Family (Paperback)

by Pa Chin (Author), Olga Lang (Introduction)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Pa Chin's Family--one of the most celebrated novels of the May 4th Movement--continues to be indispensable reading. Its clash of the traditional and the modern, of age and youth, of Confucianism and individualism remains relevant to any understanding of how China struggled, and continues to struggle, to escape the constraints of stifling orthodoxy." -- William N. Rogers II, Center for Asian Studies

Product Description
An essential work for anyone interested in the society and history of modern China! The first half of the twentieth century was a period of great turmoil in China. Family, one of the most popular Chinese novels of that time, vividly reflects that turmoil and serves as a basis for understanding what followed. Written in 1931, Family has been compared to Dream of the Red Chamber for its superb portrayal of the family life and society of its time. Drawn largely from Pa Chin's own experience, Family is the story of the Kao family compound, consisting of four generations plus servants. It is essentially a picture of the conflict between old China and the new tide rising to destroy it, as manifested in the daily lives of the Kao family, and particularly the three young Kao brothers. Here we see situations that, unique as they are to the time and place of this novel, recall many circumstances of today's world: the conflict between generations and classes, ill-fated love affairs, students' political activities, and the struggle for the liberation of women. The complex passions aroused in Family and in the reader are an indication of the universality of human experience. This novel illustrates the effectiveness of fiction as a vehicle for translating the experience of one culture to another very different one.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 329 pages
• Publisher: Waveland Press (January 1, 1972)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881333735
• ISBN-13: 978-0881333732
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #204,261 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A family and a country in turmoil, May 23, 2002

By	JLind555 - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Family (Paperback)

Pa Chin's "Family" is an excellent, absorbing account of one family in early 20th century China; through the conflicts between the generations, we see the larger conflicts about to engulf the entire country. The family is the Kao clan, five generations living in one complex headed by the Venerable Master Kao, the ultimate autocrat, monarch of all he surveys within his walls, unwilling and unable to admit that his country and his family are changing before his eyes. The story centers around three brothers in the younger generation; Chueh-Hsin, married against his will to a woman chosen for him by his family, stuck in a job he hates, also chosen by his family, trying to navigate through life with his "compliant bow" philosophy which dictates that he must not oppose his elders under any circumstances; Chueh-Min, the second brother, determined to marry the girl he loves despite his family's opposition, and the youngest brother, Chueh-Hui, who sees his family as a ball and chain, loathes everything they represent, and is chafing to break free and live his own life. Pa Chin clearly identifies with Chueh-Hui; he rails against the stifling conformity of Chinese family life, which determines that everyone subordinate their will to the family elders; but in this reviewer's opinion, he doesn't give enough credit to the strengths in the same family life that held Chinese society together for thousands of years. However, this is a minor caveat. "Family" is a totally absorbing account of a family in crisis; on the one hand we sympathize with the bind Chueh-Hsin is caught up in as the oldest son, able to please neither his elders who demand his total compliance with the family traditions nor his younger brothers who need his assistance in their efforts to break free of the confines of those traditions, and on the other hand we empathize with the youngsters' efforts to live their own lives and realize their own destinies. "Family is the classic struggle of the individual vs. the collective good, and the outcome, as seen in the unfolding story of China, is still in doubt.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Moving and Beautifully Written Book, October 7, 2003

By A Customer

I read this book for a college class on East Asian History. I don't often enjoy required books, but this was an exception. "Family" filled me with many emotions; while reading it I cried (or would have if I hadn't been in a public library), I was overjoyed, hopeful, despondent. Pa Chin is especially good at showing how his characters influence and are influenced by society. He makes you really care about his characters and believe what they believe. "Family" is a good choice if you like novels that focus on society; for example, "Middlemarch","Vanity Fair", "The Jungle", "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn". It is indeed a classic.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Generation's Great Books, September 4, 2000

By	Morgan Vandagriff (Philadelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews

Pa Chin's Family is a remarkable portrayal of the inter-generational struggles in pre-Communist China. It is one of the best books that I have ever read. All young people will be able to identify, at least in part, with one of the Kao brothers.

A knowledge of the brutal treatment the author received during the Cultural Revolution only serves to deepen the poignance of his work.