Balzac and the little Chinese seamstress

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Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress is a novel by Dai Sijie , which was published in 2000 in the original French edition "Balzac et la petite tailleuse chinoise" and in 2001 in a German translation. Due to its international success, the book was filmed in 2002 under the direction of Dai Sijie with the same title. It has been translated into over 30 languages ​​and over 500,000 copies have been sold in Germany alone.

In autumn 2010, a city. A book with a circulation of 100,000 copies of this book distributed free of charge to accompany the Austrian Book Fair in Vienna .

Dai Sijie (2012).

action

The narrator, whose name is not known, and Luo have arrived in a small village on Mount Phoenix-of-Heaven . They were sent there for re-education by the communist government . Both come from families considered enemies of the people. While normal intellectuals usually complete their re-education after two years, the two of them have little chance of ever leaving the village again.

At first, the two of them were met with great distrust in the village, but over time they increasingly gained the Laoban's trust. So they will z. B. is allowed to go to see a film in the next town once a month if they retell it to the villagers for as long afterwards. The two are generally interested in stories and books, but they are forbidden.

Her friend, Brillenschang , who is being re-educated in another village, owns books which he - the possession of books is strictly forbidden - keeps hidden, even from his friends. Only when his glasses break and he needs their help does he lend them a book: the novel Ursula Mirouet by Balzac . It is also the mother of glasses that gives him a job in the city so that he is released from re-education and can return home. Everyone is invited to his farewell party except for Luo and the narrator, whom the glasses dislikes. So the two decide to take advantage of the party and steal the books. You will not be able to accuse them of stealing the books, otherwise you would give yourself away. The theft succeeds.

At the same time, the friendship with the little seamstress is told, the daughter of the only tailor in the region who lives on a neighboring mountain. Luo and the narrator meet her one day and visit her often afterwards. Luo in particular falls in love with her and a relationship develops. When the seamstress suddenly becomes pregnant, they are faced with a big problem. Illegitimate children are prohibited, as are marriage under the age of 25 and an abortion. So you need to find someone to secretly perform an abortion. But ultimately this problem can also be solved with a book donation from the fund of forbidden literature. Luo tells her about the books throughout the acquaintance in order to broaden her educational horizons. She has taken a liking to Balzac's literature and leaves the village for an unknown destination. So she leaves Luo at the end of the story.

main characters

First-person narrator

The first-person narrator is for the purpose of re-education through work in the village on the mountain of the Phoenix-des-Himmel , since he, at the age of three years of high school, is considered an intellectual during Mao Tsetung's cultural revolution . His parents (pulmonologist, specialist in parasitic diseases) have also been classified as enemies of the people. He should get to know the hard life of the "revolutionary peasants".

He tries as best he can to come to terms with the circumstances. His character traits are mainly determined by his calm, matter-of-fact manner, he is rather reserved. He is a little jealous of his friend Luo, because he is with the seamstress, with whom he is also in love. He is also a talented violinist.

He is very interested in books, especially the forbidden books that the Brillenschang hides in a suitcase. While his companion Luo raves about Balzac's books, his favorite book is "Johann Christof" by Romain Rolland .

Luo

Luo is the narrator's best friend. He is with him in the mountain village on the mountain of the Phoenix-des-Himmels . His father is a famous Chinese dentist who has treated high Chinese politicians.

Luo is with the seamstress, he is a gifted storyteller. Like the first-person narrator, Luo is also interested in books, he particularly likes Balzac's books.

The little seamstress

The seamstress has her own sewing machine. She is the daughter of a tailor who is respected in his area and who travels from village to village to make new clothes or to repair old ones. She is very pretty and petite.

Despite the widespread illiteracy in the mountain regions, she can read and write a little, as her father taught her, but she makes many mistakes and does not know all the characters . She gets to know Luo and the first-person narrator in the course of the narration, and later enters into a steady relationship with Luo. She often lets Luo retell films and books to help her educate herself.

