Agarwood Incense: The First Incense

Author: Zhang Kuang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: With just a light brushstroke, she masterfully creates a sense of desolation—this is Eileen Chang, the genius who emerged from Shanghai's literary scene in 1943. Half a century later, Shanghai has become a different kind of prosperity, but the voice of cold indifference and the eyes that seemed to pierce the depths of the soul are no longer heard. Perhaps, as she once said: "Life is a beautiful robe, crawling with lice." Even the most exquisite garments will eventually be eroded. Thus, the perfectionist Eileen Chang had to let go of things that were once perfect.
This book, through a combination of visuals and text, intensifies and makes the original work's clarity, composure, coolness, and brilliance even more vivid. We attempt to convey the stories that once moved and shocked us through a single glimpse of light, a scene, or a set of words. Thus, Eileen Chang's novel, known as her "paper film," with its fluid dialogue, intricate plot, and narrative style close to that of theater and film, transforms into a true "paper film." Her portrayal of desolation and bleakness, the winding emotions, and the heart-stirring endings are reinterpreted through a new form—a "paper montage."
In terms of the storyline and language style, the book remains largely faithful to the original, as a way to pay homage to our great Eileen Chang.