#balzac and the little seamstress

[lyselkatzfandomluvs]

Zhou Xùn 周迅

V magazine March 2024

[romanceyourdemons]

if i had a nickel for every early 21st century mainland chinese film where a group of young adults are sent to a rural town for reeducation during the cultural revolution and they start an innocent romance with one of the locals and later on help facilitate a secret abortion and then years later the whole setting is covered up by the three gorges dam. well then i’d have two nickels

[haveyoureadthisbook-poll]

[godzilla-reads]

🍓Red is a lucky color, right?

[maggiecheungs]

[knuckle]

so much scholarship on "self-orientalism" is garbage. i don't think there's a way to fully separate what, when, why, or how directors and authors do this but I watched Dai Sijie's Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress last night and here is a white Italian author's take on it

Once translated into Chinese, the description loses its attractive power, inverting a mechanism that does not seem to work properly in the author’s mother tongue. The author employs a similar strategy when describing the protagonist’s signature, yet without explicitly saying his name: Ma Jianling (Dai 2000, 138). Once again, when translated into Chinese, the mysterious aura the author tried to create around the signatures disappears, forcing the translator to reveal the concealed identity of the characters that composed them (Dai 2002, 126; Dai 2003, 119). Consequently, the author’s extensive self-orientalism (Chevaillier 2010, 71) succumbs to the rules of the target language, neutralizing the foreignizing effect and substituting it with a redundant and pedantic description of the names.

which like is so um... wrong because the Mandarin-language movie has an introductory scene where Ma Jianling introduces his name by explaining to the villagers why there is a drawing of a horse, sword, and bell in his possession representing his name. the idea that the phrase is supposed to be an element of mystery rather than, perhaps, an element of familiarity to Chinese speaking readers is so ??? if it didn't work and was only for orientalizing the Chinese language, why was the scene reworked visually and put into the movie (which Dai adapted and directed)?

[ivorydancing]

around the world in 1,096 days: Day 102 🇨🇳

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie

Two hapless city boys are exiled to a remote mountain village for re-education during China's infamous Cultural Revolution.

3.5/5 ★

It was interesting enough to keep me reading and I practically read it in one day, but I didn't think it was anything special.

Next up: Dominica

>>> On deck: Botswana, Cuba, Kuwait, Iraq

[porcelainseashore]

People I want to get to know better

Thank you @vampiric-hunger and @fruitssalad for the tag! 💛

LAST SONG: Sassy 009 - Lara (feat. Clairo)

FAVORITE COLOR: Pastel colours

CURRENTLY WATCHING: None, I hardly watch any series

LAST MOVIE: Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress — just rewatched this after so many years and it's still gold

CURRENT OBSESSIONS: Reading books again! I'm rotating between World of Darkness: Crimson Thaw (Vault Comics), The Hard Crowd (Rachel Kushner), and Eileen (Ottessa Moshfegh).

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Boyfriend, but I'm unwell for fictional men

LAST THING I GOOGLED: The mole people — getting some inspo for my entry in @/vampemoqueen's WoD Hallozine!

No pressure tags:

@silkenred @diableriedoll @aztarion @auspex @rennythegorequeen

@cynical-tuba @knownsome @evrensadwrn

[litandlifequotes]

I hadn’t expected that a tiny glimmer of hope for the future could transform someone so utterly.

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie

[burningdarkfire]

books i read in feb 2024

[these are all short + casual reviews - feel free to ask about individual ones if u want my full thoughts or ask for my goodreads!!] 

great pace for february! i'm in the complete opposite of a reading slump where i'm loving everything that i read, which is so enjoyable 🤗

mammoths at the gates - nghi vo ★★★★★ (fantasy novella)

a tender, thoughtful exploration of grief with great clarity of vision. i've loved every single instalment in this series!

heartstopper vol. 5 - alice oseman ★★★★★ (YA romance graphic novel)

lovely reread! i definitely enjoyed the volume over reading them online. i love how cute and charming and fun the whole comic is while still tackling serious topics with considerable weight

