The JINTIAN [今天] series of contemporary literature features new and innovative writing from mainland China and abroad. Titles in the series are edited by Bei Dao, Lydia H. Liu, and Christopher Mattison. A collaborative venture between Zephyr Press, the Jintian Literary Foundation, and The Chinese University Press, each bilingual title highlights the ever-changing literary culture of China while simultaneously expanding the English language with a wave of new voices in translation.
The JINTIAN [今天] series of contemporary literature features new and innovative writing from mainland China and abroad. Titles in the series are edited by Bei Dao, Lydia H. Liu, and Christopher Mattison. A collaborative venture between Zephyr Press, the Jintian Literary Foundation, and The Chinese University Press, each bilingual title highlights the ever-changing literary culture of China while simultaneously expanding the English language with a wave of new voices in translation.
The JINTIAN [今天] series of contemporary literature features new and innovative writing from mainland China and abroad. Titles in the series are edited by Bei Dao, Lydia H. Liu, and Christopher Mattison. A collaborative venture between Zephyr Press, the Jintian Literary Foundation, and The Chinese University Press, each bilingual title highlights the ever-changing literary culture of China while simultaneously expanding the English language with a wave of new voices in translation.
The Hugo- and Nebula-nominated story "Hong's Bluff" leads this new collection of science fiction stories by longtime writer William F. Wu. Some stories are light-hearted and others dramatic, about alternate worlds, cyborgs, clones, nanotech, war-games, and life in space, often with subjects involving Americans of Chinese descent. A new introduction and afterword to each story enhance this book. ~~~~~ Excerpt ~~~~~ In the glare of the spotlight, Daniel Zisuey Eng stood on the high dais in the Temple of Eng Zisuey, wearing his traditional black Chinese robe of embroidered silk and a white undertunic. Now at the end of the ritual, he watched the crowd standing far below him. The sweet smoke of incense wafted past, mixed with acrid smoke left by firecrackers set off earlier. ?Farewell,? Daniel?s voice boomed in English over the speakers. From the traditional Chinese orchestra, the fast banging of a light-weight gong built to a crescendo. Those below gazed up at Daniel in awe, curiosity, or skepticism, the majority of them also surnamed Eng. A few shouted insults; others called entreaties, even prayers. He calmly remained behind the altar of carved teak that was now covered with sacrifices of cash, pledges, jewelry, even children?s toys. ?Yi lu ping an,? Daniel intoned in Mandarin, wishing the crowd a peaceful journey. ?Yet lu ping on,? he repeated in Cantonese. As always, Daniel waited for a line of acolytes to form below the dais so no one could jump the rail and climb up to him. At the gong?s final crash, the spotlight went out, signaling the end of the ritual. In the sudden darkness, he whirled and strode off the dais, stage right. Twenty-eight years old, Daniel had been worshipped as a spirit reborn for nearly all of his adult life. ***** ??Nother day, ?nother dollar, Danny-boy.? At Daniel?s dressing-room door, Eric Leitch, the tall, brawny Chief of Personal Security, smirked at Daniel as he spoke in his Aussie-accented English, his sun-bleached flat-top standing stiff over his broad, square-jawed face. ?The acolytes are escortin? the crowd out in order; A-Okay, green lights all ?round.? ?Good,? Daniel muttered in annoyance, palming the doorplate to slip inside and close it again. He had no liking for his blue-uniformed Personal Security bodyguards. Even the acolytes were guards who wore traditional robes over their uniforms during the rituals. Chief Leitch spent most of his shift watching the temple grounds on monitors in his office. His unit worked for Mr. Eng Sen, as Daniel did?his nominal grandfather, a tycoon whose business empire owned Eng Zhouxian Do, this island near Hong Kong. The light came on in Daniel?s lavish dressing room at the rear of the temple??backstage,? in the jargon of his UCLA major in Theater Arts. A man?s voice, dry with age, came on the room?s speakers in Cantonese. ?Ah Suey, are you there? Keep your stage makeup on.? ?I?m here,? Daniel answered in the same language, recognizing Eng Sen?s voice. ?Screen on.? He flopped down in a tan leather-covered recliner, tired as always from the evening?s effort. The far wall brightened with the video image of the man he called ?Grandfather.? Seventy-two years old, Eng Sen wore his white hair short and had age spots removed by laser treatment. His bland, roundish face smiled with cold courtesy from a high, black leather chair; sunlight backlit him like a halo. ?I?m calling from my London office, Ah Suey. Remain in costume; I?ve instructed a new assistant of mine to bring visitors to you even as we speak.? ?A major sacrifice, Grandfather?? Daniel fought to keep disgust out of his voice as he pushed up from the recliner. ?My assistant, Meilin Lei, will handle the financial matters.? ?I know what to do, Grandfather,? Daniel said obediently.
