Laughing out of turn

Author: Shen Hongfei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: Shen Hongfei is one of the current active new columnists in Chinese newspapers and magazines. The culinary and literary style he advocates has become a prominent feature in the press today. Critics have noted, "Shen Hongfei himself, along with his cleverly teasing column writing, his fusion of food and fashion, and his adept use of popular language, have all created a new style." This book is Shen Hongfei's latest collection of essays and sketches. It not only focuses on 'food' but also extends its pen to 'men and women.' It is both subtle and elegant, yet sharp and humorous, leaving a deep impression.
As for how others read Shen Hongfei, I don’t know. For me, I read it as serious articles, gaining something from every piece. Similarly, when observing the world, making comments, using materials, and playing with knowledge, scholars' bitter and sour arguments often resemble second-rate jokes—chewing on them for a long time, you can’t grasp the point or even laugh. Comrade Xiaobao said Shen Hongfei doesn’t write about grand events but about love and romance, and he’s only half right. When Lu Xun spoke of Dream of the Red Chamber, he said, "Philosophers read it as obscenity, revolutionaries see it as a critique of feudalism." When I read Shen Hongfei, I focus on the wind and moon rising from his pen, yet he turns the wind and moon into a tale of love and romance, managing to remain composed and undisturbed.
One piece, titled Fear of Hometown, offers a sharp critique of the so-called "patriotism" jargon, with precise and profound meaning. Such examples of conveying great meaning through subtle words are abundant in his recent essays. Shen Hongfei is one of the current active new columnists in Chinese newspapers and magazines, and the culinary and literary style he advocates has become a prominent feature in the press today. Critics have noted, "Shen Hongfei himself, along with his cleverly teasing column writing, his fusion of food and fashion, and his adept use of popular language, have all created a new style." This book is Shen Hongfei's latest collection of essays and sketches. It not only focuses on 'food' but also extends its pen to 'men and women,' both subtle and elegant, yet sharp and humorous, leaving a deep impression.