Classic Chinese Short Stories, Volume 2

By: Yuan Chen, Tu Kwang-Ting, Feng Meng-lung, more

Narrated by: Charlton Griffin

Chinese literature offers the most satisfying glimpse into the mysterious and beautiful civilization of China of any of the means at our disposal. But we discover in its pages the same human conditions which color our own cultures today. Love, revenge, betrayal, honor...they all bring our humanity into sharper focus, cutting through the confusion of nationality and time to draw us closer together with a celebration of our own similarities. From the eighth century Tang Dynasty to the twentieth century, Chinese authors have continued their quest to define the family of man.

Volume 2 contains seven classic stories.

Autobiographical in nature, "Passion" by Yuan Chen is the story of a man who wins the love of a woman, only to abandon her.
In "Curly Beard" by Tu Kwang-Ting, when a man vies for power, will he eschew his attempt when he realizes the Fates are not on his side?
In "Wine and Dumplings" by Feng Meng-lung, the most unlikely of men is called to a position of honor.
"Madam D" by Lien Pu is probably the most perfect tale of repressed desire and feminine longing ever written.
In the remarkable fable, "The Wolf of Chungshan" by Hsieh Liang, we understand more fully the maxim "kill or be killed."
"Spring Silkworms" and "Autumn Harvest" by Mao Tun are two poignant stories that actually form one long narrative about a peasant in modern China whose commitment to honor and devotion to tradition runs headlong into the behemoth of modernism.

Have you heard Volume 1 of Classic Chinese Short Stories? It was also a finalist in the 2003 Audie Awards.©2003 Audio Connoisseur (P)2003 Audio Connoisseur

golden oldies

As with the 1st of these books, Many are of an older historical time, which many of the chinese nationals do not even know of, very lovely stories with a warmth and hidden meaning in most of them, often liking to ones way of living,what you do is what is returned in one form or another. i really enjoyed listening to them

Bittersweet, evocative tales

Another collection of Chinese stories from Audio Connoisseur shows Charlton Griffin at his best. (Vol. 2 is just as good as Vol. 1, and possibly even better). I enjoyed being carried away by these lovely tales with their exotic locales, unusual characters, and beautifully drawn settings and sensory detail. The sound effects were a wonderful addition. My favorite here was the masterful "Madam D." Overall, the stories are somewhat sad, but memorable, beautifully written, and evocative. I highly recommend both collections to those who love short stories.

Excellent Study of Chinese Culture

Excellent presentation. Very sad tales, but excellent view of life in China and its culture over the centuries.