A Novel By Feng Jicai (Translated by Olivia Milburn)
1900, China. The Qing Dynasty is still in power, but not for long, and China is subject to foreign domination, both from Western Countries, Christian Missions and the Japanese. It’s not an easy time for Chinese people, especially those who are simple farmers and fishermen. But it’s not any easier for the wealthier part of society either.
The story is set in Tianjin, a small town south of Beijing, where commerce was good and the population lived well and in peace, the nearby Foreign Concession letting citizens carry on with their lives.
During these really unsettling times, the Ouyang family is gong through a revolution of its own: Old Master Ouyang, owner of two large and prosperous paper shops in Tianjin, has retired following an accident that has left him walking with a cane. While he remains the owner of the two shops on paper, each will be looked after by one of his two sons, who will manage the day-to-day. Ouyang Zun, the older brother, is responsible for the overall business, while Ouyang Jue does his best to be useful and take practical decisions for his shop, such as how much paper to buy or making sure the books are balanced correctly. He is not a bad person, or a lazy one, but he has always focused on his calligraphy and poetry studies, rather than business and commerce, and this, despite all his efforts, doesn’t play in his favour.
Both brothers are married, but none of them had children, and while Ouyang Zun’s marriage is not very happy, Ouyang Jue has a wonderful wife he can converse with about poetry and books and art. One day, however, Ouyang Jue meets Xénia, the daughter of a French commander at the local Foreign Concession. He is asked to escort the young, exotic lady around the city and show her interesting spots and marvels of the local territory. Since they don’t speak each other’s language, they are accompanied by Mr Ma, a common acquaintance who doubles as translator. Soon, they will no longer need Mr Ma to accompany them in their explorations, and the language barrier won’t be a problem anymore.
After a flourishing and exciting beginning, their clandestine love-story will soon raise suspects, and will be made even more complicated by the political climate around them. The Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists, also known as Boxers, since many of its members had practiced martial arts (at the time known as ‘Chinese boxing’), are gathering to fight against the foreign powers occupying their country, and Ouyang Jue and Xénia will get caught in the middle of a battle bigger than the two of them and their love.
In this modern take on Romeo and Juliet, we come across many layers: the Colonial era – and the subsequent battles for independence – forbidden romance, the dissolution of a family and its fortunes, patriotic spirit, the loss of love and mental sanity. It’s a compact book, but packed full of events and plot twists. I deeply appreciated how history-rich it is, events told with simplicity yet extreme accuracy, and the narrative is superb, also credit to what I think it’s an outstanding translation.
This book was an amazing discovery, and I thoroughly recommend it, especially if historical fiction and Oriental literature are your thing. I also suggest you purchase the hard copy if you can, as the physical book itself is a joy for the eyes.
About the Author: Feng Jicai is a contemporary author, artist and cultural scholar who rose to prominence as a pioneer of Chinas Scar Literature movement that emerged after the Cultural Revolution.
About the Translator: Olivia Milburn is professor of Chinese language and literature at Seoul National University. She has authored several books on Chinese history and co-translated two spy novels by Mai Jia.
To buy a hard copy of the book, please visit Sinoist Books.
