Old Kiln by Jia Pingwa: An unforgettable masterpiece depicting rural China during the Cultural Revolution
Author
:
Jia Pingwa, translated by James Trapp, Olivia Milburn and Christopher Payne
ISBN-13
:
978-1838905262
Publisher
:
Sinoist Books
Guideline Price
:
£19.99
Jia Pingwa is one of the most respected and widely read writers in
China
. He is particularly associated with realist writing about rural communities in his home province of Shaanxi. Though several of his novels have been translated into English, he has not yet had the major breakthrough he deserves.
Old Kiln adds to the growing list of contemporary Chinese fiction that explores Mao Zedong's disastrous Cultural Revolution, including works by Yan Lianke, Zou Jingzhi and Zhang Xianliang. Jia Pingwa was a teenager during that period and writes with both the authority of direct experience and the benefit of perspective.
The novel is set in the remote village of Old Kiln, known in years past for its excellence in porcelain, but now a poor backwater relying on subsistence communal farming.
The story focuses on young Inkcap, who was found in a river and adopted. He lives with his Gran who is considered a 'class enemy' owing to Inkcap's grandfather's ties to the nationalist Kuomintang army.
READ MORE
Bash is a charismatic local tough who becomes the leader of a violent faction at the vanguard of the Cultural Revolution. He is central to the bloody internecine struggles between rival factions in the village. Contrasting with Bash is Goodman, the village's unofficial spiritual guide and healer, whose world view is steeped in Daoism and Buddhism rather than Maoist ideology.
This long novel moves at the slow pace of village life; however, it is brimming with vibrant characters, ribald humour and memorable anecdotes. It offers precision writing that re-creates the experience of living among uneducated people who have become infantilised and bewildered by successive waves of ideological reform.
The translation has been split between three talented translators, and it is to their immense credit that the novel retains such unity of style and coherence of tone, without losing any of the comedy and tenderness that makes it so human.
Old Kiln is quietly epic in its patient but unforgettable depiction of life in rural China under the tyranny of the Cultural Revolution. It is unquestionably a masterpiece and ought to consolidate Jia Pingwa's reputation as a writer of international importance.
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Irish Times
17-07-2025
- Irish Times
Old Kiln by Jia Pingwa: An unforgettable masterpiece depicting rural China during the Cultural Revolution
Old Kiln Author : Jia Pingwa, translated by James Trapp, Olivia Milburn and Christopher Payne ISBN-13 : 978-1838905262 Publisher : Sinoist Books Guideline Price : £19.99 Jia Pingwa is one of the most respected and widely read writers in China . He is particularly associated with realist writing about rural communities in his home province of Shaanxi. Though several of his novels have been translated into English, he has not yet had the major breakthrough he deserves. Old Kiln adds to the growing list of contemporary Chinese fiction that explores Mao Zedong's disastrous Cultural Revolution, including works by Yan Lianke, Zou Jingzhi and Zhang Xianliang. Jia Pingwa was a teenager during that period and writes with both the authority of direct experience and the benefit of perspective. The novel is set in the remote village of Old Kiln, known in years past for its excellence in porcelain, but now a poor backwater relying on subsistence communal farming. The story focuses on young Inkcap, who was found in a river and adopted. He lives with his Gran who is considered a 'class enemy' owing to Inkcap's grandfather's ties to the nationalist Kuomintang army. READ MORE Bash is a charismatic local tough who becomes the leader of a violent faction at the vanguard of the Cultural Revolution. He is central to the bloody internecine struggles between rival factions in the village. Contrasting with Bash is Goodman, the village's unofficial spiritual guide and healer, whose world view is steeped in Daoism and Buddhism rather than Maoist ideology. This long novel moves at the slow pace of village life; however, it is brimming with vibrant characters, ribald humour and memorable anecdotes. It offers precision writing that re-creates the experience of living among uneducated people who have become infantilised and bewildered by successive waves of ideological reform. The translation has been split between three talented translators, and it is to their immense credit that the novel retains such unity of style and coherence of tone, without losing any of the comedy and tenderness that makes it so human. Old Kiln is quietly epic in its patient but unforgettable depiction of life in rural China under the tyranny of the Cultural Revolution. It is unquestionably a masterpiece and ought to consolidate Jia Pingwa's reputation as a writer of international importance.
The Irish Sun
25-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
Harry has William and the King over a barrel – they'll look so petty if they ignore his latest request
PRINCE Harry has King Charles and William over a barrel and will make them look 'petty' if they ignore his latest request, according to experts. The Duke of Sussex, 40, has invited both members of his estranged family to the next Invictus Games in 2027. 5 If the King and Prince William attend it could mark a big step towards reconciliation with Harry Credit: Getty 5 The brothers have been at loggerheads ever since Harry and Meghan quit the royal family in 2020 Credit: Splash 5 Harry's invite runs the risk of making the monarch and his brother look "petty" Credit: Getty Harry has drawn up the invitations in advance to give the King and Prince William time to fit it into their schedules, despite it clashing with a royal bash. The ceremony will kick off at Birmingham's NEC on July 12, 2027, and will wrap up on July 17. The event falls on the same day as Queen Camilla's 80th birthday, a special occasion that will surely be celebrated by the royal family. 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"There's an equation to this and the other half to the equation is Mrs Sussex." This comes after Harry revealed last month that "I would like to get my father and brother back" in his Prince Harry practices his German as he shares video message to mark country's first Veteran's Day It's not yet known whether Harry's wife, Meghan Markle, will be in attendance after the Duke It comes as Harry said a reconciliation with his family lay in the Charles' hands. The Duke told the BBC that there was no reason to keep fighting but that his father wouldn't speak to him over the security row. Harry said Charles "won't speak to me because of this security stuff", after "I would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious", Harry continued. Harry also sensationally blamed the King for his woes and claimed "this whole thing could be resolved through him". 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Irish Times
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- Irish Times
Fiction in translation: The strange workings of myth and history, a work of limpid beauty set in the Bosnian countryside, and more
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