What do you think?
Rate this book
激流 [Jīliú] #1
Family
An essential work for anyone interested in the society and history of modern China! The first half of the twentieth century was a period of great turmoil in China. Family, one of the most popular Chinese novels of that time, vividly reflects that turmoil and serves as a basis for understanding what followed. Written in 1931, Family has been compared to Dream of the Red Chamber for its superb portrayal of the family life and society of its time. Drawn largely from Pa Chin's own experience, Family is the story of the Kao family compound, consisting of four generations plus servants. It is essentially a picture of the conflict between old China and the new tide rising to destroy it, as manifested in the daily lives of the Kao family, and particularly the three young Kao brothers. Here we see situations that, unique as they are to the time and place of this novel, recall many circumstances of today's the conflict between generations and classes, ill-fated love affairs, students' political activities, and the struggle for the liberation of women. The complex passions aroused in Family and in the reader are an indication of the universality of human experience. This novel illustrates the effectiveness of fiction as a vehicle for translating the experience of one culture to another very different one.
329 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1933
76 people are currently reading
2013 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
March 18, 2020
Esta novela me ha encantado, una de mis preferidas de este #marzoasiatico
Ba Jin retrata aquí la vida de una familia acomodada en la China de principios del Siglo XX y cómo las ideas progresistas van calando en las nuevas generaciones y chocan frontalmente con la vida tradicional que se llevaba en estas casas.
En esta historia tenemos representadas las dos vertientes de la sociedad china de clase alta de la época, por un lado el hermano mayor que debe obedecer en todo (desde el trabajo que debe hacer a la mujer con la que debe casarse) y respetar la tradición y a sus mayores, y por el otro el menor, que quiere romper con todas las viejas tradiciones (desde el vendaje de pies, las supersticiones absurdas, la injusticias cometidas con los criados o la falta de libertad de los jóvenes).
El retrato que hace el autor de la sociedad es sorprendentemente amplio, porque aunque los personajes principales de la novela pertenecen a la clase alta, hay una mirada hacia la vida de los criados, las concubinas, y especialmente a las dificultades de las mujeres para estudiar, que me ha gustado muchísimo.
Me parece un libro muy sencillo de leer, super entretenido y que logra al mismo tiempo enseñarte muchas cosas de la cultura china y lo que significó aquella época llena de turbulencias, de revoluciones, guerras y cambios.
Es cierto que de la mitad al final los acontecimientos se precipitan y a veces se suceden las situaciones melodramáticas entre muertes y llantos, pero en general me ha parecido una novela muy recomendable y que personalmente he disfrutado muchísimo.
Es una pena que las siguientes novelas de las trilogía no estén en castellano, aunque si entendéis el catalán creo que podéis encontrar editado 'Primavera' que continúa las andanzas de la familia Gao.
Si no, al menos esta historia cierra una etapa en la vida de la familia Gao de manera perfecta en mi opinión.
Ba Jin retrata aquí la vida de una familia acomodada en la China de principios del Siglo XX y cómo las ideas progresistas van calando en las nuevas generaciones y chocan frontalmente con la vida tradicional que se llevaba en estas casas.
En esta historia tenemos representadas las dos vertientes de la sociedad china de clase alta de la época, por un lado el hermano mayor que debe obedecer en todo (desde el trabajo que debe hacer a la mujer con la que debe casarse) y respetar la tradición y a sus mayores, y por el otro el menor, que quiere romper con todas las viejas tradiciones (desde el vendaje de pies, las supersticiones absurdas, la injusticias cometidas con los criados o la falta de libertad de los jóvenes).
El retrato que hace el autor de la sociedad es sorprendentemente amplio, porque aunque los personajes principales de la novela pertenecen a la clase alta, hay una mirada hacia la vida de los criados, las concubinas, y especialmente a las dificultades de las mujeres para estudiar, que me ha gustado muchísimo.
Me parece un libro muy sencillo de leer, super entretenido y que logra al mismo tiempo enseñarte muchas cosas de la cultura china y lo que significó aquella época llena de turbulencias, de revoluciones, guerras y cambios.
Es cierto que de la mitad al final los acontecimientos se precipitan y a veces se suceden las situaciones melodramáticas entre muertes y llantos, pero en general me ha parecido una novela muy recomendable y que personalmente he disfrutado muchísimo.
Es una pena que las siguientes novelas de las trilogía no estén en castellano, aunque si entendéis el catalán creo que podéis encontrar editado 'Primavera' que continúa las andanzas de la familia Gao.
Si no, al menos esta historia cierra una etapa en la vida de la familia Gao de manera perfecta en mi opinión.
April 29, 2018
An interesting introspective look at China a hundred years ago. Strong themes of progress vs tradition. It was about negative 500 times as happy as I was expecting (I thought it was going to be something like Full House with Chinese family dynamics, but there was way more death and swearing of souls to revolutions than I recall from that TV show. Haven't seen the reboot though, so who knows). The main character (and probably the author) was brimming with revolutionary energy. I'm not sure how accurate his portrayal represents the general mood of China at the time (Ba Jin's intelligence and the frequency at which I imagine his body fervently vibrated while he wrote this book can't possibly be considered normal), but this story helps get a feel for the revolutionary spirit that led to the events of the next few decades.
May 10, 2019
This novel has ofted been criticized due to its stereotypical vision of human ties, of women's role, of the Chinese tradition. However, this is exactly what Family is great for: it is an accurate portrait of the May Fourth Movement, and it displays the conflict between the revolutionary ideas of modernist intellectuals, and the pedantery and superstition of traditional confucianism. Every character, although "stereotipical", is unforgettable and deep, and somehow a protagonist of the novel. Female charachters have voices, ambitions and real feelings, and no charachter's life is less meaningful than the others'. In the end, the whole novel is both tragical and hopeful. The old society has come to an end, and a new generation rises. Those who are still lingering on superstition and old values cannot but be defeated.
June 30, 2020
En china una tradición muy arraigada son los matrimonio arreglado, este libro habla sobre tres hermanos y su luchan contra las tradiciones que les impiden decidir su destino. Un libro que narrada muy bien las tragedias y alegrías de tres jóvenes de clase acomodada y los que los rodean.
