Customer Reviews

A History of Modern Chinese Fiction: Third Edition

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I'm of Chinese descent, though I'm now a bona fide Canadian. I have read many classical books about China which are translated into English. I have also read the modern classics, for instance:- The Naked Earth and The Rice Sprout Song by Eileen Chang. Incidentally, the late Ms. Eileen Chang was the grand daughter of the reknown Chinese official named Lee Hung Chang who was once a grand Viceroy of Manchu China (1644-1912). He was nearly assassinated by a Japanese extremist while Viceroy Lee was in Imperial Japan to sign a peace accord. I have had read Prof. C. T. Hsia's definitive analysis, entitled: THE CHINESE NOVEL - a learned review of six classic novels - namely:- Romance of the Three Kingdoms; 108 heroes of the Marshes; Journey to the West; Chin Ping Mei (Golden Lotus); The Scholars; and Dream of the Red Chamber (Hung Lou Meng).

Undoubtedly, Prof. C.T. Hsia present book: HISTORY OF MODERN CHINESE FICTION will be interesting to read, since I have just ordered a copy.
His comments are always based on what he has critically read and I am pretty sure that he has no intention, as alleged, to be biased, rude, insulting nor mocking the authors of modern China. Hsia is Chinese and therefore he don't mean to mock or disgrace those authors under his critical review. These, I am pretty sure. Once a Chinese always a Chinese at heart... Need I say more???

PS: In passing, I have also read works by Ba Jin like: The Family, Spring, and Autumn. My other reading includes Lu Hsun and Mao Tun who wrote the Silk Spring Worm. These are some of the authors reviewed by Prof. C. T. Hsia.

When I was in China, I read a review on this book, saying
C. T. Hsia was funded by C.I.A when writting this book.
"the book is bias and full of hatry to Communist China" the
reviewer said, "that is why this book is banned in China".

I was so curious that the first book I checked out from a U.S.A
library was this one. I am disappointed since Hsia is really
bias and sometimes paranoia.

He really did not understand the huge difficulty all Chinese
writers faced in the past 100 years. And sometimes I really
doubt whether he is a Chinese at all? When he sat there laughing
at Communist writers, did he realize those were of the same
origin of his parents and himself?

In this sense, this book is just common, not great, since it
is lack of love and forgiveness, the basic elements of all great
works.

Reviewer: fjord from Portland, OR United States
When I was in China, I read a review on this book, saying
C. T. Hsia was funded by C.I.A when writting this book.
"the book is bias and full of hatry to Communist China" the
reviewer said, "that is why this book is banned in China".
I was so curious that the first book I checked out from a U.S.A
library was this one. I am disappointed since Hsia is really
bias and sometimes paranoia.

He really did not understand the huge difficulty all Chinese
writers faced in the past 100 years. And sometimes I really
doubt whether he is a Chinese at all? When he sat there laughing
at Communist writers, did he realize those were of the same
origin of his parents and himself?

In this sense, this book is just common, not great, since it
is lack of love and forgiveness, the basic elements of all great
works.