Danjia Bay

紫灵May 2021

3.0

Word count: 147K words
Chapters: 67

Summary

The novel tells the story of Su Ximei, a Tanka girl, who leads the Tanka people in guarding their homeland and resisting invaders. It vividly depicts the life of the Tanka, who make their living from the sea along China's southern coast, and embodies this ethnic group's love of the country and their diligent, brave character. Starting from the level of social life, the novel promotes the fine spirit of the Chinese nation and fine traditional Chinese culture, telling a Guangxi story rich in local character. With full-bodied characters, distinct personalities, and a plot full of ups and downs, it is an epic that showcases the rich and varied culture of the Chinese nation.

Editor's review

*Tanka Bay* turns its gaze to the Tanka people of China's southern coast, who make their living from the sea. With Su Ximei, a Tanka girl, leading her people to guard their homeland and resist invaders as its main thread, it unfolds a long-form panorama that combines the texture of daily life with a strong sense of place. Starting from the level of social life, the novel depicts both the community's everyday labor and relations and its sense of responsibility and the choices it faces in times of danger. The characters are full-bodied with distinct personalities, and the plot is full of ups and downs. Its depiction of Tanka life gives concrete grounding to this community's diligence, bravery, and love of country, and brings readers beyond the story into a distinctly local side of fine traditional Chinese culture. As a work telling a Guangxi story, it has unique value in its presentation of ethnic culture. It suits readers interested in coastal communities, local culture, and narratives of home and country, and also serves as an accessible introduction to Tanka culture.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the life of the Tanka and other coastal communities and in local culture
Readers who enjoy long-form fiction about patriotism and resistance
Readers who want to learn about Guangxi's local stories and ethnic culture
Teachers and students who need reading on local culture or traditional culture themes

Not a good fit for

Readers who want pure romance or urban fiction and have no interest in ethnic narratives
Readers sensitive to war and invasion and who prefer light reading
Readers seeking scholarly ethnographic research on the Tanka rather than a novel's narrative

Reading tips

Start with the basic background of the Tanka's life from the sea, then enter the main thread of Su Ximei leading her people to guard their homeland.
Note the book's descriptions of Tanka daily life and how local character connects with the characters' personalities.
Read alongside a map or coastal geography materials to strengthen your sense of the story's space.

版权信息
序言
第一部缘起
一、疍女进城
二、邂逅
三、何故受欺凌
四、思心初萌
五、小年夜
六、疍家船歌
七、海殇
八、疍家棚
九、疍女采珠
十、紫珍珠
十一、再次进城
十二、回家的路
十三、抢救苏老爹
十四、疍女踩螺仔
十五、“艇仔粥”
十六、阿爹的心事
十七、祭祀
十八、相思树
十九、种下红豆
二十、疍女思情郎
二十一、疍家人的婚礼
二十二、逃婚
二十三、“女郎中”
二十四、阿爹走了
二十五、福春当家
二十六、硝烟四起
二十七、兵祸
二十八、人质
二十九、生死抉择
三十、再见梦中人
三十一、龙门岛
三十二、再次分手
第二部缘散
一、安南海滩
二、被拖走的小渔艇
三、“小疍家湾”
四、阮凤凰离开了
五、念想
六、望乡台
七、居安思危
八、新名“药师”
九、坏官起色心
十、七妹跳海了
十一、入庙习武
十二、报仇亦除害
十三、造船
十四、意外相逢
十五、重回疍家湾
十六、安居
十七、郑福春没了
十八、山路漫漫
十九、重开药铺
二十、上岛了
二十一、巧合
二十二、“鸿门宴”
二十三、阮九爷“醉”了
第三部缘合
一、军医林浩然
二、“老魈”
三、错误的姻缘
四、见信则喜
五、阴差阳错
六、疍家药寮
后记

FAQ

How are the Tanka portrayed in the book?

The novel vividly depicts the life of the Tanka, who make their living from the sea along China's southern coast, showing their diligent, brave character and love of country. Starting from the level of social life, the story lets readers see this community's concrete daily life and spirit beyond the characters' fates.

What is the book's main plot?

The novel tells the story of Su Ximei, a Tanka girl, who leads the Tanka people in guarding their homeland and resisting invaders. The characters are full-bodied with distinct personalities, and the plot is full of ups and downs, revealing the community's life and moral character within the main thread of resistance.

What is the book's cultural value?

The work promotes the fine spirit of the Chinese nation and fine traditional Chinese culture, telling a Guangxi story rich in local character. It is an epic that showcases the rich and varied culture of the Chinese nation and serves as an accessible introduction to Tanka culture and local narratives.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

紫灵 Author

Ziling is an author about whom limited public information is available. Two works by this author are currently included in the collection: Dangjia Bay and The Bronze Drum Secret. These two books show that Ziling's writing spans social fiction and suspenseful mystery: the former tends to focus on real life and the circumstances of ordinary people, while the latter emphasizes the building of suspense and the unfolding of mysteries. On the basis of the existing titles alone, it is not possible to determine the author's nationality, life history, or writing career, nor to confirm whether other pen names or additional works exist. What can be said is that Ziling is skilled at developing stories against specific regional and cultural backgrounds. The title Dangjia Bay points to the lives of boat-dwelling people and the atmosphere of the harbor, while The Bronze Drum Secret suggests an interplay of objects and secrets, indicating the author's attention to local customs and narrative atmosphere. For readers, Ziling's works should appeal to those interested in socially engaged fiction and suspenseful mystery stories; the author's style and thematic direction await further works and public information for a fuller picture.