June 27, 2020
Una novela que gira en torno a una familia en la época feudal con todas sus normas y bagaje de costumbres súper rígidas., que están en cabeza del abuelo sostenerlas explícita o implícitamente...
Por otro lado dentro de la misma familia hay en germen de cambio, ambas partes van a enfrentarse lo viejo y lo nuevo de una manera muy interesante.
Los cambios introducidos por la cultura occidental serán para la vieja oligarquía china un una barrera infranqueable.
No hay placidez en ese universo hermético, sino infelicidad, autoritarismo, estupidez y crueldad.
Los tres hermanos que con los principales personajes son muy diferentes entre si y cada uno va a aportar una visión diferente del modo de romper con la tradición
Una novela donde están a flor de piel las emociones, frustraciones en pos de la tradición
También hay una gran variedad de personajes secundarios que van mostrando ambas caras concubinas, sirvientas, quienes sufren y/ defienden ambos pensamientos.
Otro tema también tratado por el autor es la educación, en especial la educación de la mujer, y la libertad de acceder a tener una igualdad con el hombre, todo un desafío.
La prosa es ágil y nunca se me hizo aburrida o difícil, realmente me ha gustado mucho
Por otro lado dentro de la misma familia hay en germen de cambio, ambas partes van a enfrentarse lo viejo y lo nuevo de una manera muy interesante.
Los cambios introducidos por la cultura occidental serán para la vieja oligarquía china un una barrera infranqueable.
No hay placidez en ese universo hermético, sino infelicidad, autoritarismo, estupidez y crueldad.
Los tres hermanos que con los principales personajes son muy diferentes entre si y cada uno va a aportar una visión diferente del modo de romper con la tradición
Una novela donde están a flor de piel las emociones, frustraciones en pos de la tradición
También hay una gran variedad de personajes secundarios que van mostrando ambas caras concubinas, sirvientas, quienes sufren y/ defienden ambos pensamientos.
Otro tema también tratado por el autor es la educación, en especial la educación de la mujer, y la libertad de acceder a tener una igualdad con el hombre, todo un desafío.
La prosa es ágil y nunca se me hizo aburrida o difícil, realmente me ha gustado mucho
August 1, 2022
Nota real: 9/10
Utilizando como vehículo la novela, el autor narra desde la experiencia personal, la decadencia del milenario sistema feudal de familia tradicional de la china que se produjo en las primeras décadas del siglo XX, sobre todo a partir de la caída del último emperador. Durante toda la novela se puede comprobar el funcionamiento del clan, la confrontación de las generaciones más jóvenes con los mayores, donde podemos ver desde la rebeldía de algunos de los más jóvenes, la aceptación del sistema aunque ya no se crea en él de las generaciones intermedias y la mano de hierro de los mayores para que nada se mueva.
Un libro no excesivamente largo, donde con una narrativa que no se hace pesada en ningún momento el autor en algunos momentos te traslada totalmente a esa época, con 4 generaciones de una misma familia, con sus hijos, sus nietos, sus criados viven totalmente a expensas de la voluntad del abuelo, cabeza de familia donde su palabra es algo más que ley, es innegociable, inquebrantable y no admite discusión.
Utilizando como vehículo la novela, el autor narra desde la experiencia personal, la decadencia del milenario sistema feudal de familia tradicional de la china que se produjo en las primeras décadas del siglo XX, sobre todo a partir de la caída del último emperador. Durante toda la novela se puede comprobar el funcionamiento del clan, la confrontación de las generaciones más jóvenes con los mayores, donde podemos ver desde la rebeldía de algunos de los más jóvenes, la aceptación del sistema aunque ya no se crea en él de las generaciones intermedias y la mano de hierro de los mayores para que nada se mueva.
Un libro no excesivamente largo, donde con una narrativa que no se hace pesada en ningún momento el autor en algunos momentos te traslada totalmente a esa época, con 4 generaciones de una misma familia, con sus hijos, sus nietos, sus criados viven totalmente a expensas de la voluntad del abuelo, cabeza de familia donde su palabra es algo más que ley, es innegociable, inquebrantable y no admite discusión.
March 4, 2025
Pretty good for a school book! There was literally not a single boring part of this book and I love the characters
December 20, 2023
FAMIGLIE
Ba Jin scrisse "Famiglia" nel 1931, ritraendo la famiglia Gao attraverso il primo ventennio del '900 seguendo con particolare attenzione i tre fratelli Juexin, Juemin e Juehui e le donne che li circondano - madri, cugine, innamorate.
Ba Jin attinge a piene mani dalla sua stessa esperienza senza risparmiare la critica alla società patriarcale tradizionale cinese e come essa contrasti con la nuova mentalità moderna: così abbiamo un patriarca le cui decisioni, a volte arbitrarie, influiscono in maniera totale sui destini dei discendenti (e servitù), al punto da annientarli.
Collocato nei primi del '900, in "Famiglia" si focalizza sulla nascita e la diffusione del Movimento del 4 Maggio 1919 che spinge a gran voce l'adozione di ideali occidentali come la democrazia e la scienza.
Infatti, ai tempi della sua pubblicazione, "Famiglia" contribuì alla diffusione delle idee progressiste e stabilì l'autore come uno dei grandi della letteratura cinese.
Nonostante la forte componente storica, la prosa è tutt'altro che noiosa, anzi, è incalzante e sarà impossibile non continuare la lettura di questa saga familiare.
Grande spazio hanno anche le donne Gao; figure a tutto tondo che devono affrontare il doppio del peso della tradizione rispetto agli uomini e che Ba Jin ritrae in conflitto con la morale confuciana o da questa schiacciate.
Un ottimo libro con cui iniziare a conoscere la letteratura cinese.
Ba Jin scrisse "Famiglia" nel 1931, ritraendo la famiglia Gao attraverso il primo ventennio del '900 seguendo con particolare attenzione i tre fratelli Juexin, Juemin e Juehui e le donne che li circondano - madri, cugine, innamorate.
