Ordination
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Summary
Editor's review
The water chestnut nunnery in "Ordination," where monks are allowed to marry and slaughter pigs, seems absurd at first glance but is in fact a heartfelt celebration of authentic human nature. With a child's clear-eyed gaze, Wang Zengqi dissolves the opposition between religious precepts and worldly desire, revealing a state of life that transcends formal constraints. This "Chinese-style humanism" (Wang Zengqi's own phrase) runs through the whole book, lending every ordinary character a warm luster.
From the perspective of literary history, this work was published in 1980, just as the literature of the new era was taking shape. While most writers were still lingering in scar literature, Wang Zengqi returned to the literary scene with an entirely different aesthetic stance: he continued the lyrical tradition pioneered by Fei Ming and Shen Congwen, using poetic language to restore the dignity of everyday life. This "de-ideologized" writing was pioneering at the time.
When reading, attend to two levels: on the surface, a vivid scroll of Jiangnan folk customs; beneath it, the author's ongoing inquiry into "what constitutes a good life." Wang Zengqi's prose seems loose and casual but is in fact carefully honed, and every detail rewards close attention. The kind characters he depicts, each with a few small flaws, make up a human world more real than reality: here human nature is not a black-and-white doctrine but a vitality that flows naturally through concrete circumstances.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers who love lyrical, essay-like fiction and can savor poetic quality within understated narrative
- Those interested in traditional Chinese folk culture; the book is rich in vivid details of everyday folk life
- Readers seeking solace, as the work brims with warm humanistic care
- Writers, who can learn how to create profound atmosphere with economical language
Not a good fit for
- Readers who want strong plots and fast-paced stories
- Readers expecting explicit moral instruction or profound critique
Reading tips
- Slow reading in a quiet setting is recommended, savoring the flavor of the language as one would tea
- Begin with the two representative pieces "Ordination" and "A Tale of Big Nur," then move on to the rest
- Readers may think of Shen Congwen's "Border Town" to appreciate the continuation and renewal of the lyrical tradition
About the publisher
Tianjin People's Publishing House publishes across such fields as classic works, foreign literature, architecture, social culture and social sciences, with 749 relevant titles in the collection. In the areas of classics and scholarship, works such as Wang Guowei's Renjian Cihua and Fei Xiaotong's From the Soil and Fertility and Reproduction reflect a sustained attention to social culture and classic texts of thought. Architectural books are represented by Liang Sicheng's Annotated Yingzao Fashi and A History of Chinese Architecture, showing an emphasis on architectural heritage and building traditions. In foreign literature, translations of Sholokhov's And Quiet Flows the Don and Tolstoy's War and Peace and The Death of Ivan Ilyich, through the work of translators such as Li Gang and Yu Dawei, form a substantial series of translated works. Overall, the press combines classic texts, scholarly works and fine translations, with a publishing character oriented toward humanistic depth and the dissemination of knowledge.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 复仇
- 老鲁
- 鸡鸭名家
- 虐猫
- 八千岁
- 故里三陈
- 故里杂记
- 金冬心
- 日晷
- 异秉
- 受戒
- 徙
- 落魄
- 看水
- 大淖记事
- 子孙万代
- 窥浴
- 小孃孃
- 昙花、鹤和鬼火
- 礼俗大全
- 侯银匠
- 天鹅之死
- 鉴赏家
FAQ
Why are the monks in "Ordination" allowed to marry and eat meat?
The plot seems loose, so what is the work really trying to say?
Why is Wang Zengqi said to continue Shen Congwen's tradition?
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About the author
Wang Zengqi (1920–1997) was a modern Chinese writer, essayist, and dramatist from Gaoyou, Jiangsu. In 1939 he entered the Chinese Department of Southwest Associated University, where he studied under Shen Congwen. He later worked as an editor at Beijing Literature and as a playwright with the Beijing Peking Opera Troupe, and took part in adapting the Peking opera Shajiabang. His fiction and essays include such representative works as Shou Jie (The Love Story of a Young Monk), Da Nao Ji Shi, and Pu Qiao Ji. This site holds 77 of his titles, among them Shou Jie, the Wang Zengqi small complete works volume Da Nao Ji Shi, Renjian Caomu, Yu in Kunming, Slow Cooking Life, and several essay collections; his works are commonly grouped under classics and essays and miscellaneous writings. His prose is restrained yet evocative, drawing warmth and resonance from everyday food, plants and scenery, and the people and places of his hometown. He is known as “China's last literatus” and continues to reach a wide readership today.
