Cindy Vallar's Blog - Posts Tagged "chinese"

Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The death of her husband surprises Shek Yeung. Not because he dies; that possibility is expected when one is a pirate. What catches her off guard is that she loved him. After all, he’s the one who stole her from her life as a prostitute to live and prey upon the sea. His death complicates her life. She commands half the Red Banner Fleet, but everything now belongs to her husband’s “adopted” son and lover, Cheung Po. Her husband’s death also puts the pirate alliance on wary footing. If she wishes to maintain control and her freedom, there is only one option: she and Cheung Po must marry.

Despite their age differences and outlooks on life, Shek Yeung and Cheung Po do wed. Theirs is a fragile alliance, but one that is on surer footing than the confederation of pirate fleets. Kwok Po-Tai of the Black Banner is the biggest threat and Cheung Po doesn’t trust him since the man dislikes sharing sea space with the Red Banner. Kwok Po-Tai is also jealous. Once her late husband’s protégé, he found himself displaced by Cheung Po. Choy Hin of the Blue Banner has close ties with Cheung Po but is also addicted to opium. He’s too easily swayed by his wife, who believes everything her English contacts share, especially if they pertain to her most hated enemy, the Dutch. The only way they will continue to rule the seas is if the Red, Black, Blue, Green, and White Banners stay united. If not, the imperial forces will win.

In addition to her concern about the alliance, Shek Yeung believes there is at least one spy among them. Then news comes that the Chinese emperor has chosen a new leader to wipe out the pirates. Pak Ling, known as the Emperor’s Sword, successfully suppressed the rebels in the north. He is smart, crafty, and determined – a formidable enemy who uses many strategies to defeat his foes. The failure of the White Banner to meet up with the Blue is also worrisome. As is intelligence learned from a Dutch captive about a pact between European enemies and the Chinese emperor.

Although loosely based on Zheng Yi Sao, this novel is not historical biographical fiction. Instead, it shadows what is known of the real pirate while offering unique and provocative circumstances to make Shek Yeung a compelling character shaped by life experiences. It is also a story of survival and knowing when to hold and when to fold. The author successfully entwines history, myth, and fiction into an intricately woven tapestry that vividly recreates time and place.




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Ching Shih, Famous Pirate Commander by Stephanie Peters

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


To survive, young Ching Shih serves men who visit her place of work. She overhears men talking, and she offers the information to a pirate for a price. They marry and she becomes his partner. Their success garners them many riches and much power. When her husband dies, she finds a way to continue to lead the Red Fleet and to instill fear in the heart of the Chinese emperor in Ching Shih.

Rather than farm the land, John Roberts joins the British Navy and seeks adventure. Later, he joins the crew of a merchant ship, which encounters pirates. He is forced to join their ranks, but soon discovers that the perks of plundering other ships will make his life richer. When his captain is ambushed and slain, the crew elects Roberts to be their commander. He chooses a new name and wreaks havoc everywhere he sails in Black Bart.

Daughter of a chieftain and pirate, Grace O’Malley chops off her hair and hides aboard her father’s ship until they are so far out at sea that he can’t tell her to go home. The day eventually comes when her mother puts her foot down and Grace must follow the traditional role of a woman in 16th-century Ireland. Later, she returns to the sea to become a pirate leader and dares to meet face-to-face with the English queen to save her son in Grace O’Malley.

When England is at war with France, a youth named Edward Teach joins a crew of privateers, but when peace comes, he signs aboard a pirate ship captained by the infamous Benjamin Hornigold, who teaches Edward how to be a pirate. Before long, he becomes famous in his own right and earns a moniker that instills fear in anyone who crosses his path: Blackbeard.

Notorious Pirates is a series of four graphic novels geared toward pirate apprentices. Each pirate’s life unfolds from earliest days to the end of his or her piratical career. Fact is entwined with legend, sometimes to fill in gaps, sometimes to further entice readers. Each book is divided into five chapters and includes additional facts about the pirate, a glossary, and several internet sites where additional information can be found. The text combines dialogue and narrative to provide a cohesive tale from start to finish. The artwork grabs the reader’s attention and the artists incorporate a variety of techniques to instill emotion into the scenes. Those found in Blackbeard are particularly good at portraying victims’ terror and Blackbeard’s fearsomeness. I particularly like how the artists of this book depict the final battle between Blackbeard and Lieutenant Maynard; it’s visually stunning without being bloody and gory. Equally compelling is how the artists depict a duel between a pirate and a sailor in Black Bart.

There are some issues with the books that may or may not bother readers. Unfortunately, the inclusion of websites is problematic. It’s great to provide additional information, but not all of the URLs are current. For example, the last one listed in Grace O’Malley – Twinkl: Who Was Grace O’Malley? – is no longer viable. I did a search to see whether the URL had changed, but the information that answers the question is no longer there. Instead “Grace O’Malley” turned up a variety of visuals and activities for use in the classroom.