Ba Jin attinge a piene mani dalla sua stessa esperienza senza risparmiare la critica alla società patriarcale tradizionale cinese e come essa contrasti con la nuova mentalità moderna: così abbiamo un patriarca le cui decisioni, a volte arbitrarie, influiscono in maniera totale sui destini dei discendenti (e servitù), al punto da annientarli.
Collocato nei primi del '900, in "Famiglia" si focalizza sulla nascita e la diffusione del Movimento del 4 Maggio 1919 che spinge a gran voce l'adozione di ideali occidentali come la democrazia e la scienza.
Infatti, ai tempi della sua pubblicazione, "Famiglia" contribuì alla diffusione delle idee progressiste e stabilì l'autore come uno dei grandi della letteratura cinese.
Nonostante la forte componente storica, la prosa è tutt'altro che noiosa, anzi, è incalzante e sarà impossibile non continuare la lettura di questa saga familiare.
Grande spazio hanno anche le donne Gao; figure a tutto tondo che devono affrontare il doppio del peso della tradizione rispetto agli uomini e che Ba Jin ritrae in conflitto con la morale confuciana o da questa schiacciate.
Un ottimo libro con cui iniziare a conoscere la letteratura cinese.
July 10, 2021
Notes on the book with an emphasis on prominent characters.
"Family" was written by Ba Jin in 1931. It is the first book of a trilogy, followed by "Spring" and "Autumn". The story centers on the Gao family in the late 1910s - the era leading up to the May Fourth Movement - with particular focus on three young brothers (Juexin, Juemin, Juehui) as they come of age.
The youth in this story are nearly all destroyed, either physically or spiritually, by the machinations of their elders and the prevailing social order. Forced marriage, suppressed love, suicide, abandoned studies, neglect, and other calamities cut down these young protagonists like the axe to green saplings. All the while, these youths bear witness to their elders' blighted and corrupt practices - sustained by long bent and broken social institutions of the time.
That said, not even the most powerful of the elderly are immune to the family's decrepit condition. Lao Yeye [Grandfather], the patriarch with no tolerance for subordination, is the most deliberate example provided by Ba Jin. Succumbing to illness following a particularly strong bout of rage, Lao Yeye collapses and is confined to his bed chambers. His young wife, dependent on him and therefore exasperated over his condition, hires a medicine man to drive away the "ghosts" that are ailing him. The exorcist, however, proceeds to light noxious incense and make a racket in Lao Yeye's bed chambers, disrupting his rest and worsening his health. Helpless to defend himself from such superstition, and with all other family members cowed by his wife's desperation, only Juehui resists her demands and the exorcist's prodding and prying. The youngest brother's rebellion is the only thing that gives Lao Yeye a modicum of rest as he slowly slips away - earning his wife's enmity but also the old man's appreciation. Lao Yeye realizes the rot overwhelming his household, a rot he has no power to dispel. Juehui is the only hope in spite of his lack of "filial piety." Juehui and his brothers, the youngest generation and consequently the least corrupted, are the only one's capable of escaping the Gao family's death spiral.
Juexin, however, is too thoroughly bound by his status. He embodies the sacrifice mentality that pervaded many intellectuals of that era. Bound by duty as the eldest brother and inheritor of the family title, he is also subject to an arranged marriage, unable to choose the girl he loves. The birth of Juexin's first son further binds him to social duty, cementing his position between the younger and older generations. He is subject to the frustrations of both sides, and is punished accordingly. However, his misery is just as much inflicted as permitted. While pitiable, Juexin's lack of courage arouses a degree of loathing, many of his troubles would be overcome or at least lessened if he dared to assert himself more vigorously. Instead, Juexin becomes a pawn and punching bag, losing more and more of his character in the process. This loss culminates with his own wife's passing during childbirth. Already humiliated by the family politics that sent her to a remote hut outside the city, Juexin is denied entry to the room before his wife takes her final breath.
Juemin, as the middle brother also sits between his brothers in terms of disposition. However, falling in love with his cousin Qin drives Juemin to go into hiding and renege on family duty. While initially somewhere between Juexin's sacrifice and submission and Juehui's iconoclastic defiance, he ultimately chooses to side with idealism. This choice fortuitously pays off with Lao Yeye's unexpected change of heart on his death bed: granting Juemin permission to marry Qin.
Juehui, the most ardent to defy the societal order and determine a new future for China's young generation, embodies the lofty idealism of his generation. While already on this course before Mingfeng's death, Juehui fully dives into his cause following her suicide. Her death marks him, driving his resolve to carry out change in the social order. No other character is as resolute and stubborn as he is except, perhaps, Lao Yeye. Juehui thoroughly represents the firebrand youth of the May Fourth movement. He refuses to give any quarter to what he considers antiquated conventions of society. Where he finds no direct way forward to promote ideals, Juehui does not desist but rather seeks another way to progress. If still unsuccessful, he does not hesitate to bring the issue to a head, disregarding the consequences that, ultimately, Juexin may have to bear in his stead.
Beyond the three brothers, several female youth feature prominently in Ba Jin's novel. With the exception of Qin, these girls all face fates more miserable than their male counterparts.
Mei, Juexin's first love, is devastated by her lost chance to be with him. After being married off to another man outside the city, she returns after his untimely death after only a year of marriage, greatly aged in spirit. She eventually wastes away from consumption (Throughout the book, I was a bit put off by Ba Jin's heavy-handed use of some literary tropes - I felt the gravity of Mei's death was lessened by this.)
Mingfeng, who bears witness to Mei's suffering, resolves not to meet the same fate. When she is informed of her impending arranged marriage, not only separating her from Juehui but also sending her to the house of an ill-tempered geezer, Mingfeng does not lose her resolve. Unfortunately, she fails to notify Juehui of the situation. And as for Juehui, he utterly fails to recognize her miserable state of mind until it's too late. Mingfeng's martyrdom is wholly needless and yet encapsulates the perceived fate of many of these youths: either die spiritually only to walk the earth as a shadow of once bright and lively dreams or take one's own life directly, preserving the ideal and denying a lifetime of sadness. In another light, she is both the victim of society in its present form, as well as the promises that had been instilled in this generation but could not be realized.
