A Thousand Moons on a Thousand Rivers [Paperback]

Hsiao Li-Hung (Author), Michelle Wu (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2001 | Series: Modern Chinese Literature from Taiwan

Winner of the 1980 United Daily Literature Competition, this novel about love, betrayal, family life, and the power of tradition in small-town Taiwan was an instant bestseller when first published in Taiwan.

At once a bittersweet romance and a vividly detailed portrait of life in a southern Taiwanese coastal town in the 1970s, A Thousand Moons on a Thousand Rivers captures the intimacy of agricultural life in the midst of an increasingly industrialized society. At the heart of the story is Zhenguan, a sensitive young woman whose coming of age is influenced by new experiences in the city, the wisdom of her elders, and her strong, unique identity. In Zhenguan's journey of first love, suffering, disillusionment, and -- ultimately -- zenlike triumph, Hsiao Li-hung celebrates the values and traditions that have sustained and nurtured life in Taiwan through the centuries.

Hsiao traces the relationship of Zhenguan and her childhood friend Daxin against the background of daily existence and festival celebrations in their extended family. Daxin, in many ways Zhenguan's male counterpart, is fascinated by ancestral worship during Lunar New Year, riddle-solving during the Lantern Festival, and the noontime water and sticky rice dumplings of the Dragonboat Festival. These rituals, part of a rich cultural heritage, add charm to their romance while shedding light on the reasons for their eventual separation.

Hsiao uses simple lessons taught in the garden and prayers uttered in a mountaintop temple to enrich and temper the story with the spirit of Buddhist teachings. The novel masterfully interweaves Buddhist maxims, poetry, folk songs, and puns with the dialogue, capturing the integral nature of tradition in the characters' lives as they search for meaning and solace in life's unpredictable fortunes.

With understated elegance, Hsiao Li-hung's lyrical work affirms a way of life both fleeting and enduring. For readers interested in Chinese literature and culture, and anyone who enjoys a rich family saga, this is a unique and beautifully told story.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Without indulging in either anti-foreign or anti-mainlander sentiments, A Thousand Moons on a Thousand Rivers assures the reader that Taiwanese folk culture and local Chinese traditions... can provide all of the wisdom necessary for dealing with emotional crises like the death of a loved one and a sundered love relationship.

(World Literature Today )

With its elegant and exquisitely detailed descriptions and noble, humane sentiments, A Thousand Moons on a Thousand Rivers undoubtedly has become one of the best-loved novels in the Chinese language.

(Shu-ning Sciban China Review International )

About the Author

Hsiao Li-hung is one of the most popular women writers from Taiwan. The author of four full-length novels, she has been widely acclaimed for her refined style, feminine sensibilities, and unique fictional interpretation of esoteric Buddhist ideals.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press (September 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0231117930
• ISBN-13: 978-0231117937
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #218,376 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > Asian

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Is What I Call Love, February 16, 2004

By 

Rebecca Hoo (Taiwan, Taipei) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Thousand Moons on a Thousand Rivers (Hardcover)

This book is in no doubt remarkably enjoying and fascinating to read. When I first encountered the title, I was a little set-back due to the idea that it has been translated from Chinese Literature, but oh how I wish I had started tasting the pleasures of the book earlier.
A Thousand Moons on a Thousand Rivers kick starts with a slow paced scene in the first few chapters but it doesn't take very long at all to realize how the pages get sticky and how mind-grasping the book really is. As soon as the author, Hsiao Li-Hung is done introducing the main characters, the pace of the storyline starts rolling in ways none can imagine. The language implemented to express emotions in every sentence is unique and every word is spiced.
Li-Hung does a great job coloring the book with the life of Zhenguan from when she is in the swollen belly of her mother till she is fully grown and experienced in cultivating the meaning of love with her partner, Daxin. The platonic love they share is so unbelievable in today's societies but yet, their relationship is tremendously moving and heart-taking as they exchange feelings for one another simply through rhythmic language. Daxin comes to thought as a man who is ideal to many women. He is very cultured, talented and ambitious, skilled to the fact he could be labeled as "perfect". Zhenguan on the other hand is presented as an average person who is motivated by her love for Daxin. Throughout the book, Li- Hung constantly keeps the reader at the edge of their seat, eager to know what will happen next to their long lasting, long-distance relationship.
If you enjoy reading romance stories that sway your heart with poetry and metaphoric language, I am positive that you will take pleasure in reading A Thousand Moons on a Thousand Rivers. I have fallen in love with this book over and over again. Most people think all romance novels have the same storyline but anyone who has read this book would tell you how different this experience will be. I highly recommend this book to anyone who finds pleasure in reading novels that squeezes their heart eager to keep reading.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a wonderful book, May 4, 2005

By 

David Reid (Earth) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Thousand Moons on a Thousand Rivers (Paperback)

This book succeeds on many levels. It is at its most basic level a love story. The book also offers many fascinating insights into the life a traditional Taiwanese family in the 1970s. Finally it is about the spirit of Zen.

The translation is exceptionally good as many of the idioms and stories would not translate directly into English.

"A Thousand Moons on a Thousand Rivers" is worth reading both as a great piece of literature and for its many insights into Taiwanese culture.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The warmth of the old society, November 22, 2004

By 

S. Park (Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Thousand Moons on a Thousand Rivers (Paperback)

The platonic relationship between Zhenguan (female) and Daxin (male) occupies the center spot of the story. But it is really the thoughtfulness of Zhenguan's extended family members that touches one the most. Hidden behind seasonal festivities, articulation of rich food culture, and classic Chinese poetry etc, lay anecdotes of the traditional way of caring for others so warm that almost feels as if it glows. It is little wonder then, that this novel had struck a chord of nostalgia amongst the Taiwanese for the old ways of life.

Grandpa (of Zhenguan) sees a neighbor -- a poor salt merchant -- stealing snake melons from his garden but let's him go. Grandpa considers the action of this neighbor justified as the neighbor has a hard time feeding his ten-member household. Grandma (of Zhenguan) cuts out a lung of a toad to cure her grandson's disease but remembers to stitch back and release the toad. Toads can regenerate their lungs. The wife of Zhenguan's first uncle never changes her hairstyle, knowing that one day her mother-in-law (Zhenguan's grandmother) might need some straight hair to use as extension when arranging her hair in the traditional way. She only has her hair cut after her mother-in-law passes away.

With its frequent references to Buddhist sutras and classical Chinese poetry, one can only imagine how lyrical the novel could have been in its original language. The warmth of the characters nevertheless transpires.