The Laoban

The Laoban (from Chinese  老板 , Pinyin lǎobǎn  - "boss") is the mayor of the mountain village where Luo and the first-person narrator are to be re-educated. He makes all important decisions and is the mediator between the will of the "Great Chairman" Mao and the village population. He reflects the ignorance of the people (e.g. he does not know what a violin is) and is initially very skeptical of the two newcomers. They have a violin and an alarm clock with which they disturb the balance of village life. Over time, however, the laoban takes a liking to objects that are foreign to him and develops a certain interest in technology and culture.

In addition, the laoban is corruptible and extortionate. He does not tell the police that Luo and the first-person narrator have forbidden western books, so that Luo treats his teeth in return.

The Miller

The miller lives on the mountain of the phoenix-of-heaven. He's old, poor, a little strange. The fact that he knows old folk songs makes him interesting for Brillenschang when he has the prospect of a job mediated by his mother in a magazine that wants to publish an article about the songs of the mountain people. He goes to see the miller, but he refuses to recite a stanza for him. To help their friend, Luo and the first-person narrator go to the miller and, disguised as officials, learn traditional songs from him.

Brillenschang's mother

She is a poet and, thanks to her relationships, gives her son a job. Disguised as a knitter, she goes to his mountain village to pick him up and meets the first-person narrator on the way. She only knows him and Luo from her son's letters, so she has developed a certain sympathy for Luo, but an antipathy for the first-person narrator.

subjects

Autobiographical elements

The book has a lot of autobiographical elements, which are mixed with imagination. It is about the re-education of two young people in communist China whose parents are doctors, despite their only three years of high school time each as intellectually valid youth.

China during the communist era

The novel also deals with the conditions in the countryside in China during the cultural revolution , but is quite impressive . The description of the stilt houses, the work done by the people to be reformed, the clothes of the villagers give an impression of the poverty of the rural population. One can see the work as a critical examination of communism, evident among other things from the ironic use of the propaganda term "revolutionary" in contexts that ridicule it.

Influence of literature

In addition, it is increasingly about literature. Above all about the impact a book can have on a person. Other central questions are why literature is important for the development of one's own thoughts and why censorship is therefore bad.

background

Dai Sijie had conceived the story as a book from the start: “I (...) didn't think that anyone would be interested in the material as a film. I just wanted to write this story to bear my testimony. I wanted to pass on my very personal memories. At that time I had already made three films, but they weren't very successful. My films are just not meant to be commercial. The story is inspired by real people and events. For example, the girl really lived in the village. But she wasn't a seamstress, she was a farmer. But I wanted to distance myself a little from the surroundings of the mountains. This young peasant woman was very beautiful and it was my friend who was in love with her. Even back then when I was there I had a story on my mind, but I waited so long because there was one thing I wanted to bring in. I was looking for a scene where the two boys rebelled a little against the system. And then I remembered the scene in which the two boys treat the village director's tooth - with the sewing machine ! In reality, of course, this improvised dental drill did not exist in the mountains ”. The peasant woman had also emancipated herself in reality. “In the beginning she was a very simple personality. But by reading it has changed and has become mischievous. Then she really left the village. But it wasn't as easy as in the novel. She has come back several times, gone again, come again. And she met my boyfriend every time - about ten times in a year - but in the end she left. In the novel, I just had to let her go like that. My friend read the book and told me I had portrayed the girl too idealized. The second thing I changed: in the novel, the girl is completely illiterate, in reality she could read a little ”.

reception

When the book was first translated into Chinese in 2003, Dai Sijie thought of returning to his homeland. While reading the epilogue it contained, he was horrified to see that the publisher and translator were distancing themselves from himself and his book. In their explanations, they described that the author lived abroad and that life there was very expensive and time-consuming. Therefore the writer must denigrate Chinese conditions to the benefit of the Western public and his publisher. As a result, the plant was sharply attacked in the state media and he was described in the press as a traitor. Dai Sijie thus avoids returning to China and continues to live in Paris , where he has lived since 1984 and sees the reflection on Europe's literary roots within the world cultural heritage as an internal resistance to the pseudo-democratic transformation of China.

Dai Sijie came to the start of the free book campaign “One City. A book ”in the Vienna Exhibition Center 2010 for the first time to visit the Austrian capital. He reported that the success of the book surprised him: “I didn't expect that so many people would be interested. (...) In reality the seamstress was a farmer. (...) She would be very proud if she knew that this book in which I tell about her is being distributed here ”. Although his books and films are banned in China, they are a great success on the black market , which also makes him proud.