Qin might be described as the lucky one. However, she has her own portends, most significantly her coughing up blood every now and then. Qin also strikes me to be much akin to her love, Juemin, with regards to her outlook and character. Unlike most of the other girls, Qin is quite active on the side of promoting new thought. She is witty and intelligent, but more importantly shows a willingness to express her opinion on what are considered radical new ideas, e.g. cutting one's hair. However, she does not go to the same lengths as Juehui or others to actually realize these ideas. (One of her classmates does cut her own hair, Qin does not). Qin gains a self-awareness that while she is a proponent for the actions that may result in a new society, she herself is not quite willing to follow through with certain actions and their consequences.
Yu, Juexin's wife also becomes a victim of the Gao family's dysfunction. A faithful wife and caring mother, she shares Juexin's burdens as he suffers the consequences of playing middleman in the conflict between his brothers and their elders. She never complains and, like Juexin, resigns herself to her own position. However, as his wife, Juexin is unable to shield her from the troubles of the family. Her victimhood is finalized with Lao Yeye's death. The late patriarch's young wife, not willing to forgive Juehui's defiance with the exorcist, enacts revenge by forcing Juexin to send his wife outside the city to give birth. With Lao Yeye's body yet to be interred, Yitaitai claims that a childbirth in the same house would negatively effect his spirit. She gains the support of family elders to remove Yu from the house, elevating the stress of an imminent childbirth on Yu's mind and body. Cruelly, even as she lies dying from complications during labor, the women of the family deny Juexin entry to comfort her.
"Family" was written by Ba Jin in 1931. It is the first book of a trilogy, followed by "Spring" and "Autumn". The story centers on the Gao family in the late 1910s - the era leading up to the May Fourth Movement - with particular focus on three young brothers (Juexin, Juemin, Juehui) as they come of age.
The youth in this story are nearly all destroyed, either physically or spiritually, by the machinations of their elders and the prevailing social order. Forced marriage, suppressed love, suicide, abandoned studies, neglect, and other calamities cut down these young protagonists like the axe to green saplings. All the while, these youths bear witness to their elders' blighted and corrupt practices - sustained by long bent and broken social institutions of the time.
That said, not even the most powerful of the elderly are immune to the family's decrepit condition. Lao Yeye [Grandfather], the patriarch with no tolerance for subordination, is the most deliberate example provided by Ba Jin. Succumbing to illness following a particularly strong bout of rage, Lao Yeye collapses and is confined to his bed chambers. His young wife, dependent on him and therefore exasperated over his condition, hires a medicine man to drive away the "ghosts" that are ailing him. The exorcist, however, proceeds to light noxious incense and make a racket in Lao Yeye's bed chambers, disrupting his rest and worsening his health. Helpless to defend himself from such superstition, and with all other family members cowed by his wife's desperation, only Juehui resists her demands and the exorcist's prodding and prying. The youngest brother's rebellion is the only thing that gives Lao Yeye a modicum of rest as he slowly slips away - earning his wife's enmity but also the old man's appreciation. Lao Yeye realizes the rot overwhelming his household, a rot he has no power to dispel. Juehui is the only hope in spite of his lack of "filial piety." Juehui and his brothers, the youngest generation and consequently the least corrupted, are the only one's capable of escaping the Gao family's death spiral.
Juexin, however, is too thoroughly bound by his status. He embodies the sacrifice mentality that pervaded many intellectuals of that era. Bound by duty as the eldest brother and inheritor of the family title, he is also subject to an arranged marriage, unable to choose the girl he loves. The birth of Juexin's first son further binds him to social duty, cementing his position between the younger and older generations. He is subject to the frustrations of both sides, and is punished accordingly. However, his misery is just as much inflicted as permitted. While pitiable, Juexin's lack of courage arouses a degree of loathing, many of his troubles would be overcome or at least lessened if he dared to assert himself more vigorously. Instead, Juexin becomes a pawn and punching bag, losing more and more of his character in the process. This loss culminates with his own wife's passing during childbirth. Already humiliated by the family politics that sent her to a remote hut outside the city, Juexin is denied entry to the room before his wife takes her final breath.
Juemin, as the middle brother also sits between his brothers in terms of disposition. However, falling in love with his cousin Qin drives Juemin to go into hiding and renege on family duty. While initially somewhere between Juexin's sacrifice and submission and Juehui's iconoclastic defiance, he ultimately chooses to side with idealism. This choice fortuitously pays off with Lao Yeye's unexpected change of heart on his death bed: granting Juemin permission to marry Qin.
Juehui, the most ardent to defy the societal order and determine a new future for China's young generation, embodies the lofty idealism of his generation. While already on this course before Mingfeng's death, Juehui fully dives into his cause following her suicide. Her death marks him, driving his resolve to carry out change in the social order. No other character is as resolute and stubborn as he is except, perhaps, Lao Yeye. Juehui thoroughly represents the firebrand youth of the May Fourth movement. He refuses to give any quarter to what he considers antiquated conventions of society. Where he finds no direct way forward to promote ideals, Juehui does not desist but rather seeks another way to progress. If still unsuccessful, he does not hesitate to bring the issue to a head, disregarding the consequences that, ultimately, Juexin may have to bear in his stead.
Beyond the three brothers, several female youth feature prominently in Ba Jin's novel. With the exception of Qin, these girls all face fates more miserable than their male counterparts.
Mei, Juexin's first love, is devastated by her lost chance to be with him. After being married off to another man outside the city, she returns after his untimely death after only a year of marriage, greatly aged in spirit. She eventually wastes away from consumption (Throughout the book, I was a bit put off by Ba Jin's heavy-handed use of some literary tropes - I felt the gravity of Mei's death was lessened by this.)
Mingfeng, who bears witness to Mei's suffering, resolves not to meet the same fate. When she is informed of her impending arranged marriage, not only separating her from Juehui but also sending her to the house of an ill-tempered geezer, Mingfeng does not lose her resolve. Unfortunately, she fails to notify Juehui of the situation. And as for Juehui, he utterly fails to recognize her miserable state of mind until it's too late. Mingfeng's martyrdom is wholly needless and yet encapsulates the perceived fate of many of these youths: either die spiritually only to walk the earth as a shadow of once bright and lively dreams or take one's own life directly, preserving the ideal and denying a lifetime of sadness. In another light, she is both the victim of society in its present form, as well as the promises that had been instilled in this generation but could not be realized.
