Border Town - New Curriculum Required Reading Series in Chinese Language (Revised Edition)

Author: Shen Congwen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-07-01
Features: The Border Town was originally an ideal "form of life" that Shen Congwen offered us—an "exquisite, healthy, natural, yet not contradictory to human nature." However, what The Border Town gives us is not just "exquisite," but also the helplessness and sorrow of those facing the unpredictability of fate. This sense of life's helplessness and compassion give The Border Town a profound character and charm. Shen Congwen's novels possess a unique style—simple, unadorned, and lyrical. His stories generally do not pursue intricate plots or complete narratives, often narrating the rural human condition in a familiar and peaceful tone, expressing his love for his homeland and life in a relaxed and unhurried manner. The aesthetic appeal of his novels primarily comes not from the strangeness of the plots or the tension of the narrative, but from a flowing melody, an elegant atmosphere, and a pervasive sentiment. He stands out as a distinctive writer in modern Chinese fiction since the May Fourth Movement and holds an important place in the history of modern Chinese literature. Editorial Department of People's Literature Publishing House
Shen Congwen wrote some novels about urban life, such as The Second Baboon, Like Ruyi, and The Eight Horses, which are satirical but superficial. He also wrote a category of novels that subtly express a sense of pity for life while depicting the primitive customs and simple humanity of Western Hunan, such as Xiao Xiao and The Husband. Works like Moonlight Scenery and The Garden critique ignorant customs and dark realities. However, what truly established Shen Congwen's place in literary history are the "pastoral" novels like The Border Town—set against the backdrop of Western Hunan's human nature and customs, they aim to showcase pure humanity and ideal life. These novels, with their sincere emotions, elegant language, and poetic sentiments, create a Shen Congwen-style ideal world, like a fresh and lingering pastoral song, confessing his deep affection for Western Hunan, his reverence for nature, and his imagination of a harmonious and tranquil ideal realm of the best of humanity. Shen Congwen's unique cultural choices and perspectives are perfectly embodied in these novels, making them the enduring part of his literary legacy. The Border Town, completed in 1943, is a representative of this "pastoral" style and a peak in Shen Congwen's literary creation.