Chinese woman sews on the street in Yangshuo , 2008

He took part in many discussions and heard several reasons why the novel was so popular. He liked an explanation: “At a university in the USA someone said: We don't care that the book is set during the revolution in China, but it tells an old story that wants to tell us that all men, if they are in love with a girl, always want to change that girl. But the girls cannot be changed. The girls are much more intelligent than we are. I find this opinion very interesting because it is partly true. We men want to change our lovers, but we don't think that the girls are much smarter than us. Men are idiots. I know this is a very feminist interpretation. But women also like my book more. What I also find amazing: When women ask me to sign the book - all over the world, whether in the US or Japan - they always want me to write the last phrase of the book: “... that the beauty of Woman is a priceless treasure ”. I am very embarrassed every time, but I think the spirit of this sentence is present in all of Balzac's novels ”.

A report by Deutsche Welle presented at the beginning of a report on hundreds of Chinese seamstresses who sealed off in Romania Bacau toil in textile factories that rhetorical question , whereas most had gone the Chinese Seamstress from Dai Sijies novel: "At the end of the whereabouts of the little Chinese seamstress remains a mystery . You might think you will discover them in Romania ”. However, the contents of the report suggested otherwise.

review

Martin Halter called the novel in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung an "enchanting parable on the aphrodisiac magic and the redeeming power of literature".

The culture editor of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung , Manfred Papst, found the book “quite successful at first glance, but at a second glance at some points a bit clichéd”. The author is self-deprecating and free from lewdness , so that the novel can be called a successful picaresque piece. Pope thought the translation was a success. However, in his opinion, Dai Sijie too often seeks the approval of the western public.

In the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Frederike Herrmann praised the novel, the real message of which was the fact that “the dictatorship could not control people's feelings, needs and longings”. Thanks to the autobiographical traits and self-irony, there is no pathos in this downright picaresque novel .

Some female reviewers in particular saw the feminist and amorous aspect as being in the foreground: “The description of the relationship with the little Chinese seamstress is the most beautiful declaration of love for women. The development of this love triangle is exciting to read and comes to an extraordinarily surprising end ”. This didn't stop other journalists from resolutely contradicting it: “No, this book is only superficially a love story. Basically, it's a declaration of love. A declaration of love to the book ”.

Male reviewers also considered the literary aspect to be central: “Sijie's debut is a wonderfully lightly told piece of prose, full of love for literature. Perhaps a little too idealized telling the power of the written word, but never trivial. Luo's love for the little seamstress is also a great declaration of love for literature. Ultimately, it shows what illusions and wonderful feelings it can awaken, even in times of greatest need ”.

The book was also very well received internationally. Lisa Darnell of The Guardian praised the linguistic magic of the fables and myths that fill the work and found the author to remind readers of the value of intellectual freedom.

Ruth Pavey of The Independent emphasized that when you read the book you realize what other profession Dai also has. As a filmmaker, he goes smoothly from scene to scene without lingering too long in one moment, giving the viewer the feeling of being there. The unexpected end is an ironic tribute to art. On the other hand, Brooke Allen in The New York Times Book Review praised the book as worth reading, but criticized the fact that the story was more interesting than the way it was told because the author had decided to tell it as a fable with all its abstractions . The story has lost its relevance to reality.

In contrast, David Mattin, The Observer , praised the simple and charming story and its detailed description. Dai is never sentimental or exuberant in his description. In addition, David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle , highlighted Dai's brilliant reflection on Chinese roots and his no less profound understanding of Western literary culture. Josh Greenfield from Time also saw the novel as a classic "coming out of age" story, which in a certain way, with all its charm and wit, is more of an artistic bagatelle that should be read anyway. The translation from French was particularly praised by Sonia Gomes; the book is written in clear and precise prose. In addition, despite its small size, the novella posed great questions about the nature of education, the power of art over politics, and the influence of the West over the East. Vikramdeep Johal from the Indian Sunday Tribune also saw the story as a parable of the futility of gaining control in the face of the insatiable desire for freedom. When sketching the reign of terror during the Cultural Revolution , however, one missed a certain thoroughness in direct comparison with other works in the Anglo-American region.

