Sky One Language

Author: Cheng Baoyi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-02-01
Features: A recipient of three prestigious awards—the French Femina Literature Award, the Honorary Knight Cross, and the Literary Grand Prize from the French Academy of Letters—Cheng Baoyi, a French Academy Fellow and a Chinese-American writer, presents his classic work. There are two kinds of people in the world: one who has read A Single Word and been deeply moved by it; the other is one who has not yet read A Single Word but is about to read it. A Single Word achieves universal resonance yet reads like a detective novel. The novel, published in France in September 1998, has secured translation rights in nine countries. The story follows the protagonist Tianyi’s struggles in his youth between the spiritual and the love, the love and desire, and his arduous pursuit of happiness. It also depicts the loneliness and hardships of his drifting life in Paris, as well as the trials and pains he endures upon returning to his homeland. The narrative weaves through three main experiences: Tianyi’s youth, his life in Paris, and his return to his homeland. At its core lies the intertwined friendship and love between Tianyi, Haolang, and Yumei, a bond of life and death, forming a tragic legend of a cultural wanderer. The entire work is divided into three parts—"The Epic of Departure," "The Journey of Transformation," and "The Myth of Return"—corresponding to the three experiences, written with grandeur. It embodies the essence of outstanding French culture through the heart of traditional Chinese literary spirit, profound meaning, and delicate charm, as if immersing readers in the vast Yangtze River and experiencing a spiritual and physical purification. The translator’s deep expertise in translation conveys the meaning and emotion with refined Chinese, truly a harmonious blend of author and translator.