[REREAD] the song of achilles - madeline miller ★★★★★ (mythology retelling)

the audiobook makes such a tremendous difference in elevating this book! i gave it 3* as a paper read years ago and would probably still stand by that, but frazer douglas is working miracles

bride - ali hazelwood ★★★★☆ (contemporary romantasy)

super fun if you're into basic vampire-werewolf type of shit, and i am extremely into basic vampire-werewolf type of shit, so!

last night at the telegraph club - malinda lo ★★★★☆ (historical romance)

sometimes a book just tickles your personal fancy, and i think this is one of those. the writing was bold at parts and tastefully understated in others. it's delightful in its immigrant chinese-ness and touching in its queerness

seven ways we lie - riley redgate ★★★★☆ (YA contemporary)

solid look into the types of isolation we experience as teenagers in high school. it's pitched as gimmicky but easily transcends that into something surprisingly thoughtful

patron saints of nothing - randy ribay ★★★★☆ (YA contemporary)

idk if this is a "good" book about the sociopolitical issue at its heart, but it tackles with a lot of grace a very teenage reaction to a sense of powerlessness. it's also a hilariously cathartic book about a guy getting drastically humbled on every other page

greywaren - maggie stiefvater ★★★★☆ (fantasy)

i didn't reread the series before this finale so it's hard to judge it fairly, but it felt like a clumsy landing. i liked parts of it, but i found other parts of it totally forgettable or overwrought to no effect

balzac and the little chinese seamstress - dai sijie ★★★★☆ (historical)

reads almost pastoral, with its small scale and everyday concerns. a neat glimpse into a life under the cultural revolution, but nothing particularly unique or stirring

[DNF] a magic steeped in poison - judy i. lin ★★★☆☆ (YA fantasy)

giving up on this book after three tries. it's a completely standard YA fantasy and i think people who have an appetite for stories like this would enjoy it, but it's not for me

[lyselkatzfandomluvs]

Zhou Xùn 周迅

Elle China - November 2023 (2/2)

[twisted-tales-told]

Thank you @boydykepdf for the (forced) tag I totally did not hold them at gun point I promise

A book that pleasantly surprised you: The Book Of Dreams by Nina George. She was a new author and the plot seemed a bit wishy washy but the way it explores the unconscious and experience of those within a coma vs those outside of it was SO interesting and complex. She also explores neurodivergence in a very interesting way with one of the characters having synesthesia. Considering my girl Nina George dropped out of school incredibly young this book is very scientific in it’s exploration and understanding of how the brain works.

A book that disappointed you: I was really let down by an autobiographical graphic novel called Blankets by Craig Thomson. It starts off so wonderfully exploring his relationship with his younger brothers, but then the majority of the book is really not about that and is about a fling he had with a girl for two weeks, and I just feel like he was really scared of exploring his familial relationships in it. Which. I guess valid but I felt disappointed for him because of it.

Current read: *cw for racism* I’m all over the place. I just finished the first poppy war books but I don’t have the next ones yet so on paper I’m reading a book called Gutter Child by Jael Richardson which is a Black Dystopia, I would describe it. She explores the history of racism within this created dystopian world where every black child is born with an acquired “debt” and they have to work to pay it off. We follow a young child named Elimina who is being admitted to one of these training schools to prepare her for a life of work and paying off her debt. It’s incredibly heartbreaking and well written, I really recommend it (mind the content warnings)

On iBooks im reading The Captive Prince! It’s a trilogy im only on chapter 3 but the world is fascinating but definitely not for the faint of heart.

Books on TBR: so many but mostly ones I’ve told my friends I’m going to read. Both Kerry and Soph have recced me books that seem so fucking interesting I must devour them! Also I want to reread annihilation because I didn’t read it as thoroughly as I wanted. I only had like 3 hours to be fair.

An author you’re loving: Neil gaiman. I just will read anything he writes forever. Every single one. All of them. Also if M.L Rio ever writes again I will be picking it up. Also R.F Kuang, I will be reading yellowface as soon as I can. I also want to read anything Jael Richardson writes in the future.

