. The study of these materials allows students to study more deeply the cultural issues of China at various stages of the existence of this multinational state.

People's Republic of China: ideology, science, culture, education. – M., 2001. This information publication broadly examines the issues of cultural development of the PRC in modern stage: achievements and prospects for further development in the third millennium.

Two manuals intended for university students will help you master the categorical-conceptual apparatus of the course and understand its specific terminology: Tkachenko G.A. Chinese culture: Dictionary-reference book. – M., 1999; Gorbachev B.N. Russian-Chinese phrasebook. – M, 1994.

When studying the course “Chinese Culture”, in addition to the recommended minimum of literature, Special attention it is necessary to devote attention to studying the sources. In preparation for seminar classes, tests, exams cannot be done without studying primary sources.

The list of additional literature includes best works outstanding cultural historians, culturologists, art historians, philosophers, scientists and cultural researchers. To clarify many terminological and categorical concepts of cultural history, various reference literature, recommended as additional literature, plays an important role.

Essays “about moths and flowers” ​​are exactly what romance novels are called in Chinese literature.

The Chinese willingly read books about love. After all, they not only describe the relationship between a man and a woman, but also reveal their intimate part. Without it, it is considered impossible to achieve success, be happy, have healthy children and a prosperous family.

Which books should you start with to get acquainted with the Chinese romance genre? We have prepared a list of the five most famous classics.

1. "Dream in the Red Chamber"

Year the book was written: 1763

Translation into Russian: yes

“The Dream in the Red Chamber” is one of a small number of works of Chinese literature, known far beyond the borders of its homeland. It is one of the four classic novels written in Chinese.

The work tells about the life of the wealthy Jia family, its fall from grace, the extinction of the family and the confiscation of property.

Main character"Dream in the Red Chamber" - Baoyu, who is born with a piece of jadeite (a mineral similar to jade) in his mouth. His cousin, Xue Baochai, is predicted to be his wife. She is beautiful and this delights the main character. But spiritually and emotionally, Baoyu is connected with his other cousin, Lin Daiyu. It is this love triangle that receives the main attention in the novel.

“A Dream in the Red Chamber” is the first work in Chinese literature in which the author carefully reveals the experiences of the characters and their inner world.

In China, the novel was banned many times for its indecency.

1. "Plum flowers in a golden vase"

Year the book was written: 1610

Translation into Russian: yes

The main character of the novel, Ximen Qing, is clearly not distinguished by virtue and decency. His favorite pastime is drinking wine in the company of beautiful ladies, of whom there are many in his circle: 6 wives and countless concubines.

However, despite the debauchery reigning around, one wife of Qing adheres to virtue, and her son becomes a Buddhist monk.

The book was banned for quite a long time because of the bold love scenes created by the author. It was only in the 1980s that the people of China were able to freely become acquainted with its contents.

1. "Apricot blossom"

Year the book was written: exact date unknown

Translation into Russian: yes

Yueshen is an attractive young man who lives for today and does not think about the meaning of life as long as everything is going well.

The main character is noble and does not leave in difficult situation women who were once close to him. He treats both those in power and those who are forced to serve the rich with equal simplicity and respect. He believes in friendship. But to a certain extent, until this friendship begins to contradict the principles of Yueshen.

One day, a young man gains superhuman powers thanks to a secret potion to enhance male strength. Now he can love women endlessly. He does not miss a single girl he likes: whether she is the daughter of a noble aristocratic family or a simple servant from a roadside tavern. Yueshen becomes a kind of Don Juan.

The novel "Apricot Blossom" is a classic Chinese romance novel that tells the story of a person's intimate life. Even though it is in the shadows, it occupies a significant part of existence.

It will be interesting for a modern person to get acquainted with the customs of imperial China, which are practically no different from modern Western ones.

1. "A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary of Lovers"

Year the book was written: 2007

Translation into Russian: yes

She is a young Chinese woman, the daughter of former peasants who got rich making shoes. Her parents dream that she will continue their family business and take it to a new level. And without knowledge in English this will be difficult to achieve. Therefore, they send their beloved daughter to England to study the world language.

He is a middle-aged English sculptor.

Their meeting takes place in a cinema, and since then they have not parted. The girl moves in with her lover and completely dissolves in him. He becomes for her the center of the universe. Over time, this situation depresses him. He gets tired of relationships: his beloved takes too much physical and emotional strength from him. But he can’t push her away either.

The novel “A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary” is primarily about loneliness and longing for simple human relationships. Even if your loved one is nearby, this does not mean that he completely understands you and is ready to invest his soul in you.

1. “Two Nuns and a Fornicator” (story from the collection “Twice Dead”)

Year the book was written: approximately 17th century

Translation into Russian: yes

The main character of the work is He Daqing. He is good-looking, but dissolute and frivolous, loves to spend time in the company of women and drink wine.

Quite quickly, he spent almost half of his fortune. But that doesn't bother him too much. Seeing such extravagance, Daqing's wife tries to reason with him. But he doesn't pay the slightest attention to her attempts.

Once upon a time in hometown He Daqing is celebrating. The main character decides to take advantage of the situation: he chooses one of his best outfits and goes to meet women. But during the celebration, he does not meet a single girl who would make his heart flutter.

He Daqing wanders through the forest and suddenly comes to an old monastery. He decides to rest here for a while and then move on. But his plans quickly change when a charming young nun meets him at the monastery.

“Two Nuns and a Fornicator” is a work about the fact that a person with similar qualities is not always hidden under the mask of virtue and naivety.

Review by Asya Zaltsman