Shangdu

Author: Wan Fangtai
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The novel draws its inspiration from the wild history of the Republic of China, unfolding a series of astonishing events in a mysterious and mystical land along the Xiang River—Xiangdu. Great thinker Wang Fuzhi rejects the grand invitation of the peasant uprising leader Zhang Xianzhong to commit wrist self-injury. The warlord Zeng family exploits the locals, causing suffering and chaos, while rebels rise up in defiance. An overseas-educated intellectual, the "foreign scholar," attempts suicide by eating a river but fails, returns to the country, and advertises for a wife in a newspaper, painting vivid scenes of customs in ink. The novel vividly portrays the vibrant social atmosphere of modern China, filled with rich historical flavor and great readability.