I read I watch

Author: Wang Anyi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-08-01
Features: As one of the most renowned contemporary Chinese writers, Wang Anyi's experiences with reading and watching dramas are undeniably complex: from her early reading of Jean-Christophe during the Cultural Revolution to the Works of Pushkin circulated among intellectuals, from the Legacy of Taiwan's Cloud Gate Dance Troupe to watching the Huai Opera Emperor Xiang Yu. What surprises book lovers is that Wang Anyi not only preserves her decades of insights and reflections on reading and watching through her writings but also shares these precious personal notes in this book, I Read, I Watch, allowing all book enthusiasts to embark on a colorful reading journey alongside her! The book also includes the list of books and recommendations Wang Anyi wrote for the Good Books magazine of the Xi Shu Good Book Club, starting from 1997. Don't miss it, book lovers...
Author's Self-Introduction: While holding our own experiences and conclusions, we should observe others' lives with understanding and sincerity, witnessing the infinite landscapes of the human heart. At such times, we should read as we believe in ourselves—books will become one with us. In essence, we are also reading ourselves.
Excerpt: "Xi Shu" Recommends Books Since 1997, Wang Anyi has been commissioned by Xi Shu Bookstore to introduce mainland books to the Good Books magazine periodically. Below are the list of books and opinions she recommended over the years.
Book Title: Notes on the Void
Author: Shi Tiesheng
Publisher: Shanghai Literature and Art Press
Rarely has a book's starting point been so distant—it begins from nothingness, thus filled with vague suspense. Where is it heading? Where is its destination? This nothingness is the shore: all real existence is questionable and unstable, merely existing as long as it is perceived by "I." And what is "I"? Even "I" is uncertain. From this, it destroys all material aspects of the world. Therefore, it sets off from this uncertain ruins to seek a more solid and eternal shore: a world where "I" can touch, build, and reinforce, where spiritual life transcends material reality. In this book, the fictional spirit possesses sharpness and creativity, demonstrating the boundless power of thought. Similarly, reading this book requires unwavering intellectual effort; otherwise, one will miss a noble journey.
July 25, 1997
Book Title: A Room with a View
Author: E.M. Forster (British)
Publisher: Shanghai Translation Press
What matters is not ideas—ideas are those that are always ready to become outdated, always likely to fall behind. That is the failure and misstep of the conservative tradition of the British middle class. What matters? The perfection of the story, set in an Italian boarding house with a sensual hue, filled with the restlessness and unconventionality of travel. All of this is handled with remarkable gentleness and refinement. Human emotions are pure, nothing complex or distorted—though perhaps not profound. They are clear and straightforward, yet embody a healthy state of sentimentality, a fine state of humanity. The narrative is unhurried, composed, and unemotional, almost rustic. Everything is clear, except for the book's title, which holds no other symbolism or. Even if there is, it is not crucial, like a code, merely a rhetorical device. The narration is also in good condition.
November 17, 1997
Book Title: Diary of Venice
Author: A Cheng
Publisher: Writers Publishing House
A Cheng is very observant—not just with his eyes but also with his peripheral vision. As he watched Venice, he gradually saw beyond it, like seeing Yangzhou. It seems off-topic, but after a week of wandering eyes returned, he gained a deeper understanding of Venice. Observation requires experience and preparation; unrelated things often emerge at the right moment, helping you see better. Thus, under A Cheng's aimless gaze, we see the Italian city-state, carved and built by ancient craftsmen, brick by brick. This is also A Cheng's city. Therefore, A Cheng's observation is not just passive but also constructive.
April 1998
Book Title: The Life of Wang Shao Tang
Author: Li Zhen and Xu Deming
Publisher: Jiangsu Literature and Art Press
Storytelling pushes the art of narration to the forefront. It faces the audience directly—if anything is missed, the storyteller shows it. It is a face-to-face confrontation, where everything is decided immediately. Thus, it must use straightforward language, a suspenseful structure, and interesting details—these are the three essential elements of narration. Its lies not only in storytelling but also in other art forms. It restricts its expressive conditions to the minimum—only a fan and a wooden clapper as tools, everything "speaking." This is the ancient and nearly lost art of storytelling. The life of storyteller Wang Shao Tang provides material for tracing this tradition. There is one thing to note: certain scenes in the TV series Water Margin featuring Wu Song were adapted from Wang Shao Tang's Yangzhou storytelling of Wu Song.
August 17, 1998
Excerpt: My view of the novels by Shanghai writers in 1996-97 is like the opening of a sensational social news story. In those narrow streets or desolate open spaces, the cramped beauty salons whisper countless dark tales. To the conservative Shanghai citizens, salon girls are unpredictable. But who truly understands them? Dong Ping and Chunzi can be seen as the union of flesh and desire. In reality, isn’t every marriage the same? They are just more direct, making their worldly desires more exposed. Yet, because of this fundamental need, they rely on each other even more. They can also find extra joy! The scene where Chunzi gives Dong Ping a head massage while naked is somewhat erotic, but because they are such simple people with simple desires, that eroticism becomes pure. In their bond, both are loyal to their duties and obligations, even more so than "love," willing to sacrifice more. So, though the ending is not perfect, they both fulfill their roles and find their. This realistic, narrow, even short-sighted urban life radiates a simple virtue.
Xia Shang's Notes on the Instant and Ding Liying's Date can both be considered novels about growing up, a popular genre that satisfies the fantasies of adolescence. In those effusive, self-absorbed sentences, it’s hard to see the difficulties of growing up or the inevitable sacrifices. It has become a trend, offering blind consumption to young people. But in these two works, growing up returns to its weight. Xia Shang's novels are always overly simplistic—whether due to a lack of life experience or intentional. I find it a pity, because as a popular saying goes: "Not for the purpose, but for the process." Fiction, in particular, emphasizes the process—goals are named, while the process is flexible, tangible, and edgeless. This Notes on the Instant also feels too brief, but its thread is clear enough. In the past, Xia Shang often omitted the thread entirely. With the thread intact, the story emerges. It is a complete story, though its brevity makes it seem too short compared to its richness. Several teenagers play games of love, only to face disaster in an instant—one of them, Lan Paler, loses a leg. From then on, his career and relationships are hindered. His frivolous youth skips the process of growing up, facing serious life challenges directly. The ending is somewhat similar to Dong Ping and Chunzi in Bedside Moonlight—Lan Paler finds an "outsider" named "Qi Xiang," suggesting that outsiders really provide many storylines. Unlike the former, this compromise contains Lan Paler’s desire for perfection. He still wants "a woman with all four limbs and a beautiful woman." Of course, he objectively lowers the external conditions. This "perfect," "beautiful" woman can lack a permanent residence permit, education, or urban living experience. From his wounded youth, the innocence remains, tempered by life’s trials into mature reason. Thus, survival of the fittest.
Ding Liying’s Date is less about growing up, merely touching upon a relationship between men and women. At twenty-one, raised in a stable family, she follows the routine of studying, working, and waiting for love—until she receives an invitation from a man. The beginning is full of imagination, but what comes next? A man in his thirties, already weary of life, carelessly pours out his grievances, handing over a drunkard to her. It is her, not someone else, simply because of a casual choice. Despite the disappointment and awkwardness, she still tidies up the mess, learns to care for a man out of control, and then goes home alone.