Promotional Information

"This is a lively rendering of one of the great Chinese novels, one that has never been translated before. It gives us an unforgettable insight into the lives of the courtesans and their patrons in the brothel quarter that once flourished in Shanghai. " -- Patrick Hanan, Harvard University

Table of Contents

Foreward Translator's Note Cast of Major Characters Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Afterword The World of the Shanghai Courtesans

About the Author

Han Bangqing (1856-1894) founded China's first literary magazine and is considered one of the most important writers of modern China. Eileen Chang (1920-1995) was a legendary figure in Chinese literature and the author of the essay collection Written on Water (Columbia, 2005) and the novels The Rogue of the North and The Rice-Sprout Song: A Novel of Modern China. Eva Hung is the editor of the journal Renditions and the translator, editor, and author of more than two dozen books, including Contemporary Women Writers: Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Reviews

"Its literary and historical significance is indisputable. More important to the average reader, though, [is] its absorbing storytelling." -- Lesley Downer, New York Times Book Review "Accurate and readable. The novel provides a comprehensive and detailed description of a courtesan society... Recommended." -- Choice "This is a finely printed publication, and an important novel, but it also provides a provocative study in edition and translation theory. " -- Chloe Starr, China Review International "The publication of this book is a significant event in the upper echelons of Chinese literary study... Finally a book that's been much talked about is now available to an international readership." -- Bradley Winterton, Taipei Times