Adaptations

filming
  • Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (Xiao cai feng) , 2002 - (Directed and written by Dai Sijie). The film was nominated several times, with the one of the Golden Globe Award for the best foreign language film standing out, but could not win an award. Nevertheless, it was largely accepted positively by the criticism.
Audio book

expenditure

  • Dai Sijie: Balzac and the little Chinese dressmaker , from the Franz. By Giò Waeckerlin Induni, Munich 2001, ISBN 3-492-24428-9

Awards

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Jan-Philipp Sendker: Dai Sijie: Homecoming on paper . In: Der Stern , May 29, 2004. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  2. ↑ echonet - communication gmbh ( http://www.echonet.at ): Eine STADT. A book. (No longer available online.) In: 2010.einestadteinbuch.at. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016 ; accessed on January 28, 2016 .
  3. ↑ “Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress” is a free book on vienna.at, September 23, 2010. Accessed on August 23, 2011.
  4. ↑ a b Interview with Dai Sijie ( Memento from October 22, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
  5. ↑ Meet with Dai Sijie. Price Femina 2003.
  6. ^ Tilman Krause: Dai Sijie wanders through a moonlit night . In: Die Welt , October 9, 2009. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  7. ↑ Start of the free campaign "One City. One Book" . In: wien.orf.at, November 18, 2010. Accessed August 23, 2011.
  8. ↑ Cristian Ștefănescu: Bacău and the little Chinese dressmakers . Deutsche Welle , August 14, 2007. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  9. ↑ Martin Halter: Mozart would read Mao . In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung , December 11, 2002, No. 288, p. 34. Retrieved on August 12, 2012.
  10. ↑ Dr. Friederike Herrmann ( Memento from June 10, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
  11. ↑ Mao and Mozart. Dai Sijie outsmarts the Cultural Revolution in his debut novel . Review. Süddeutsche Zeitung, No. 2, January 3, 2002, p. 16.
  12. ↑ http://www.booksection.de/buch/240-Balzac_und_die_kleine_chinesische_Schneiderin
  13. ↑ Alexandra Kemp: Novel: Dai Sijie: Balzac and the little Chinese seamstress  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . In: Rheinische Post , June 30, 2005. Retrieved August 23, 2011.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.rp-online.de  
  14. ↑ http://www.fragmentum.de/Buchkritik/Sijie_Balzac.htm
  15. ↑ http://www.curledup.com/balzac.htm
  16. ↑ http://www.fluctuat.net/livres/chroniques/sijie.htm
  17. ^ Lisa Darnell: First novels. Lisa Darnell on how precious intellectual liberty is in Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, an unfashionably happy ending in Juno and Juliet and the benefits of being ordinary in Bee Season . In: The Guardian . July 14, 2001. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
  18. ^ The Independent . July 20, 2001.
  19. ↑ Brooke Allen: A Suitcase Education . In: The New York Times . September 16, 2001. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
  20. ^ David Mattin: Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress . In: The Observer , March 24, 2002. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
  21. ↑ David Wiegand: Painful Truths  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . In: San Francisco Chronicle . October 28, 2001. Retrieved August 24, 2011.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.sfgate.com  
  22. ↑ Josh Greenfield: A Twist on Balzac . In: Time Magazine , March 4, 2002. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
  23. ^ Sonia Gomez: Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress . In: The Stranger , Seattle , April 25th / 1st May 2001. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
  24. ↑ Vikramdeep Johal: Tasting the forbidden fruit . In: The Sunday Tribune , March 2, 2003. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
  25. ↑ http://adirondackreview.homestead.com/review7.html
  26. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0291032/
  27. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0291032/awards
  28. ↑ http://www.arte.tv/de/663322,CmC=663400.html  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.arte.tv  
  29. ↑ Review summary of the audio book edition of “Balzac and the Little Chinese Dressmaker” on perlentaucher.de . Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  30. ↑ http://www.gallimard.fr/catalog/html/event/index/index_daisijie.html