Description
Book SynopsisTells the story of a young woman named Meng Jiang who makes a long, solitary journey to deliver winter clothes to her husband, a drafted labourer on the grandiose Great Wall construction project of the notorious First Emperor of the Qin dynasty (BCE 221-208).
Trade Review"For the first time . . . English reader[s] will have the opportunity to view the contradictory figure of Meng Jiangnu in a range of historical and geographical settings. Selected and translated by a master translator and accompanied by an impressive array of supporting and analytical material."
-- Anne E. McLaren * Nan Nu *
"Meng Jiangnü Brings Down the Great WallThis is a very useful addition to the limited store of English translations of Chinese folklore, and one that should have appeal beyond those interested in Chinese folk narrative . . . a solid contribution to both legend studies and Chinese folklore studies in English."
-- David Gay * Western Folklore *
"As a wall-destroying beauty, Meng Jiangnü belongs, literally, to the 'wall topplers' (qingcheng) femme fatales of Chinese history. Wielding the specifically feminine magic of tears, she is able to walk many paths between love and death. Idema's beautiful, small anthology is a splendid tribute to this figure. It is at the same time a highly commendable introduction to the richness and complexity of Chinese oral traditions."
* Journal of Chinese Religions *
"Idema's ten versions of the story . . . offer fascinating insight into variations of the tale and how different genres and regional styles emphasized these variations for particular purposes. Idema's translations are superb and read extremely well in English. . . . Recommended. All readers, all levels."
* Choice *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Translator's Note
Meng Jiangnu: The Development of a Legend by Wild L. Idema
Meng Jiangnu and the May Fourth Folklore Movement by Haiyan Lee
Part One | Ballads from Late-Imperial China
1. Trekking to the Wall
2. Guiding the Soul
3. Retrieving a Fan
4. Born from a Gourd
5. Being a Filial Daughter-in-Law
Part Two | Ballads Collected in the Countryside
6. Switching to Dragon Robes
7. Mobilizing the Gods
8. Stepping into the Pond
9. Sleeping with the Bones
10. Forbidden Desires
Notes
Glossary
Bibliography
