Teasing
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
In terms of literary value, the pieces selected in this edition demonstrate the key qualities that make Chekhov a founder of the modern short story: he abandons direct moralizing and dramatic plot conflict, relying instead on detail, atmosphere, and subtext to construct deep psychological reality and universal human predicaments. Reading these stories, what you feel is not sharp grief but a diffuse, almost silent melancholy and sense of loss. This is the greatness of Chekhov's art—he writes the "true taste" of life.
For Chinese readers, this translation strives to stay close to Chekhov's concise, precise, and rhythmic style, avoiding excessive embellishment and conveying the spiritual texture of the original well. It is suitable as an introductory read for a deeper encounter with Chekhov's serious side, and it also merits repeated savoring by literary enthusiasts, who can appreciate how he achieves a profound capture of complex human nature and the atmosphere of an era within extremely short pieces.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers who wish to go beyond textbook impressions of "The Chameleon" and "The Man in the Case" and understand the depth of Chekhov's literature
- Literary enthusiasts interested in observing the subtle recesses of human nature and the absurdity and sense of loss in life
- Writers learning the craft who wish to study how modern short stories shape characters through detail and atmosphere
- Contemplative readers seeking a cool, restrained yet inwardly direct reading experience in a noisy age
Not a good fit for
- Entertainment-oriented readers expecting strong plots, dense conflict, and stories with clear "good-versus-evil" endings
- Readers interested only in Chekhov's early comic and humorous stories and unable to accept his darker, more indirect side
Reading tips
- It is recommended to read in order to perceive the variations on the same themes (such as loneliness and misunderstanding) across Chekhov's work
- When reading, do not rush to look for a "central message"; pay more attention to characters' subtle gestures, the overtones of dialogue, and environmental description
- After reading, try writing down scattered impressions; Chekhov's works are often like a mirror reflecting the reader's own emotions and circumstances
About the publisher
Liaoning People's Publishing House is a local publisher focusing on works in the social sciences. Its publishing areas cover philosophy, politics, economics, history and law, and also include dictionaries and reference books. It currently has 332 titles in the database. Its publishing profile is best reflected in translations of foreign literature and Western philosophy, with common categories including foreign literature, Western philosophy and Eastern philosophy. Representative books include English-language editions or translations of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Cervantes's Don Quixote, Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment and The Idiot, Hugo's Les Misérables, Hume's A Treatise of Human Nature and Eliot's Middlemarch. Its author resources involve Homer, Cervantes, Dostoevsky, Victor Hugo, David Hume, George Eliot and Alexis de Tocqueville. As public information is limited, its specific publishing features require further confirmation through more bibliographic data.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 译者序
- 爱情
- 不幸
- 出阁
- 大沃洛佳和小沃洛佳
- 带小狗的女人
- 画家的故事
- 挂在脖子上的安娜
- 坏孩子
- 佳人
- 散戏以后
- 韦罗奇卡
- 幸福的人
- 关于爱情
- 作弄
FAQ
How does this book differ from common selections of Chekhov's short stories?
How is the translation quality? Is it fluent and easy to read?
Are all the stories in the book depressing and dark?
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About the author
Chekhov (1860–1904) was a Russian novelist and playwright, born in Taganrog and died of tuberculosis in Badenweiler, Germany, in 1904. He graduated from the medical faculty of Moscow University in 1884 and practiced medicine while writing, becoming known for his short stories and plays. His notable stories include The Chameleon, The Man in a Case and Ward No. 6, and his plays include The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters and The Cherry Orchard. His fiction is restrained and concise, often starting from everyday trifles to reveal his characters' circumstances and inner lives, while his plays play down plot conflict and rely on dialogue and subtext. He is ranked with Maupassant and O. Henry as one of the world's three great short-story writers, and his works, classed as foreign literature, classics and world masterpieces, are widely read in Chinese.
Feng Jian is an author about whom limited public information is available. Two works by this author are included in the collection, touching on the fields of foreign literature and medicine respectively. Among them, "Zuo Nong" (Teasing/Playing Tricks) falls under foreign literature and, judging from its title and category, is likely a literary work with narrative and dramatic tension; "Chinese Medicine Culture: Chinese Medicine Culture and Practical Techniques (Volume 1)" belongs to medicine, focusing on an overview of Chinese medicine culture and an introduction to practical techniques. The two works span rather different subjects, one leaning toward literary narrative and the other toward the popularization and application of traditional medical knowledge. As the author's dates of birth and death, nationality, and specific experiences cannot be verified, no further account of their life can be given; the existing works alone show that the author has written in both literature and Chinese medicine culture. The writing appears to balance readability with practicality, and the readership may differ according to the category of each work.