Rec a book to the person who tagged you: Rae I’m reading u the book: balzac and the little chinese seamstress. It takes place in a work camp in the 1970s in china and follows two boys who have been exiled from the capital and find this suitcase of illegal translated books. The narrator is kinda a 3rd wheel between his friend and the girl he likes, who is a seamstress. The book kinda feels like it’s wandering around a lot as you read it but I really love the ending even if it is a bit predictable.

It just feels like these two hopeless boys find something that is so priceless in this fucking horrible situation.

Tagging: @messrsage @sophsicle (do ur school readings I dare u) @euphorial-docx @motswolo

[periwinklemeanderings]

https://www.kobo.com/za/en/ebook/balzac-and-the-little-chinese-seamstress-2

[diamondnokouzai]

“balzac & the little chinese seamstress” is still one of my favorite novels even though i only read it once

[withcruelty]

COMFORT LIST

comfort food(s):  buldak (the actual food, not the noodles), tonkatsu ramen

comfort drink(s):  decaf coffee, various herbal teas, strawberry lemonade, water

comfort movie(s): one-eyed jacks (1961). i really don't watch many movies jdsjfd

comfort show(s): s.upernatural, m.indhunters, d.ragon ball / dragon b.all z

comfort clothing: fleece hoodie, sweatpants, sandals, big ol fluffy robe i have

comfort song(s): as i stare at the ocean alone (orphaned land), mein herz brennt (rammstein), nebel (rammstein). all songs i used to use to calm myself down from anxiety attacks.

comfort book(s): the entire inheritance cycle by christopher paolini, balzac & the little chinese seamstress by dai sijie.

comfort game(s): s.kyrim, m.orrowind, fallout: new vegas, guild wars 1 / guild wars 2, pathfinder: WOTR

tagged by: @melioro / tagging: @will3nd, @walkeddeath, @anishael, @vulpesse, @v-jestica, @holyhitter

[knuckle]

what kind of cdramas / movies would u reccomend? if you dont mind me asking 🤔

i've mostly watched older movies of which farewell my concubine slaps the hardest but crouching tiger hidden dragon is also a fun classic. in the mood for love for tragedy. chungking express for chaos (and romance maybe?). balzac and the little chinese seamstress, i wouldn't necessarily recommend but it has an interesting atmosphere if you like slice of life coming of age like nostalgia stuff- its important cultural impact is that it kickstarted the careers for 3 massive stars (all well deserved). if you're in for a fun modern movie with fantasy vibes, ying yang master was good time unfortunately there will be no sequels because deng lun comitted tax fraud.

i really like costume dramas. i think love & redemption is a must-watch, one of the best. ashes of love is funny though it drags a bit also stars tax evasion guy - that i would say watch for the cultural impact, absolutely stunning atmospheric ideas even if not executed to the highest degree and also for like breakdown acting.

tiger and rose for a fun comedy historical fantasy. also my sister and i had a really fun time watching royal rumors but um, i'm not a fan of jeremy tsui and it looks like he is having an allergic reaction the whole time to the makeup on his face but meng ziyi hot and jiamin junzhu hot

the long ballad for li shimin #1 and the second couple #2 - it's a historical quasi wuxia about the fallout of the famous xuanwu gate incident where li shimin massacred his brothers and their families to become emperor and follows his fictional niece as she escapes the carnage on a revenge quest (also the bird scene massively funny you will know when you get there)

ancient love poetry is not well executed all throughout but has a really popping middle and a hilarious love triangle,

oh yes and story of minglan, story of yanxi palace, and nirvana in fire all all amazing - the gripes i have with them are somewhat minor but production values, acting, and plot are (for the most part) immaculate. of the three, i would say minglan reigns supreme.

watch the legends if you want to see the biggest trainwreck of a plot ever and bai lu look hot and goth and xu kai have a large blue sharpie mark on his face. oh also unchained love was great but you must watch the cut boat scene