The Silent Traveller in London

by Chiang Yee

Chiang Yee's account of London, first published in 1938, reverses the expected conventions of travel writing. This is an alien's perspective of this exotic city and the habits of the people who live there. Illustrated with the author's sketches.

Genres: Travel, London, Nonfiction, China, Asia, Memoir, History

Hardcover

First published October 25, 2001

About the author

Chiang Yee (simplified Chinese: 蒋彝; traditional Chinese: 蔣彝; pinyin: Jiǎng Yí; Wade–Giles: Chiang I; 19 May 1903 – 26 October 1977), self-styled as "The Silent Traveller" (哑行者), was a Chinese poet, author, painter and calligrapher.

The success of The Silent Traveller in London (1938) was followed by a series of books in the same vein, all of which he illustrated himself.

Reviews

[Zen Cho · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for dozy afternoons. It's really just a collection of observations, but written with humour and charm. Contains a good painting of Trafalgar Square in the fog. (When did London fogs stop? They don't seem to exist anymore.)

I was a bit worried when I got to the chapter on Women, but Chiang Yee impressed me actually. Was also touched by his resolute faith in humanity despite the shit that was going down at the time.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very different travel book; London from a Chinese viewpoint. With great sketches of people, parks, monuments in the traditional Chinese style.

[Keenan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Silent Traveller is anything but silent! Many times in his journeys around London, a particular theme or thought or scene will cause him to exclaim something out loud. He's also fond of finding people to converse with, be they children or statue appreciators or art aficionados. Not only verbally, the sheer volume of books that Jiang Yi published is evidence enough that he has a lot to say.

The Silent Traveller is, instead, sincere. If his observations seem at once childish or shallow, it's because they are. What's beautiful is that he knows and acknowledges the silliness of his thought process but writes it for us in the hope that us reading it will bring out a little bit of our joyous silly selves. That's sincerity.

This book could have been a lot more - he could have met more interesting people, he could have made deeper insights, he could have weighted his book down with allusions and poetry and turns of phrase. Instead, the author gives us his pleasant, sincere, and personal account of a Chinese artist's view of London in the 1930s, and that's nice too.

[Vonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diary of a chinese poet and artist who lived in London in the 1930's. Beautiful poetry and watercolors along with interesting Asian viewpoint of Western culture.

[Liz Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read New York the book about London came as rather a disappointment.. I missed the quirky journeys and observations that Yee made around NY . I was looking forward to that sort of thing in London looking at it through his eyes. I guess he had gone through the blitz , and also recently had news of his brothers death in China . Perhaps grief and awful home sickness resulted in so much writing about China and his youth. His observation of English behaviour at that time were interesting but just coming out of a war afternoon tea was one of the luxuries people could indulge in despite rationing . I think we would find people of that time rather different now and maybe agree with some of the observations. What would the millennials make of 1950s life ?? Very different to today. I didn't get his poems I'm afraid but I hoped that other readers would enjoy them . I'm trying the newly published Oxford next looks promising!.

[Basia Korzeniowska · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely litle book, - if Chiang Yee were alive and writing today he would just write a blog. The book seems to be a series of fairly spontaneous observations gathered together in subject themed chapters. His view of London and London life in the thirties is beguiling - his comparisons with (his) Chinese point of view is heartwarming and interesting. The most moving bits are when he writes about the war in China and his nostalgia for the China he knew as a yong man. His drawings and water colours are lovely, and his comments about adapting Chinese Style to English subjects are fascinating. He seems very modest, although proud of his achievements. His views on old age are salutary - do not fear growing old because that is when people respect you properly. Would that it were so. I must find out more about Confucianism.

[Lyndsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy Chiang Yee books but this ones appeared to have more disjointed parts, I prefer those that tell me about a place in it’s appearance and flow. Less about food, drink, clothing etc but maybe that just means I need to expand my learning to include more aspects and not just seek out what I love.
A very calm book with interesting observations in London life

[Alex Tosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful “lost” book. A selection of pen portraits of London in the 30’s from an outsider’s perspective with beautiful illustrations throughout.

[Damon Liu · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Una Roven · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Surely I have not appeared silent at all! Without further explanation and without trying to compare myself with our great philosopher, Lao Tzu, who wrote the Tao-Te-Ching, the well-known doctrine of Chinese Taoism, I should like to end by quoting about him the following poem, which was written by Po Chu-I of T’ang dynasty:

Those who speak know nothing;
Those who know are silent.
These words, as I am told,
Were spoken by Lao-Tzu.
If we are to believe that Lao-Tzu
Was himself one who knew,
How comes it that he wrote a book
Of five thousand words?”

This guy is the king of yapping. But sweet. Might check out his books on Boston or NY next time I want 250 pages of lukewarm but comforting takes about cities to put me to sleep every night for a month.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Travelogue of a Chinese gentleman in London, observing the quaint customs and sharing his insight onto another culture. Accompnaied by his poems and delicate watre colour paintings.
A bit slow and meandering, but I guess that's how life was for a gentleman traveller, who also stopped to see and paint.

[Alison Pilkington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book by the Silent Traveller I’ve read. I have enjoyed them both but this one was the best as being about London it was more familiar to me. It’s a bit like being a time traveller as you get to see places, people and customs as seen by an outsider. But as they are from over 50 years ago you are also an outsider even if you know London well. I now have the Oxford one to read.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming travel guide by a quiet world traveling Chinese man. He writes with delight about the things he is discovering and compares them with his own culture. He is very personable and it is a delightful read. He wrote several of them, one including Oxford and another San Francisco.

[Underwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

лёгкая, интересная книга
о лондоне, что не так уж изменился с 30-х годов
и китае, которого больше нет

[Brenda Ainsley · Rating 1 out of 5]

A beautiful edition with fine watercolours.

The naive style did nothing for me - I found this superficial and a missed opportunity for some analysis.

It could have been SOOO good!

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is an interesting chapter in particular about women and their status in British/Western society. There are many parallels to women today, and this book was written in the 1930s.

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not nearly as interesting as I had hoped. The short chapter on books, however, is a small gem.