Ailing Zhang Books

Shanghai, 1930s. Shen Shijun, a young engineer, has fallen in love with his colleague, the beautiful Gu Manzhen. He is determined to resist his family’s efforts to match him with his wealthy cousin so that he can marry her. But dark circumstances—a lustful brother-in-law, a treacherous sister, a family secret—force the two young lovers apart. As Manzhen and Shijun go on their separate paths, they lose track of one another, and their lives become filled with feints and schemes, missed connections and tragic misunderstandings. At every turn, societal expectations seem to thwart their prospects for happiness. Still, Manzhen and Shijun dare to hold out hope—however slim—that they might one day meet again. A glamorous, wrenching tale set against the glittering backdrop of an extraordinary city, Half a Lifelong Romance is a beloved classic from one of the essential writers of twentieth-century China.

The book presents a captivating narrative rooted in Chinese culture, exploring themes of identity, tradition, and the complexities of modern life. Through rich character development and vivid storytelling, it delves into the struggles and triumphs of individuals navigating their heritage while confronting contemporary challenges. The author's unique perspective offers readers a profound insight into the intersection of past and present, making it a compelling read for those interested in cultural exploration and personal growth.

The book is part of the New York Review Books Original series, known for its curated selection of literary works. It features a unique narrative that explores themes of identity, culture, and the human experience. The writing style is engaging and thought-provoking, offering readers a fresh perspective on familiar subjects. With its rich character development and intricate plot, it invites readers to delve into a world that is both relatable and profoundly impactful.

'Dead, she was his ghost' A gripping, intensely atmospheric story of love, espionage and betrayal in wartime Shanghai, Lust, Caution is accompanied here by four more shimmering tales of Chinese life.

A best-selling, autobiographical depiction of class privilege, bad romance, and political intrigue during World War II in China. Now available in English for the first time, Eileen Chang’s dark romance opens with Julie, living at a convent school in Hong Kong on the eve of the Japanese invasion. Her mother, Rachel, long divorced from Julie’s opium-addict father, saunters around the world with various lovers. Recollections of Julie’s horrifying but privileged childhood in Shanghai clash with a flamboyant, sometimes incestuous cast of relations that crowd her life. Eventually, back in Shanghai, she meets the magnetic Chih-yung, a traitor who collaborates with the Japanese puppet regime. Soon they’re in the throes of an impassioned love affair that swings back and forth between ardor and anxiety, secrecy and ruin. Like Julie’s relationship with her mother, her marriage to Chih-yung is marked by long stretches of separation interspersed with unexpected little reunions. Chang’s emotionally fraught, bitterly humorous novel holds a fractured mirror directly in front of her own heart.

Eileen Chang's collection features previously untranslated stories and essays that span her career, beginning in 1940s Shanghai and tracing her journey through Cold War migrations to Hong Kong and the U.S. It includes notable works like "Classmates Then All Successful Now," which explores her life through complex time frames, and "Flowers Adrift, Blossoms Afloat," where a young woman contemplates her connection to her homeland while crossing a bridge, symbolizing the passage of time and cultural transition.

《流言》是张爱玲的随笔散文集，可以说是大珠小珠满玉盘。张爱玲称爱默生“警句很多”。在这本书中我们倒可以看到张爱玲满篇的警句佳句。如“上海人是传统的中国人加上近代高压生活的磨炼”（到底是上海人）；“中国人喜欢法律，也喜欢犯法”（洋人看京戏及其他）；“多数的女人非得‘做下不对的事’方才快乐，婚姻仿佛不够不对的”（谈女人）等，不胜枚举。 《流言》的初版本配有多幅张爱玲自己创作的幽默生动的插图，张爱玲的绘画天才从中得到了清晰的显示。初版本同时刊有三幅各具神韵的张爱玲个人玉照，照片说明文字分别是她《再版序》中的两句名言：“有一天我们的文明，不论是升华还是浮华，都要成为过去。”“然而现在还是清如水明如镜的秋天，我应当是快乐的。”

一九四四年八月十五日，张爱玲的小说集《传奇》由上海杂志社出版，书中收入中短篇小说《金锁记》、《倾城之恋》、《茉莉香片》、《沉香屑：第一炉香》、《沉香屑：第二炉香》、《琉璃瓦》、《心经》、《年青的时候》、《花凋》和《封锁》。《传奇》的出版，是中国现代文学史上的一件大事，也奠定了张爱玲在中国现代文学进程中的历史地位。“五四”开创的新文学运动衍变到此，才出现了一种新的发展可能。 这本《倾城之恋》收入《传奇》增订本的全部，同时在附录部分收入《传奇》各版的作者自序和关于《倾城之恋》的两篇创作体会。

Reflections: Words And Pictures

Die fünf brillanten Erzählungen von Eileen Chang spiegeln die Umbruchzeit der 40er Jahre in China wider und thematisieren das Leben von Frauen, die zwischen rigider Familienmoral und dem Streben nach Selbstbestimmung navigieren. In der bekanntesten Geschichte muss eine Frau entscheiden, ob sie die Zwänge einer arrangierten Ehe oder die vermeintliche Freiheit des Konkubinats akzeptieren will. Qiqiao, eine mittellose, aber schöne Frau, steht im China der Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts vor der Wahl: das goldene Joch einer arrangierten Ehe oder das Leben als Konkubine. Sie heiratet in die wohlhabende Jiang-Familie, muss sich jedoch mit einem bettlägerigen Ehemann abfinden, den sie verachtet. In ihrer Einsamkeit verliebt sie sich in ihren attraktiven Schwager. Gefangen in der strengen Familienordnung und den Gehässigkeiten ihrer Verwandtschaft sucht sie Trost im Opium. Qiqiao zerbricht an den Widersprüchen ihrer Zeit, in der das Versprechen der Selbstbestimmung gegen die rigide Moral und das konfuzianische Familienideal steht. In dieser und vier weiteren Erzählungen erweckt Chang das sich wandelnde Shanghai der 40er Jahre zum Leben. Ihr psychologisches Gespür und sprachliches Geschick sind überwältigend und machen diese Erzählungen zu einem Höhepunkt der chinesischen Literatur.