Looking for modern chinese novel (2000-2013)

[yedafu]

Hi evrybody! for a study i make i'm looking for modern chinese novels translated into english.

its important that the plot of the novel is taking place somewhere between 2000-2013. 

any suggestions? 

many thanks

[imron]

Does it absolutely have to have an English translation, or are you just looking for something that might be an easy read?

[yedafu]

Well i dont think i will be able to read it in chinese(i just pass the HSK 四级)

So i guss it must be translated. But if you think i will be able to read it so please give me the name.

Thanks

[Lu]

Somehow I can only think of Mian Mian's Candy and Wei Hui's Shanghai Baby. Can think of a few more (Murong Xuecun, Wu Ang's 星期一是礼拜几, white collar novels) but I don't know if they've been translated.

[roddy]

There's this, but you'll have to wait several weeks. What about Sheng Keyi's Northern Girls, when is that set?

[yedafu]

I'll try to be more specific. I'm looking for a Chinese novel that reflect in some ways the capitalism that evolving in modern china.

anyone happened to came a cross such a novel/short story ?

[Lu]

- Wasn't 蜗居 originally a novel? That might work.

- I've only read a little bit of Northern Girls, but that seems to be a good choice even if it doesn't take place in the 2000s.

- 圈子圈套 and 杜拉拉升职记 might be good choices for one aspect of capitalism, but to my knowledge neither has been translated.

- Han Han writes about that period but I haven't read anything by him that really touches upon capitalism, unless you count some parts of 像少年啦飞驰]像少年啦飞驰 where the main character starts making money after leaving uni.

- Murong Xuecun's 原谅我红尘颠倒 might work (thoroughly corrupt lawyer) but to my knowledge it hasn't been translated.

- Or see of there is a sprawling family saga that reaches that period. Mo Yan perhaps?

- Zhu Wen 朱文 perhaps. There's a collection of his short stories translated by Julia Lovell, titled I love dollars. Actually that might be quite a good choice for this purpose.

 

Yah, not enough data yet but I'm beginning to suspect that English-language publishers are not that interested in Chinese literature that takes place in the 2000s. If by any chance you know French, you might try and see if there's anything translated into that, the French tend to translate a lot more Chinese literature than the Americans.

[gato]

Maybe check out Pathlight magazine. That Roddy guy seems to be pretty prolific.

http://paper-republic.org/pubs/pathlight/autumn-2013/

[ZhangKaiRong]

I recommend you 成都，今夜请将我遗忘 from Murong Xuecun. The English translation is available under the title "Leave me alone, Chengdu - A novel", the translation is quite decent, the novel is definitely a good read, so go for it.

[yedafu]

Kairong can you please tell me a quick summary of the plot?

[imron]

I would also second 圈子圈套.  See discussion here.

[laurenth]

 

I'll try to be more specific. I'm looking for a Chinese novel that reflect in some ways the capitalism that evolving in modern china.

anyone happened to came a cross such a novel/short story ?

 

 

Maybe 余华's 兄弟 . According to Wikipedia, it was released in 2005 and I think it was translated in many languages. The second part (and the first page) may fit the bill. 

[Lu]

Isn't 兄弟 set earlier than 2000?

OP, in case my suggestion got lost in my list, consider Zhu Wen's I love dollars.

[ZhangKaiRong]

@yedafu

 

It's about a guy from Chengdu who works at a sales company as a manager. It is a story of how his hunger for casual sex, money (and power) destroys his marriage and career. A lot of black humour is included. The novel grasps well the empty lifestyle of the urban Chinese "middle class".

 

You can read the first chapter here https://www.allenandunwin.com/_uploads/BookPdf/Extract/9781741755541.pdf

 

BtW, it is not that hard in Chinese, so if you're happened to be in China, you can have a try with the Mandarin version. I started to read it before attempting HSK4 (of course I used Pleco a lot of times).

 

As laurenth suggested, Brothers by Yu Hua will also fit your criteria, though the first part (to be specific, the longer part) is about the Cultural Revolution.

[imron]

I don't think 兄弟 really fits the bill.  There's simply too much stuff from the 60s and 70s.  Even the more modern parts are still 90s and maybe a tiny bit in early 2000s towards the end.

[yedafu]

imron 圈子圈套 sound like excatly what i'm looking for. but before i dive in i must ask you(if i may) a few questions:

1. does this novel have the theme of "money is bad"? beacuse i'm looking for excatly the opposit. 

2. does the novel have a character that has lots of money but she is still reprasented as a "good" character?

 

many thanks for all of the answers you all gave me so fare! 

[Lu]

I'd say the theme is not so much 'money is good' but 'work hard & smart and you will be succesfull while leaving your competitors behind'. Money is of course a result of this, but it's not presented as a goal in and of itself. The main character is a member of the new middle class (upper middle class even?) and is most certainly presented as one of the good guys.

[yedafu]

wow thanks LU its sound like exactly what i'm looking for! 

does anyone can share with me a link to the book? i tried googel it but the files i'v found where to massy (big chunk of text, no chaper divided, qustion mark exc)

I really appreciate it! 

[imron]

1. does this novel have the theme of "money is bad"? beacuse i'm looking for excatly the opposit. 

2. does the novel have a character that has lots of money but she is still reprasented as a "good" character?

No.

Yes.

 

Probably best to continue discussion of 圈子圈套 in its specific thread.  I've updated the link in that thread's first post to point to a working online version.