Idol (2)
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Summary
Idol (2) is Zhang Henshui's exploratory work in "war literature." It was serialized in the evening edition of Chongqing's Xinmin Bao under the title "Chu Shi Biao." Through the attitudes toward life and love of several young people in Chongqing's art circles, the work satirizes and criticizes their way of life. It sharply satirizes the hypocrisy and degeneracy of a small number of intellectuals in the rear areas during the War of Resistance, with vividly drawn details, especially in the shifts of the characters' psychology—a hallmark of Zhang Henshui's style. The Eighty-One Dreams is a popular novel by Zhang Henshui. Written during the War of Resistance, it was enormously influential and popular, and a best-selling novel in the rear areas. The literary world praised it as a "remarkable book." Using the device of "nine out of ten fables entrusted to dreams," the author writes with exuberant, unrestrained brushstrokes. The book is full of strange and fantastical suspense, spanning past and present, ancient and modern, and with keen insight it lashes out mercilessly at the problems indirectly hindering victory in the War of Resistance and at the manifestations directly harmful to it, sparing no feeling—hence its high literary value.
Editor's review
As part of Zhang Henshui's exploration of "war literature," Idol (2) continues his satire of the lifestyles of young men and women in Chongqing's art circles. Unlike war narratives that focus on the front lines, this book turns its gaze to the inner world of intellectuals in the rear areas, portraying subtle shifts in character psychology with delicate strokes and critiquing hypocrisy and degeneracy within an accessible popular story. Zhang Henshui's customary style of social fiction keeps the satire from becoming preachy: the details are vivid and the dialogue lively, and readers can sense the complex atmosphere of the era through the characters' choices and dilemmas. This edition places Idol alongside The Eighty-One Dreams—the former realistic, the latter using dreams as allegory—so that the contrast reveals the author's multiple modes of writing during the War of Resistance. The Eighty-One Dreams ranges across past and present through dream allegory, brimming with suspense and lashing out at phenomena harmful to the war effort, with considerable literary value. It is suitable for reading while learning about the social and cultural background of the wartime rear areas, and also as a research text for Zhang Henshui's transitional period.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Modern literature readers interested in Zhang Henshui's creative transition during the War of Resistance
- Scholars and students studying intellectuals in the wartime rear areas and satirical fiction
- Readers who enjoy social fiction and psychological portrayal and are open to popular narrative
- Readers who wish to understand Chongqing-era social and cultural atmosphere through literature
Not a good fit for
- Readers of military fiction who prefer grand battle scenes and front-line narratives
- Readers seeking purely lyrical or aesthetic style who dislike a satirical tone
- Readers impatient with the language and rhythm of Republican-era popular fiction
Reading tips
- Read the Idol section first, noting shifts in character psychology and details of dialogue, then read The Eighty-One Dreams to appreciate the difference in allegorical technique.
- While reading, jot down the points of satire on art-circle lifestyles and understand the author's intent in light of the wartime rear-area context.
- Read the two works in parallel, comparing realistic satire and dream allegory in terms of critical force and reading experience.
- If time is limited, read the more suspenseful chapters of The Eighty-One Dreams first, then return to the character relationships in Idol.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 第十章 甜的辛苦
- 第十一章 为了什么折腰
- 第十二章 众生相
- 第十三章 自我牺牲
- 第十四章 一切顺利
- 第十五章 割须弃袍
- 第十六章 正期待着
- 第十七章 两幕喜剧
FAQ
What is the relationship between Idol and The Eighty-One Dreams?
According to the source materials, the two books are published in one volume. Idol is Zhang Henshui's exploratory work in war literature, depicting the attitudes toward life and love of several young people in Chongqing's art circles; The Eighty-One Dreams uses dream allegory to satirize phenomena harmful to the war effort. One realistic, one allegorical, they can be read in contrast.
Is this book suitable for learning about War of Resistance literature?
Yes. It offers a literary slice of the life and inner state of intellectuals in the rear areas rather than front-line combat. To understand how popular fiction of the period engaged in social critique, reading it alongside The Eighty-One Dreams will give a fairly direct sense.
What background knowledge is needed for reading?
Knowing the background of Zhang Henshui's serialized works in Chongqing's Xinmin Bao helps but is not essential. The satire targets art-circle lifestyles and social phenomena of the War of Resistance period, which readers can grasp from textual details without prior mastery of extensive historical materials.
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About the author
Zhang Henshui
Author · China · 1895–1967
Zhang Henshui (1895–1967), originally named Xinyuan, was a native of Anhui and a writer of serialized chapter fiction, recognized as a representative author of the Mandarin Ducks and Butterflies school. Over his lifetime he wrote more than a hundred novels, and this library holds as many as 436 of his works. His writing uses the traditional chapter form as its framework, with intricate plots and large casts of characters; he excels at portraying social manners and human feelings amid social change and romantic entanglements, in language that is accessible and fluent, earning him a broad readership. His representative works include Ti Xiao Yin Yuan (A Smile of Woe), Jin Fen Shi Jia (The Golden Family), Chun Ming Wai Shi, and Ba Shi Yi Meng (Eighty-One Dreams), among which the first two have circulated especially widely in many editions. His subjects center on social novels and modern romance, with some allegorical and satirical works, giving him an important place in the history of modern popular literature.