This compact, pocket-sized Hong Kong & Macau travel guidebook is ideal for travellers on shorter trips and those trying to make the most of Hong Kong & Macau. This Hong Kong & Macau guidebook covers: Hong Kong Island: Central to Kennedy Town, Hong Kong Island: Wan Chai, Causeway Bay and Happy Valley, Hong Kong Island: the south side, Kowloon: Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon: Jordan to Diamond Hill, The New Territories, Lantau, Lamma and Cheung Chau, Macau. Inside this Hong Kong & Macau travel book you will find: Curated recommendations of places – main attractions, off-the-beaten-track adventures, child-friendly family activities, chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas Things not to miss in Hong Kong & Macau – Views from The Peak, Star Ferry, São Paulo façade, Maritime Museum, Lan Kwai Fong, Fireworks at Chinese New Year, Yum cha, Tai Hang Fire Dragon, Picnic at Bride’s Pool, Ocean Park, Roasted meats, Temple Street Night Market, Macanese food, Sham Shui Po, Three Lamps District Ready-made itineraries samples – created for different time frames or types of trip Hong Kong & Macau at a glance – an overview map of Hong Kong & Macau with key areas and short descriptions of what you’ll find there Day trips – extra information for those on longer breaks or wanting to venture further afield Practical travel tips – information on how to get there and around, health guidance, tourist information, festivals and events, plus an A–Z directory Handy language section – themed basic vocabulary for greetings, numbers and food and drink Independent reviews – honest descriptions of places to eat, drink or stay, written by our expert authors Accommodation – handy reference guide to a range of hotels for different budgets What’s new – a short overview of the changes in Hong Kong & Macau in recent years for repeat travellers Fully updated post-COVID-19 The guide is a perfect companion both ahead of your trip and on the ground. It gives you a distinct taste of Hong Kong & Macau with a concise edit of all the information you’ll need.
Kabuki is well known for its exaggerated acting, flamboyant costumes and makeup, and unnatural storylines. The onnagata, usually male actors who perform the roles of women, have been an important aspect of kabuki since its beginnings in the 17th century. In a “labyrinth” of gendering, the practice of men playing women’s roles has affected the manifestations of femininity in Japanese society. In this case study of how gender has been defined and redefined through the centuries, Maki Isaka examines how the onnagata’s theatrical gender “impersonation” has shaped the concept and mechanisms of femininity and gender construction in Japan. The implications of the study go well beyond disciplinary and geographic cloisters.
Focusing on ecocritical aspects throughout Chinese literature, particularly modern and contemporary Chinese literature, the contributors to this book examine the environmental and ecological dimensions of notions such as qing (情) and jing (境). Chinese modern and contemporary environmental writing offers a unique aesthetic perspective toward the natural world. Such a perspective is mainly ecological and allows human subjects to take a benign and nonutilitarian attitude toward nature. The contributors to this book demonstrate how Chinese literary ecology tends toward an ecological-systemic holism from which all human behaviors should be closely examined. They do so by examining a range of writers and genres, including Liu Cixin’s science fiction, Wu Ming-yi’s environmental fiction, and Zhang Chengzhi’s historical narratives. This book provides valuable insights for scholars and students looking to understand how Chinese literature conceptualizes the relationship between humanity and nature, as well as our role and position within the natural realm.
"DeFrancis's book is first rate. It entertains. It teaches. It demystifies. It counteracts popular ignorance as well as sophisticated (cocktail party) ignorance. Who could ask for anything more? There is no other book like it. ... It is one of a kind, a first, and I would not only buy it but I would recommend it to friends and colleagues, many of whom are visiting China now and are adding 'two-week-expert' ignorance to the two kinds that existed before. This is a book for everyone." --Joshua A. Fishman, research professor of social sciences, Yeshiva University, New York "Professor De Francis has produced a work of great effectiveness that should appeal to a wide-ranging audience. It is at once instructive and entertaining. While being delighted by the flair of his novel approach, the reader will also be led to ponder on some of the most fundamental problems concerning the relations between written languages and spoken languages. Specifically, he will be served a variety of information on the languages of East Asia, not as dry pedantic facts, but as appealing tidbits that whet the intellectual appetite. The expert will find much to reflect on in this book, for Professor DeFrancis takes nothing for granted." --William S.Y. Wang, professor of linguistics, University of California at Berkeley
This book exclusively focuses on visible and under-the-table power struggles with regards to aspects of communities, connections, cultures, and communication related to Chinese language teaching in US higher education in the past two decades. As long as there are diverse communities in a society, conflicts between different groups of people become inevitable, and these lead, in turn, to power struggles. Once there are conflicts or power struggles among various communities, problematic subtleties about connections to different communities, as well as comparisons and contrasts of social varieties and cultural legacies, indubitably ensue.
