The Classic Chinese Novel: A Critical Introduction (Cornell East Asia, Vol. 84) (Cornell East Asia Series Volume 84) [Paperback]

Chih-Tsing Hsia (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1996 | Series: Cornell East Asia Series Volume 84

In-Depth studies of six landmarks of Chinese fiction: The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, The Water Margin, Journey to the west, chin P'ing Mei, The Scholars, and Dream of the Red Chamber: Provides pertinent historical and bibliographical information for the proper appreciation of each novel, with a critical focus examining structure and style. Many Western classics are cited for relevant comparison, and generous excerpts permit the reader to sample the flavor of the original novel. The best sing-volume critical introduction to the subject for the serious student as well as the cultivated reader.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

C. T. Hsia, Professor Emeritus of Chinese at Columbia University, is author of another seminal work of enduring importance, A History of Modern Chinese Fiction (1961; 2nd edition, 1971). A bilingual author of wide influence among Chinese readers, he has also published several volumes of criticism and essays in Chinese, and co-edited Modern Chinese Stories and Novellas: 1919-1949. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 424 pages
• Publisher: Cornell Univ East Asia Program (September 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885445849
• ISBN-13: 978-1885445841
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,367,515 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great one-volume introduction to the classic Chinese novels!, February 20, 2001

By 

bryan12603 (Poughkeepsie, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Classic Chinese Novel: A Critical Introduction (Cornell East Asia, Vol. 84) (Cornell East Asia Series Volume 84) (Paperback)

This book (a reprint, it was originally published in 1968) is a critical introduction to the "classic" Chinese novels. Specifically, it has chapters on _The Romance of the Three Kingdoms_, _The Water Margin_, _Journey to the West_, _Chin P'ing Mei_, _The Scholars_, and _Dream of the Red Chamber_. There is also an appendix on "Society and Self in the Chinese Story" and bibliographies of translations and other works about each novel.

I found this to be a very clear, informative, and insightful introduction to these great works of Chinese literature. Hsia provides the context necessary to understand the origin of each novel, as well as a discussion of some of the most important interpretive issues raised by each book. I found that I could appreciate these novels much better with some help from Hsia. Part of the reason for this, I think is that Hsia's style of writing is pleasantly "pre-postmodern" (that is, clear and unpretentious).

There are good English translations of all the novels Hsia discusses except for _The Water Margin_. Several of them are quite long, so you would not be a total wimp for reading a condensed version. Moss Roberts has both a complete and a selected translation of _Three Kingdoms_ (a heroic war story). Arthur Waley's _Monkey_ is the most widely read selected translation of _Journey to the West_ (a funny and fantastic story of a religious pilgrimage). David Roy's _The Plum in the Golden Vase_ is a partial translation of the erotic novel, _Chin P'ing Mei_. _The Story of the Stone_ is the alternative title of _Dream of the Red Chamber_ a sort of romance/Buddhist parable, that has been translated in five (gulp!) volumes by David Hawkes. _The Story of the Stone_ is supposed to be the greatest Chinese novel, and it certainly has some very great parts, but overall I found it too slow moving. My own favorite of the classic Chinese novels is _The Scholars_, a satire of hypocrisy and immorality among Confucian literati, available in a handsome translation by Hsien-I Yang and Gladys Yang.

So buy this book, along with a good translation of one of the novels that Hsia discusses, and sit down for a great read!