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桃花源的故事
《桃花源的故事》根据东晋大诗人陶渊明写了一篇千古名文《桃花源记》而编写。说是武陵地方的一个渔夫，沿着一条河航行，忽然看到山中有一个缺口，就丢下船从这缺口里走进去，发现了另外一个世界。在这个世界里，土地平旷，房屋整齐，人民生活古朴而富裕，男女老少熙熙为乐，看到渔人大吃一惊，纷纷请他回家吃饭饮酒，自称祖先是为了逃避秦时的战乱，逃进桃花源来生活。这些人不知道秦以后有过汉朝，汉朝以后又有晋朝。渔人在这桃花源里住了好几天，想家了，就与他们告别。出了桃花源，以后再去寻找，就找不到了。
本册图画书就是根据这个故事绘图改编制作而成，美丽的图画为我们诠释了如仙境一般的桃源美景，同时也准确地传达出了文本所表达的思想及作者画家的一种人生境界。蔡皋在书中对于画面的陈设，有许多的她对于陶渊明的《桃花源记》的一种补充和创造。蔡皋把想象的虚无缥缈的乌托邦具象化。让人感觉到一个实实在在的桃花源。在进桃花源的时候,渔人所见到的洞被安排成"一线天",因为蔡皋不想让洞口看起来黑洞洞,使人压抑。再比如渔人从桃花源出来的时候，桃花源的人送给他一包礼物里面有种子和一只拨浪鼓。这个细节是蔡皋的创造，当然也泄漏了她爱植物爱儿童的秉性。书中部分插图还被收录到日本小学课本里。
本册图画书就是根据这个故事绘图改编制作而成，美丽的图画为我们诠释了如仙境一般的桃源美景，同时也准确地传达出了文本所表达的思想及作者画家的一种人生境界。蔡皋在书中对于画面的陈设，有许多的她对于陶渊明的《桃花源记》的一种补充和创造。蔡皋把想象的虚无缥缈的乌托邦具象化。让人感觉到一个实实在在的桃花源。在进桃花源的时候,渔人所见到的洞被安排成"一线天",因为蔡皋不想让洞口看起来黑洞洞,使人压抑。再比如渔人从桃花源出来的时候，桃花源的人送给他一包礼物里面有种子和一只拨浪鼓。这个细节是蔡皋的创造，当然也泄漏了她爱植物爱儿童的秉性。书中部分插图还被收录到日本小学课本里。
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
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March 4, 2020
After a poor harvest, a fisherman travels far upriver to bring back fish for his village. He discovers paradise in a hidden valley, where people live in peace and plenty, having escaped the outside world centuries ago during the chaos of the Qin empire. When the fisherman returns home the local lord orders him to show him where this valley, but their long search fails and the valley is never found again.
In Chinese, the name of the valley, Peach Blossom Spring (世外桃源) is a common expression meaning paradise, utopia, Shangri-La. The problem is that as a story there's not much to it - man finds hidden paradise - that's it. There are no interesting characters, and nothing interesting happens, so as a children's book it's doomed from the start - beyond the depressingly educational aspect of explaining to kids the background behind the Peach Blossom Spring expression.
But the story is something that is held dear in Chinese culture, not surprisingly after millennia of wars, famines and floods. Originally recorded by Tao Yuanming (陶渊明) during the 5th century Jin dynasty, it here chosen for a Sino-Japanese collaboration. Originally published in Japanese, the story was adapted by Japanese writer Tadashi Matsui (松居直) with pictures by Chinese illustrator Cai Gao (蔡皋). I assume it was government backed, as some of the pictures are now used in Japanese school textbooks.
As I said, as a children's book I think most children would find it tedious. As an adult, I love Cai Gao's people, and the big book format means you can loose yourself in his roughly painted landscapes. It is overall a satisfying book to hold and page through.
But, worthy yet boring story aside, the illustrations have two major problems. One is that the most basic decision, surely, would be to do a Wizard of Oz thing, have the famine struck outside world in black and white or sepia tones, and the Peach Blossom Spring valley in glorious technicolour. But no, it's all in the same muddy tones, no real distinction, which doesn't serve the story and gives children even less of a reason to be interested. And whoever did the layout did that gradual fade thing, you can see it on the cover, which is a first degree graphic design crime and does a great disservice to the pictures.
Not a book to treasure.
In Chinese, the name of the valley, Peach Blossom Spring (世外桃源) is a common expression meaning paradise, utopia, Shangri-La. The problem is that as a story there's not much to it - man finds hidden paradise - that's it. There are no interesting characters, and nothing interesting happens, so as a children's book it's doomed from the start - beyond the depressingly educational aspect of explaining to kids the background behind the Peach Blossom Spring expression.
But the story is something that is held dear in Chinese culture, not surprisingly after millennia of wars, famines and floods. Originally recorded by Tao Yuanming (陶渊明) during the 5th century Jin dynasty, it here chosen for a Sino-Japanese collaboration. Originally published in Japanese, the story was adapted by Japanese writer Tadashi Matsui (松居直) with pictures by Chinese illustrator Cai Gao (蔡皋). I assume it was government backed, as some of the pictures are now used in Japanese school textbooks.
As I said, as a children's book I think most children would find it tedious. As an adult, I love Cai Gao's people, and the big book format means you can loose yourself in his roughly painted landscapes. It is overall a satisfying book to hold and page through.
But, worthy yet boring story aside, the illustrations have two major problems. One is that the most basic decision, surely, would be to do a Wizard of Oz thing, have the famine struck outside world in black and white or sepia tones, and the Peach Blossom Spring valley in glorious technicolour. But no, it's all in the same muddy tones, no real distinction, which doesn't serve the story and gives children even less of a reason to be interested. And whoever did the layout did that gradual fade thing, you can see it on the cover, which is a first degree graphic design crime and does a great disservice to the pictures.
Not a book to treasure.
Displaying 1 of 1 review