The Tales of Hulan River
Reproductive books
2020/04
Each 14cm x 20cm x 1.3cm
Ta Masterworks Publishing Project is a long-term project publishing the May 4th Movement and post-May-4th-Movement period masterworks with Source Han Serif NW, aiming on a post-colonial and feminism re-insepection to the heritage of the May 4th with a modified Chinese system (while referring to the third person male(s), “他” is substitute to “子也” (as one character in Source Han Serif NW)). This cultural reconstruction is practicallly reinforced by the low price reproduction.
About Xiao Hong and The Tales of Hulan River:
Xiaohong (1911-1942), one of the most important female writers in the post-May-4th priod. The Tales of Hulan River is her representative work, expressing her childhood experience in Hulan River city with a style close to narritive poem.
The Tales of Hulan River is also one of the earliest novels using the character “她” as “her” (which is semi-invented during the May 4th Movement due to the convinience of English translating. This may relates to the attempt to rise female status, but it is clearly stated by Zhou Zuoren that the invention of “她” is due to the inconvience of English translating. Moreover, it is unnecessary to create a new character since “他”, the character later used for “he” had already been used as both “he” and “her”).
Different with the male-led May 4th Movement writting, The Tales of Hulan River is more close to the expression of her personal experience and emotion (this can be seen through Mao Dun’s preface for it), which at least loads some experience of Xiao Hong as a female subject either consciously or unconsciously. The Tales of Hulan River also recorded a number of females’ fates during the early 20th century, China.
Obviously, there are also no copyright problem with Xiao Hong’s work, as well as most of the May 4th writting :)
More information about the linguisitic and historical background, see Source Han Serif NW .