Qin might be described as the lucky one. However, she has her own portends, most significantly her coughing up blood every now and then. Qin also strikes me to be much akin to her love, Juemin, with regards to her outlook and character. Unlike most of the other girls, Qin is quite active on the side of promoting new thought. She is witty and intelligent, but more importantly shows a willingness to express her opinion on what are considered radical new ideas, e.g. cutting one's hair. However, she does not go to the same lengths as Juehui or others to actually realize these ideas. (One of her classmates does cut her own hair, Qin does not). Qin gains a self-awareness that while she is a proponent for the actions that may result in a new society, she herself is not quite willing to follow through with certain actions and their consequences.
Yu, Juexin's wife also becomes a victim of the Gao family's dysfunction. A faithful wife and caring mother, she shares Juexin's burdens as he suffers the consequences of playing middleman in the conflict between his brothers and their elders. She never complains and, like Juexin, resigns herself to her own position. However, as his wife, Juexin is unable to shield her from the troubles of the family. Her victimhood is finalized with Lao Yeye's death. The late patriarch's young wife, not willing to forgive Juehui's defiance with the exorcist, enacts revenge by forcing Juexin to send his wife outside the city to give birth. With Lao Yeye's body yet to be interred, Yitaitai claims that a childbirth in the same house would negatively effect his spirit. She gains the support of family elders to remove Yu from the house, elevating the stress of an imminent childbirth on Yu's mind and body. Cruelly, even as she lies dying from complications during labor, the women of the family deny Juexin entry to comfort her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2021
Mimo okrągłych 90 lat od wydania tej książki, jest ona przerażająco aktualna, szczególnie w kontekście atmosfery w polskim społeczeństwie w ostatnich latach. Nie pamiętam kiedy ostatnio tak mocno utożsamiłem się z bohaterem literackim jak z Juehuiem. Świetnie odnalazłem się w odczuciach chińskiego nastolatka, buntującego się przeciwko opresyjnemu feudalizmowi w chińskim społeczeństwie przed stu laty. I to trochę straszne i smutne.
Jeśli chodzi o samą lekturę, to dawno nie czytałem już klasycznej powieści z tego okresu i początki były bardzo trudne, ale warto dać tej książce szansę na rozkręcenie się. Istnieje także tłumaczenie polskie z 1961 roku (wydane pod tytułem "Gdy bogowie odchodzą"). Nie miałem go nigdy w ręce, ale ponoć nie jest najlepsze. Jeśli tak, to szkoda, bo Ba Jin pisze po prostu pięknie, bezpretensjonalnym, prostym językiem, nie silącym się na patos i zbędne ozdobniki, jego styl jest bardzo naturalny i autentyczny.
Jeśli chodzi o samą lekturę, to dawno nie czytałem już klasycznej powieści z tego okresu i początki były bardzo trudne, ale warto dać tej książce szansę na rozkręcenie się. Istnieje także tłumaczenie polskie z 1961 roku (wydane pod tytułem "Gdy bogowie odchodzą"). Nie miałem go nigdy w ręce, ale ponoć nie jest najlepsze. Jeśli tak, to szkoda, bo Ba Jin pisze po prostu pięknie, bezpretensjonalnym, prostym językiem, nie silącym się na patos i zbędne ozdobniki, jego styl jest bardzo naturalny i autentyczny.
Read
October 29, 2023gonna be so for real i think i'm like the rare person in my class who actually kind of didn't hate this book. YES it is CONFUSING and i'm not sure i have any idea who is who at all i have literally no idea who the cousins are and half the time i mixed the brothers up when they were called by their names and not just "__ Brother" but there were some moments when i was like okay so this isn't that bad. sure it deals with revolutionary chinese era problems that i don't necessarily get a century later and sure it's just DEPRESSING! but also i was kind of invested. don't know why. i don't do family sagas at all (i read ken follett's when i was a kid and immediately decided never to again <- DON'T read him as an 11 year old). i kinda wnated to punch almost every single person in this book, some more than others.
anyway uhh yeah time to write a forums reaction post on this book sigh
anyway uhh yeah time to write a forums reaction post on this book sigh
March 29, 2023
4.5 out of 5 stars
This book was soooooo good. The only thing I had a problem with was not at all understanding Chien-yun's character in the book. But otherwise I am so happy it was one of the books I had to read for school because I dont think I would have stumbled upon this book otherwise. It's an accurate representation of how China was in this time. The translation was perfect, & I fell in love with most of the characters. My heart broke like 15 times through this book. Highly recommend.
This book was soooooo good. The only thing I had a problem with was not at all understanding Chien-yun's character in the book. But otherwise I am so happy it was one of the books I had to read for school because I dont think I would have stumbled upon this book otherwise. It's an accurate representation of how China was in this time. The translation was perfect, & I fell in love with most of the characters. My heart broke like 15 times through this book. Highly recommend.
March 4, 2025
SOOO SAD!! i love this book it's soo juicy and i adore chueh-hui so much. i miss jui and ming feng sm they didn't deserve their death.
some of the characters tho R SOOO ANNOYING but i still like the book. Translations are a little rough though
some of the characters tho R SOOO ANNOYING but i still like the book. Translations are a little rough though
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2017
Ba Jin se hacía llamar así en honor de Bakunin y escribió esta perfecta introducción al periodo de la China republicana, justo antes de que el gran imperio se convirtiera en estado comunista.
August 28, 2024
Aquesta novel·la conté:
-Una casa familiar tan gran que sembla una comarca
-Una família extensa
-Alguna revolta estudiantil
-Un avi patriarca
-Tres germans, cadascun més rebel que l'anterior
-Criades i concubines
-Algunes supersticions
-Com negar-se a un matrimoni concertat sense haver tingut referents
-Moltíssimes partides de mahjong
-Una casa familiar tan gran que sembla una comarca
-Una família extensa
-Alguna revolta estudiantil
-Un avi patriarca
-Tres germans, cadascun més rebel que l'anterior
-Criades i concubines
-Algunes supersticions
-Com negar-se a un matrimoni concertat sense haver tingut referents
-Moltíssimes partides de mahjong
Read
July 25, 2023Si los buddenbrook lo hubiese escrito un señor chino 30 años después sería este libro
November 6, 2017
5 estrellas muy bien merecidas.