While most of the artwork vividly depicts scenes and action, the graphics do have some shortcomings. The clothing in Grace O’Malley is that of a later period than the one in which she lives. Vessels of the 1500s do not have staircases – nor do those of Blackbeard’s days – and the types of cannons used on the ships differ from those of later centuries. The vessels Ching Shih and her pirates sail are junks, yet those pictured show them as being predominately Western-style ships. This detracts from the setting and misleads the reader.

There are also a few historical inaccuracies. One graphic perpetuates the myth of walking the plank. The golden age of piracy does not begin in 1701; it occurs after the War of the Spanish Succession ends in the next decade. This is supposedly why Blackbeard turns to piracy. While the depiction of how he meets Stede Bonnet is humorous, in actuality, Bonnet is gravely injured and on the mend at the time Blackbeard commandeers Bonnet’s ship.

Since this series is geared toward younger pirates in training (Reading Level: grades 2-3, Interest Level: 4-6), these books will be popular with this age group and the reinforced library bindings of the hardback editions guarantee they will stand up to frequent usage. They serve as good introductions to the pirates, and the inclusion of two females and two males ensures that the books will interest girls and boys equally. The stories do gloss over some of the seamier aspects of these pirates’ lives, so parents and teachers need not worry about this. I recommend that further investigations into these pirates be paired with these books so readers receive a fuller and more accurate picture of who Grace O’Malley, Blackbeard, Black Bart, and Ching Shih really were.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/YA-biograp...)



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Echoes across the Sea: Fujian, Persia, and the Arab World by Yuling Ding

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Trade between East and West was facilitated by Chinese, Persian, and Arab merchants, comprising key components of the Maritime Silk Road. This volume of the Illustrated Fujian and the Maritime Silk Road series examines the interactions and connections by sea between this region of the world and Fujian, China, which first started during the Tang Dynasty of Imperial China (AD 618-907). (Earlier exchanges took place via land as far back as the Han Dynasty.)

Described as being of “eight mountains, one river, and one field,” Fujian played a key role in maritime trade because most people were forced to venture asea to make their livings and to survive. (2) The first chapter explores this maritime tradition and includes photographs of early artifacts, such as boat coffins and the remains of a Han canoe. Fuzhou became renowned for shipbuilding, while Quanzhou served as a key port that welcomed foreign travelers to China. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279), ships sailed to and from this city and fifty-eight other countries. One section of the chapter is devoted to the various types of vessels that the Fujianese utilized, such as the niaochuan, a boat with a bow resembling a bird’s beak and eyes painted on either side. The photographs and other artwork clearly demonstrate the differences between these crafts. The work and quality of Fujianese shipwrights made them ideal for the building of naval ships and for those that sailed to faraway shores, such as Admiral Zheng He’s fleet, a model of which is included in this chapter.

The second chapter focuses on the mosques erected in Fujian by Muslim immigrants. They serve as evidence of the close cultural ties between China and the Middle East. One of the earliest is Qingjing Mosque, built in 1009 and the only one that still exists to showcase Central Asian medieval architecture. Many photographs take readers to the most historically important mosques. While places of worship are the focus of the second chapter, the third examines Islamic tombstones. Their inscriptions provide insights into the lives of those who journeyed to and lived in Fujian. Two disciples of Muhammad from the 7th century are buried in Quanzhou.

Chapter four looks at Muslim families who settled in Quanzhou, including the Pu (known for perfume), the Ding (including Ding Gongchen, an expert in military firearms who authored a number of studies on the subject), and the Guo (sea traders and fishermen). These families’ architecture best shows the intertwining of Islamic and Chinese cultures.

The fifth chapter delves into trade commodities and tributes. Persian and Arab merchants bring with them incense, such as frankincense (used ritualistically and to aid medicinally). Pepper, or black gold, is a spice used to flavor food or help cure ailments. The Chinese export cinnamon, musk, and rhubarb. Among the plants introduced to China are jasmine, henna, narcissus, and aloe. Tribute items include ivory, tortoiseshell, and pearls. Another important aspect of culture exchange pertains to etiquette and customs of daily life, such as murals, festivals, Arabic calligraphy, and the hijab that women wear. Also covered is the production and trading of Fujianese porcelain, whose importance is evidenced in the 2007 discovery of the Nanhai One shipwreck.

A key feature of this book is the inclusion of dates, rather than simply identifying dynasties or centuries. The artwork of ships is amazing, although some lack translations of the Chinese that appears with the illustrations, such as on that of the Xiamen Ship. (I believe these identify ship parts, but that is only an educated guess.) Also of importance is that this volume includes more narrative than in other books in the series and the English translation is seamless. The authors felt it important enough to include details about when boats sail and how long trips take – tidbits that are rarely included in many works, but which are of interest to some readers. This title also includes one of the most extensive lists of references. Echoes Across the Sea is a fascinating window into China’s maritime world and how cultural exchanges with other countries affected its own evolution and history.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Ding-Lin.html)



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