The Floating Bridge of Dreams
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
The editors believe the value of reading this book lies in experiencing a distinctive "Tanizaki aesthetic." He excels at placing seemingly transgressive emotions within exquisitely crafted classical settings, endowing them with a decadent yet solemn sense of ritual. In the title story, for example, the subtle psychological portrayal of memory and doubles shows how emotion is deformed and continued through the dilution of time and the obstruction of space. This grasp of psychological depth and emotional texture goes beyond mere curiosity of plot and touches the loneliness and obsession common to humanity. For modern readers, reading Tanizaki is not only an exotic curiosity but also an aesthetic training—learning to discover profound beauty and truth in shadow, imperfection, and transience. His writing is a bridge connecting readers to those hazy, inexpressible secret realms of feeling within.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers with a strong interest in Japanese literature, especially the aestheticist and I-novel traditions
- Deep readers seeking refined psychological portraiture and distinctive aesthetic atmosphere in literature
- Mature readers curious about the complexities of human nature and the darker sides of emotion
- Literary creators and art lovers seeking inspiration in narrative technique and aesthetic expression
Not a good fit for
- Readers of popular fiction seeking light entertainment and fast-paced plots
- Readers uncomfortable with unconventional emotional relationships or a somber aesthetic tone
Reading tips
- Slow your reading pace and immerse yourself in the atmosphere and detail the author creates; don't rush toward the ending
- Read alongside Tanizaki's essay In Praise of Shadows to better understand the roots of his aesthetic system
- After reading, take time to reflect on the emotional logic and aesthetic motives behind the characters' choices
About the publisher
Shanghai Translation Publishing House is a Chinese publisher oriented mainly toward translation and publishing. Its publications cover foreign literature, world classics and classic works, as well as social culture, folk literature and classical poetry. The database contains 2,618 titles, including Never Let Me Go, Les Misérables (2 volumes), Don Quixote (illustrated collector's edition), The Complete Comedies of Molière (4 volumes), The Complete Novels of Kafka (3 volumes), The Collected Works of Dostoevsky (9-volume set), Reason and Persons, and Oedipus Rex (Translation Classics). Its author resources include foreign writers such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Victor Hugo, Cervantes and Molière, as well as translators such as Zheng Kelu, Sun Jiameng, Li Jianwu and Zhang Kun. The publisher has brands such as "Translation Classics Selections" and "Translation Documentary," and emphasizes translated works in foreign literature and the humanities and social sciences, while also publishing bilingual dictionaries and foreign-language educational books. Public information is limited; the above is based on the book information in the database.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 刈芦
- 梦之浮桥
FAQ
Is The Floating Bridge of Dreams a novel or a short story collection? What is it mainly about?
What is Tanizaki's style like? Is this book representative of it?
Is this book demanding to read? Do I need to understand Japanese cultural background?
Comments
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About the author
Jun'ichirō Tanizaki was a modern Japanese novelist and a leading representative of aestheticist literature. Born in 1886 into a rice-merchant family in Tokyo, he studied in the Japanese literature department of Tokyo Imperial University before dropping out. In 1910 he made his name with the story "The Tattooer," which brought him attention in literary circles. After the Great Kanto Earthquake, he moved to the Kansai region, and his focus gradually shifted toward classical aesthetics. He left important works in both fiction and prose, including "The Makioka Sisters," "Naomi," "In Praise of Shadows," and "A Portrait of Shunkin." He also translated "The Tale of Genji" into modern Japanese, helping to spread the classical work. He died of kidney disease in 1965. His writing is delicate and refined, and he had a profound influence on modern Japanese aestheticist literature.
Lin Qinghua is a Chinese translator and author about whom limited public information is available. What can be confirmed is that eleven works are listed under this name in the library, commonly classified as foreign literature. Judging from the representative works, Lin focuses mainly on modern and contemporary Japanese literature, including Akutagawa Ryunosuke's Rashomon, Hell Screen, and A Basho Miscellany, Tanizaki Junichiro's The Tattooer, and Natsume Soseki's The Floating Bridge of Dreams, as well as works such as An Immoral Education Lecture and The Wall. These titles are largely short stories, essays, and literary sketches that dwell on the darker sides of human nature, aesthetic sensibility, and social satire, placing high demands on a translator's sense of style and verbal precision. Since dates of birth and death, nationality, and English name are not recorded, his personal biography cannot be outlined, but the body of works suggests a sustained engagement with Japanese literary translation that has given Chinese readers accessible texts through which to encounter these writers.