Cuando me mandaron este libro en clase jamás pensé que me fuera a gustar por mi experiencia con otros libros orientales, pero me sorprendió completamente.
El autor nos presenta una familia china enfrentada entre ella por los valores tradicionales y las nuevas ideas.
Los personajes están muy bien caracterizados y muchos de ellos te llegan al corazón fácilmente.
No sé qué más comentar, solo que es un libro precioso que representa la lucha de un joven (Juehui) para salir de la tradicional familia que no deja sacar sus ideales fuera. Creo que todos deberían de leerla, no se arrepentirán, sobre todo si están interesados en la cultura China.
Cuando me mandaron este libro en clase jamás pensé que me fuera a gustar por mi experiencia con otros libros orientales, pero me sorprendió completamente.
El autor nos presenta una familia china enfrentada entre ella por los valores tradicionales y las nuevas ideas.
Los personajes están muy bien caracterizados y muchos de ellos te llegan al corazón fácilmente.
No sé qué más comentar, solo que es un libro precioso que representa la lucha de un joven (Juehui) para salir de la tradicional familia que no deja sacar sus ideales fuera. Creo que todos deberían de leerla, no se arrepentirán, sobre todo si están interesados en la cultura China.
February 19, 2008
I LOVED this book in highschool and then it went out of print and I could never find it. I searched used bookstores for years in the early nineties. It came to my mind again this year during our school's book fair and I realized that so much more is available because of the internet and sure enough Barnes and Noble could order me a copy. It's about the Chinese Youth Revolution and the downfall of feudalism basically. It's historical fiction and somewhat autobiographical. I'm reading it again and it's just as good as I remember. Yeah modern technology.
January 30, 2015
I probably would have enjoyed this more had I been able to read it in Chinese; the translation was a bit too stilted. Nonetheless, it was a great insight into the social revolution in the 1930s, when more independent-minded youth often found themselves running up against the confining rules and arrangements of their extended families.
April 19, 2009
I've been looking for this for years - I read it in college and could never find who wrote it. You try googling books with the word "family" in them. I finally hit the right combo (thanks wiki!!).
Fantastic book! I recommend it to anyone!
Fantastic book! I recommend it to anyone!
March 16, 2012
A great look at early Nationalist Period China, circa May Fourth Movement. Incredibly interesting views on gender roles, equality, superstition, traditionalism, etc. One of the great Chinese novels. Must-read for anyone interested in the development of Modern China.
April 3, 2021
Podeu trobar-la completa al blog: https://llegirperviurealtresvides.blo...
Ba Jin retrata el clan Gao, una família molt gran, amb moltíssimes branques i amb moltíssims criats, que viuen en una casa enorme, amb un jardí inabastable que fins i tot té un llac i un pavelló al mig. De fet, al final del llibre hi ha un llistat de personatges que ajuda a situar tots els tiets i germans, però jo em vaig fer el meu propi arbre genealògic.
L’avi Gao és el patriarca, de qui pengen les cinc branques familiars. Totes, excepte la segona (la tia Zhang, que és vídua, i la cosina Qin) viuen sota el mateix sostre. Els protagonistes són els néts de la branca principal: Juexin, Juemin i Juehui. També hi ha Shuhua, però no té un paper tan destacat en aquesta obra.
Els tres germans encarnen tres maneres diferents d’enfrontar-se al món tradicional; a cap dels tres els agrada, però cadascú ho gestiona diferent.
Els personatges femenins tenen una gran importància en la novel·la i també encarnen idees diferents. Tot i que lluny del feminisme actual, Ba Jin denota certa modernitat i reivindicava el paper de les dones a la societat. Així, declarava que les dones “no són joguines dels homes”. A Família la majora de dones són, d’una manera o d’una altra, víctimes del pensament tradicional.
Pel que fa a la trama, la introducció és llarga i pràcticament no hi passa res (comparat amb el nus-desenllaç). Es respira una calma tensa, que acaba esclatant i accelerant el ritme dels esdeveniments amb drama del bo. Família és, bàsicament, un retrat de la decadència de la tradició xinesa, en què es posen en dubte creences i maneres de fer molt arrelades que comporten el patiment i la infelicitat dels joves.
He gaudit la lectura sobretot pel món que s’hi retrata i per la profunditat dels personatges, així com per la manera com està escrit i traduït. Tot i que tenia ganes d’acabar de conèixer la història dels joves de la família Gao, pel meu gust, la història es desenvolupa de manera massa frenètica a partir de la meitat del llibre.
Continuaré amb la trilogia, ja que inicialment el llibre que em va cridar l’atenció va ser Primavera, però quan vaig veure que formava part d’una trilogia, vaig decidir començar pel principi.
Ba Jin retrata el clan Gao, una família molt gran, amb moltíssimes branques i amb moltíssims criats, que viuen en una casa enorme, amb un jardí inabastable que fins i tot té un llac i un pavelló al mig. De fet, al final del llibre hi ha un llistat de personatges que ajuda a situar tots els tiets i germans, però jo em vaig fer el meu propi arbre genealògic.
L’avi Gao és el patriarca, de qui pengen les cinc branques familiars. Totes, excepte la segona (la tia Zhang, que és vídua, i la cosina Qin) viuen sota el mateix sostre. Els protagonistes són els néts de la branca principal: Juexin, Juemin i Juehui. També hi ha Shuhua, però no té un paper tan destacat en aquesta obra.
Els tres germans encarnen tres maneres diferents d’enfrontar-se al món tradicional; a cap dels tres els agrada, però cadascú ho gestiona diferent.
Els personatges femenins tenen una gran importància en la novel·la i també encarnen idees diferents. Tot i que lluny del feminisme actual, Ba Jin denota certa modernitat i reivindicava el paper de les dones a la societat. Així, declarava que les dones “no són joguines dels homes”. A Família la majora de dones són, d’una manera o d’una altra, víctimes del pensament tradicional.
