The Sing-song Girls of Shanghai, also translated as Shanghai Flowers[1] or Biographies of Flowers by the Seashore,[2] is an 1892 novel by Han Bangqing.[2]
The novel, the first such novel to be serially published,[2] chronicles lives of prostitutes in Shanghai in the late 19th century.[1] Unlike most prostitution-oriented novels in Wu Chinese, specifically the Suzhou dialect, all dialog in this novel is in Wu.[3][4]
The acclaimed writer Eileen Chang translated the book into Mandarin, published in two parts under the titles "海上花開" and "海上花落" (lit. The Flowers of the Sea Bloom / Fade" or "The Flowers of Shanghai Bloom / Fade"). She also translated the book into English,[5] which was not discovered until after her death.[6] Eva Hung revised and edited the English translation before its publication.
Wilt L. Idema, who wrote a book review of The Chinese Novel at the Turn of the Century in T'oung Pao, wrote that the novel Shanghai Flowers included the use of Wu in dialogs, a "doomed to failure" protagonist, and a consciously crafted plot, therefore the book "already showed many of the characteristics of a typical Late Ch'ing novel".[2]
Hu Shih, Lu Xun, and other Chinese literary figures critically acclaimed Shanghai Flowers. However, the novel did not sell very well.[3] Lesley Downer of The New York Times wrote that few people read the novel in China as of 2005.[6]
Hu Shih's thesis is that because the novel had such a strong usage of Wu, readers had difficulty understanding it.[3] Donald B. Snow, author of Cantonese as Written Language: The Growth of a Written Chinese Vernacular, wrote that generally the sales of other novels outperformed Shanghai Flowers because their limited usage of the Wu made them easier to read.[3]David Der-wei Wang argued that the main usage of Wu in the novel was only by the prostitute characters and therefore the original novel would be fairly understood by other Chinese speakers. Wang concluded that the language would not be the reason for the novel's continued unpopularity since Chang had written her Mandarin translation. Instead, Wang argued that Han Bangqing's "matter-of-fact" way of describing things, which opposes opulent descriptions of events and food; and the general lack of sensationalism and "sentimental narcissism" contribute to "the fact that it does not read like the prostitute novel we generally know."[5][7]
Cheng, Stephen (Spring–Autumn 1982). "Sing-song Girls of Shanghai and Its Narrative Methods" (PDF). Renditions. Vol. 17–18. pp. 111–136 – via Chinese University of Hong Kong. - See profile page
External linksedit
Han, Pang-ch'ing (Spring–Autumn 1982). "The Sing-song Girls of Shanghai" (PDF). Renditions. Vol. 17–18. Translated by Eileen Chang. pp. 95–110 – via Chinese University of Hong Kong. - See profile page
sing, song, girls, shanghai, film, adapted, from, novel, flowers, shanghai, also, translated, shanghai, flowers, biographies, flowers, seashore, 1892, novel, bangqing, traditional, chinese海上花列傳simplified, chinese海上花列传transcriptionsstandard, mandarinhanyu, piny. For the film adapted from the novel see Flowers of Shanghai The Sing song Girls of Shanghai also translated as Shanghai Flowers 1 or Biographies of Flowers by the Seashore 2 is an 1892 novel by Han Bangqing 2 The Sing song Girls of ShanghaiTraditional Chinese海上花列傳Simplified Chinese海上花列传TranscriptionsStandard MandarinHanyu PinyinHǎishang Hua LiezhuanWade GilesHai shang Hua Lieh chuanWuRomanizationhe2 zaan3 ho1 lih4 zoe3 The novel the first such novel to be serially published 2 chronicles lives of prostitutes in Shanghai in the late 19th century 1 Unlike most prostitution oriented novels in Wu Chinese specifically the Suzhou dialect all dialog in this novel is in Wu 3 4 The acclaimed writer Eileen Chang translated the book into Mandarin published in two parts under the titles 海上花開 and 海上花落 lit The Flowers of the Sea Bloom Fade or The Flowers of Shanghai Bloom Fade She also translated the book into English 5 which was not discovered until after her death 6 Eva Hung revised and edited the English translation before its publication Wilt L Idema who wrote a book review of The Chinese Novel at the Turn of the Century in T oung Pao wrote that the novel Shanghai Flowers included the use of Wu in dialogs a doomed to failure protagonist and a consciously crafted plot therefore the book already showed many of the characteristics of a typical Late Ch ing novel 2 A film adaptation called Flowers of Shanghai was made in 1998 6 Contents 1 Reception 2 English translation 3 See also 4 References 5 Notes 6 Further reading 7 External linksReception editHu Shih Lu Xun and other Chinese literary figures critically acclaimed Shanghai Flowers However the novel did not sell very well 3 Lesley Downer of The New York Times wrote that few people read the novel in China as of 2005 6 Hu Shih s thesis is that because the novel had such a strong usage of Wu readers had difficulty understanding it 3 Donald B Snow author of Cantonese as Written Language The Growth of a Written Chinese Vernacular wrote that generally the sales of other novels outperformed Shanghai Flowers because their limited usage of the Wu made them easier to read 3 David Der wei Wang argued that the main usage of Wu in the novel was only by the prostitute characters and therefore the original novel would be fairly understood by other Chinese speakers Wang concluded that the language would not be the reason for the novel s continued unpopularity since Chang had written her Mandarin translation Instead Wang argued that Han Bangqing s matter of fact way of describing things which opposes opulent descriptions of events and food and the general lack of sensationalism and sentimental narcissism contribute to the fact that it does not read like the prostitute novel we generally know 5 7 English translation editHan Bangqing 2005 1892 The Sing song Girls of Shanghai Translated by Eileen Chang and Eva Hung Columbia University Press ISBN 9780231122689 See also edit nbsp China portal nbsp Novels portal Nine tailed TurtlesReferences editForbes Andrew Shanghai National Geographic Traveler Beijing amp Shanghai National Geographic Books 2007 ISBN 1426201486 9781426201486 Idema W L The Chinese Novel at the Turn of the Century book review T oung Pao ISSN 0082 5433 01 1982 Volume 68 Issue 4 5 pp 352 355 Snow Donald B Cantonese as Written Language The Growth of a Written Chinese Vernacular Hong Kong University Press 2004 ISBN 962209709X 9789622097094 Wang David Der wei Foreword In Han Bangqing 2005 The Sing song Girls of Shanghai Columbia University Press ISBN 9780231122689 Notes edit a b Forbes p 240 a b c d Idema p 355 a b c d Snow p 34 张爱玲诞辰百年 细读 海上花 从长三书寓到香港大宅 a b Wang David Der wei Google Books PT10 a b c Downer Lesley Pleasure Houses The New York Times November 20 2005 Retrieved on March 27 2015 张爱玲诞辰百年 细读 海上花 从长三书寓到香港大宅Further reading editCheng Stephen Spring Autumn 1982 Sing song Girls of Shanghai and Its Narrative Methods PDF Renditions Vol 17 18 pp 111 136 via Chinese University of Hong Kong See profile pageExternal links editHan Pang ch ing Spring Autumn 1982 The Sing song Girls of Shanghai PDF Renditions Vol 17 18 Translated by Eileen Chang pp 95 110 via Chinese University of Hong Kong See profile page in Chinese 海上花列傳 Wikisource in Chinese 海上花列傳 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Sing song Girls of Shanghai amp oldid 1220046145, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
