Addiction to Lust

Chen HengqingNanhai Publication Company · ChinaJun 2024

3.4

Word count: 190 words
Chapters: 2

Summary

The book opens with an account from Yuewei Caotang Biji about a wealthy merchant and livestock, and uses it to examine human appetite and desire.

Editor's review

Taking as its starting point a strange record of a rich merchant and livestock in Yuewei Caotang Biji, this book opens an examination of human appetite and obsession. Chen Hengqing, drawing on the words of the ancients, sets absurd rumor alongside the customs of shepherds and Mongolian lamas in a cold, restrained tone that does not deliberately sensationalize but focuses on how desire departs from its proper course. The text is brief yet leaves much blank space for reflection: is the so-called "addiction" a disease of the body or a failing of the heart? Suited to slow reading in a quiet setting, and, for those interested in classical notebook fiction, it reveals a narrative strategy of mastering complexity through simplicity. The book offers no moral verdict but leaves judgment to the reader—a restraint rare in writing on such themes. If you care about the writing of desire and the modern transformation of classical notebooks, this book is worth reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in classical Chinese biji and the zhiguai tradition
Readers concerned with desire, addiction, and the boundaries of human nature
Literary readers who enjoy short-form narrative and writing that leaves space for thought
Editors and writers looking to learn how classical material can be transformed

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting systematic psychological or addiction-science analysis
Readers sensitive to content involving livestock and sexual innuendo
Readers who prefer long, continuous plots and clear moral conclusions

Reading tips

Read the quoted original passage first, then the author's commentary, and note the difference in tone between them.
Pause after each piece and write down your own judgment about "addiction" before continuing.
Read alongside the relevant entries in *Yuewei Caotang Biji* to see how the source material is transformed.

About the publisher

Nanhai Publication Company China · Founded in 1988

Nanhai Publication Company is a comprehensive publisher known for its literature and arts titles, covering fields such as classical poetry, martial arts fiction, and folk literature. Judging from the more than 1,600 books in the database, the company has released classical poetic works including the Nineteen Old Poems and the Nine Songs, as well as multiple volumes of Huanzhulouzhu's series The Swordsmen of Mount Shu, along with related writings by authors such as Guan Hanqing, Qu Yuan, Zuo Si, and Wang Zhihuan. Its publishing character lies in balancing the organization of classic texts with the dissemination of popular literature, placing poetry anthologies alongside long martial arts novels and presenting a relatively diverse literary profile. Public information is limited, and further details about its editorial practices and series planning remain to be supplemented.

版权信息
色瘾

FAQ

Is this book an academic monograph or a literary essay collection?

From the available information, the book uses records from classical biji as a starting point for short narratives and reflections, making it closer to a literary essay or biji-style writing than a systematic academic monograph. It does not offer a scientific framework for addiction; its focus is on using old stories to prompt thought about desire.

Does the book contain disturbing descriptions?

The quoted original material involves an abnormal relationship between a wealthy merchant and livestock, a bizarre record from classical biji. The author's narration is restrained and not detailed, but the subject matter itself may unsettle some readers; decide whether to read based on your own comfort level.

Is it suitable as an introductory book for understanding addiction?

Not really. The book does not discuss addiction mechanisms from a medical or psychological angle; it examines human desire through classical material. For a systematic understanding of addiction, choose relevant professional works; this book is better as supplementary reading on the literary and intellectual level.

Related on WeRead

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

Chen Hengqing Author · Chinese · 1844–1920

Chen Hengqing (1844–1920), courtesy name Zijiu, was a native of Weixian in Shandong (present-day Weicheng District, Weifang). A late Qing official and scholar, he passed the provincial examination in 1873 and the metropolitan examination in 1886. He served successively as a secretary in the Ministry of Works, rising through the Waterways, Construction, and Colonization Departments, and later held posts as Supervising Censor of the Ministry of War, Investigating Censor of the Henan Circuit, and Chief Supervising Censor. In 1908 he was appointed prefect of Jinzhou. He retired at sixty and wrote works including Jianshu Xian Notes (also known as Jili Qingtan) and Unofficial Gleanings of the Late Qing. His extant writings are considerable, with 154 titles held in our collection, many drawing on folk literature and Eastern philosophy. They touch on modern upheavals such as the militia conflicts, the Boxer movement, and the Nian rebels, as well as rural tales and social types like foxes and swindlers, and social issues such as Manchu-Han differences, bearing the documentary flavor of note-style historiography. Public information is limited, and his literary standing and influence await further study.