Pel que fa a la trama, la introducció és llarga i pràcticament no hi passa res (comparat amb el nus-desenllaç). Es respira una calma tensa, que acaba esclatant i accelerant el ritme dels esdeveniments amb drama del bo. Família és, bàsicament, un retrat de la decadència de la tradició xinesa, en què es posen en dubte creences i maneres de fer molt arrelades que comporten el patiment i la infelicitat dels joves.
He gaudit la lectura sobretot pel món que s’hi retrata i per la profunditat dels personatges, així com per la manera com està escrit i traduït. Tot i que tenia ganes d’acabar de conèixer la història dels joves de la família Gao, pel meu gust, la història es desenvolupa de manera massa frenètica a partir de la meitat del llibre.
Continuaré amb la trilogia, ja que inicialment el llibre que em va cridar l’atenció va ser Primavera, però quan vaig veure que formava part d’una trilogia, vaig decidir començar pel principi.
January 16, 2023
I guess it was slim pickings in the 1930s chinese literary scene :/
April 2, 2023
I greatly enjoyed this book. Ba Jin gives a unique look at how modernist values appeared in places outside of Shanghai and Beijing. It was cleverly written and I would highly recommend.
February 23, 2024
I literally read half this book today so I could finish it.
It was very depressing.
It was very depressing.
Read
May 17, 2024guysss this was for my history class tbh but I got so into this oh my goodness its so good. SPOILER ALERTS!!! but here are my thoughts generally: Chueh-hui I have some serious complaints with..what he did to Ming-feng was terrible (but yeah like, hes real..that was just like, terrible). Chueh-hsin obviously has character flaws 1000% (dude...save ur wife. crazy) but I liked the way that him and Mei and Jui-chueh was written? like he really loved them both and they were friends idk (the final scene oh my god so sad when hes at the door). Anywayyyy I am #ready for my section tomorrow and yeah got so into this.
Read
July 13, 2023Le falta ritmo, pero la sensibilidad y energía de Ba Jin regalan momentos increíbles, creo que merece mucho la pena leerlo si te interesa conocer por encima la China del 4 de mayo, pero no es lo que esperaba
¿Saliste de la familia alguna vez? ¿Sirvió de algo alejarse miles de kilómetros hasta otro continente? Me encantaría interrogar a Ba Jin sobre estos temas, qué universal 😮💨
¿Saliste de la familia alguna vez? ¿Sirvió de algo alejarse miles de kilómetros hasta otro continente? Me encantaría interrogar a Ba Jin sobre estos temas, qué universal 😮💨
September 29, 2022
Mi sono approcciata a questo libro con un'idea estremamente vaga di cosa potesse trattarsi: ho visto la splendida copertina, ho letto il titolo "Famiglia", e tanto mi bastava per convincermi.
Non avevo idea del romanzo che mi sarei ritrovata a leggere. Una vera scoperta.
Lo ammetto, all'inizio ho un po' faticato, tutti quei nomi così simili tra loro e difficili ogni volta da contestualizzare, una cultura di fondo difficile da comprendere, e un generale un ritmo un po' lento e compassato che faceva fatica a scorrere.
Ma poi, all'improvviso, è arrivata la guerra a stravolgere la vita della famiglia Gao, e a dare tutta un'altra marcia al libro.
Da quel momento in poi è stato un susseguirsi di eventi, colpi di scena, drammi, traumi, lacrime, crisi e chi più ne ha più ne metta.
"Famiglia" ha esattamente tutto quello che un appassionato di saghe familiari si aspetta e brama, con l'aggiunta della componente culturale a dare ancora più fascino al tutto.
Intriso di momenti di tristezza e angoscia, ma anche di tenerezza e speranza. È un romanzo corale, che coinvolge numerosissimi personaggi e che, pur focalizzandosi in particolare solo su alcuni, non ne trascura nessuno. Non solo la famiglia Gao, ma anche i servi e i più intimi amici e congiunti fanno tutti parte di questo mosaico di umanità, che intreccia tra loro vite e personalità diverse ma complementari.
Spiccano le figure femminili, simboli al tempo stesso dell'oppressione maschilista della civiltà dell'epoca ma anche della voglia di riscatto, tragiche ed eroiche, deboli ma fortissime. E spiccano i tre fratelli Juehui, Juemin e Juexin, che se all'inizio del libro si fatica a distinguere tra loro per questi nomi così simili, ben presto diventa impossibile confondere l'uno con l'altro. Sono tre personaggi per cui ti ritrovi a fare il tifo, ma al tempo stesso risultano anche frustranti e irritanti sotto molti aspetti. Vorresti prenderli per le spalle e scuoterli, ma poi dare loro una pacca affettuosa e accompagnarli nel loro percorso verso la meritata felicità.
"Famiglia" è un libro intenso, con cui si fatica a entrare nel ritmo ma che diventa via via sempre più coinvolgente. È pieno del fascino delle grande saghe familiari e dell'esoticità di una cultura lontana nel tempo e nello spazio dalla nostra. Lì per lì non è facile rendersi conto di quanto controverso sia, considerati il periodo e il contesto in cui è stato scritto, ma quando ti fermi a rifletterci certi passaggi e certi personaggi ti fanno venire i brividi per quanto dissonanti e dissacranti siano rispetto al loro contesto storico-culturale.
Un libro splendido ma non semplice, una lettura forse non adatta a tutti ma che sa regalare enormi soddisfazioni, ben scritto e ben tradotto (nella sua ritraduzione a cura della casa editrice Atmosphere Libri e del traduttore Lorenzo Andolfatto, a cui faccio tanto di cappello).
Dalle sue pagine si evince la forte, fortissima critica che l'autore muove alle tradizioni della civiltà cinese dell'epoca (basta un piccolo approfondimento online per rendersi conto che Ba Jin era spinto da un forte odio e rifiuto dei sistemi tradizionali della famiglia e della società cinese, e che questo romanzo sotto molti aspetti è estremamente autobiografico), che contrappone nella loro debolezza, inconsistenza e vacuità alla forza travolgente del nuovo, agli stimoli inarrestabili che un'apertura mentale e un abbandono delle vetuste tradizioni scatenavano nei giovani del tempo. Fa soprattutto sorridere come l'autore sottolinei, sia in modo implicito che esplicito, come proprio quelle tradizioni e usanze che dovrebbero essere portatrici di etica e morale in realtà celino l'assoluta mancanza delle stesse, e come in questo senso i giovani e la loro inclinazione al nuovo siano più retti e integerrimi rispetto agli anziani e agli adulti.
