Strange Encounters in an Ancient Land

Author: Bei Yang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: The 1960s were a period of intense writing for Mr. Bei Yang. He wrote vigorously on both essays and novels. His essays span twenty massive volumes, collected in Bei Yang's Selected Works and Bei Yang's Sketches. The novel is this renowned masterpiece, Strange Encounters in an Ancient Land. Strange Encounters in an Ancient Land was originally titled Journey Through the Clouds, and it adopts the traditional Chinese chapter-based narrative form, gathering familiar historical figures or legendary characters into a single time and place, where they perform together. This "strange" concept, the way Bei Yang "plays" with ancient figures, aligns well with his fundamental personality. Bei Yang's "fantastic imagination" draws inspiration from the story centered around Xuanzang's journey to India, as depicted in Journey to the West. The novel begins after Xuanzang returns from his journey. Bei Yang did not intend to write absurd stories just for amusement but to critique societal abnormalities. The novel is filled with wit and humor throughout, making it a highly readable satirical work.