Un romanzo che consiglio assolutamente a chi è appassionato di saghe familiari e/o di letteratura asiatica.
Non avevo idea del romanzo che mi sarei ritrovata a leggere. Una vera scoperta.
Lo ammetto, all'inizio ho un po' faticato, tutti quei nomi così simili tra loro e difficili ogni volta da contestualizzare, una cultura di fondo difficile da comprendere, e un generale un ritmo un po' lento e compassato che faceva fatica a scorrere.
Ma poi, all'improvviso, è arrivata la guerra a stravolgere la vita della famiglia Gao, e a dare tutta un'altra marcia al libro.
Da quel momento in poi è stato un susseguirsi di eventi, colpi di scena, drammi, traumi, lacrime, crisi e chi più ne ha più ne metta.
"Famiglia" ha esattamente tutto quello che un appassionato di saghe familiari si aspetta e brama, con l'aggiunta della componente culturale a dare ancora più fascino al tutto.
Intriso di momenti di tristezza e angoscia, ma anche di tenerezza e speranza. È un romanzo corale, che coinvolge numerosissimi personaggi e che, pur focalizzandosi in particolare solo su alcuni, non ne trascura nessuno. Non solo la famiglia Gao, ma anche i servi e i più intimi amici e congiunti fanno tutti parte di questo mosaico di umanità, che intreccia tra loro vite e personalità diverse ma complementari.
Spiccano le figure femminili, simboli al tempo stesso dell'oppressione maschilista della civiltà dell'epoca ma anche della voglia di riscatto, tragiche ed eroiche, deboli ma fortissime. E spiccano i tre fratelli Juehui, Juemin e Juexin, che se all'inizio del libro si fatica a distinguere tra loro per questi nomi così simili, ben presto diventa impossibile confondere l'uno con l'altro. Sono tre personaggi per cui ti ritrovi a fare il tifo, ma al tempo stesso risultano anche frustranti e irritanti sotto molti aspetti. Vorresti prenderli per le spalle e scuoterli, ma poi dare loro una pacca affettuosa e accompagnarli nel loro percorso verso la meritata felicità.
"Famiglia" è un libro intenso, con cui si fatica a entrare nel ritmo ma che diventa via via sempre più coinvolgente. È pieno del fascino delle grande saghe familiari e dell'esoticità di una cultura lontana nel tempo e nello spazio dalla nostra. Lì per lì non è facile rendersi conto di quanto controverso sia, considerati il periodo e il contesto in cui è stato scritto, ma quando ti fermi a rifletterci certi passaggi e certi personaggi ti fanno venire i brividi per quanto dissonanti e dissacranti siano rispetto al loro contesto storico-culturale.
Un libro splendido ma non semplice, una lettura forse non adatta a tutti ma che sa regalare enormi soddisfazioni, ben scritto e ben tradotto (nella sua ritraduzione a cura della casa editrice Atmosphere Libri e del traduttore Lorenzo Andolfatto, a cui faccio tanto di cappello).
Dalle sue pagine si evince la forte, fortissima critica che l'autore muove alle tradizioni della civiltà cinese dell'epoca (basta un piccolo approfondimento online per rendersi conto che Ba Jin era spinto da un forte odio e rifiuto dei sistemi tradizionali della famiglia e della società cinese, e che questo romanzo sotto molti aspetti è estremamente autobiografico), che contrappone nella loro debolezza, inconsistenza e vacuità alla forza travolgente del nuovo, agli stimoli inarrestabili che un'apertura mentale e un abbandono delle vetuste tradizioni scatenavano nei giovani del tempo. Fa soprattutto sorridere come l'autore sottolinei, sia in modo implicito che esplicito, come proprio quelle tradizioni e usanze che dovrebbero essere portatrici di etica e morale in realtà celino l'assoluta mancanza delle stesse, e come in questo senso i giovani e la loro inclinazione al nuovo siano più retti e integerrimi rispetto agli anziani e agli adulti.
Un romanzo che consiglio assolutamente a chi è appassionato di saghe familiari e/o di letteratura asiatica.
April 27, 2015
In Pa Chin’s novel, The Family, he portrays the radical and determined younger generation of the Kao family struggling against the monolithic family structure of the petty bourgeois. The story demonstrates the generational differences among the family members, and how their differing attitudes and adherence to tradition splits the family, cracking it at the core and enabling its collapse. I really enjoyed reading this book. I was assigned to read this book for a history course and after reading this book, I was glad that it was assigned to me. Historical fiction has never really been my go to when choosing a book to read, but this book caught me off guard. I actually enjoyed reading this book. I think it was a mixture because it was written by a young boy, and because I am interested in the fact that they wanted to be rebels, which I can connect with. I liked that even though some things the children were interested in was frowned upon by the family and their culture, they did it anyways. At the end of the book, Juehui believes staying in the family is too suffocating, so he leaves Chengdu to go to Shanghai. This part in the book made me really proud of Juehui. Even though everyone didn't agree with the May Fourth Movement and how the times were changing, he stayed strong and fought for what he wanted and felt was best for him. There were some parts in this book that upset me, like when the girl he was interested in passed away. I thought that having this part in the book really got the reader emotionally attached and wanting to read on to see how Juehui was going to cope and what he was going to do now. I also like the fact that this book is an autobiography, which I love reading. I really like being in the mind of someone who has actually lived everything I am reading about. At the end of the book, I felt very happy for Juehui, and that he accomplished what he felt was best for him, since he felt he didn't belong in the family that he had because he didn't believe in what they did. I would recommend this book to people that like reading about people's lives and how some people broke out of the old ways of living and into the new culture, or the May Fourth Movement. I think that this book could be understand by fifth graders and up. It would be an awesome book to read for a history assignment, and how China was developing into the new world and getting away from old traditions. I would have this book in my future classroom library for my fifth graders.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews