Zhang Henshui
Encyclopedia
Zhang Xinyuan (May 18, 1895 – February 15, 1967) was a highly prolific, popular Chinese
novelist who wrote under the pen name
Zhang Henshui (张恨水). He published more than 100 novels in his 50 years of fiction
writing.
, Zhang moved to Qianshan
, Anhui
, his ancestral home, at the age of 16, after his father's death. Keen in classical vernacular (baihua
) literature since youth, he began composing in the vein of zhanghui xiaoshuo (章回小说), novels written in vernacular style using classical Chinese poetry
as chapter headings. He joined the press in 1918 as an editor and took up novel-writing as a hobby. The first of his novels being serialized was "A Pining Song for the Southern Country" (南国相思谱, Nanguo xiangsi pu, 1919). After departing for Beijing
in 1919 to work as a newspaper editor, his first major long work, "An Unofficial History of Beijing" (春明外史, Chunming Waishi, 1929), was serialized between 1924 and 1929. It was a huge success and established him as the pre-eminent popular novelist of his generation.
His masterpieces "A Family of Distinction" (金粉世家, Jinfen shijia, 1927-32) and "Fate in Tears and Laughter" (啼笑因缘, Tixiao Yinyuan, 1930) were much more perspicaciously planned than his earlier books. At the height of his popularity he concurrently worked on six novels on serialization, in between his career as a press-man and editor.
The fourth of his major works, Eighty-One Dreams (八十一梦), was published in 1941. This work, perhaps the most representative of his 40-odd novels set during the War of Resistance against Japan
, uses parable
s and dream sequence
s to satirize the corrupt bureaucracy. Suffering a stroke
in 1949, Zhang temporarily lost the ability to walk, but continued to write.
It is estimated that throughout his life Zhang wrote a total of some 30 million Chinese characters in over 110 novels. His works emphasize realistic dialogue, often interposing people from different social strata and were thus hugely popular amongst the Chinese public from 1920s to 1940s. He died of a brain hemorrhage in 1967 in Beijing.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
novelist who wrote under the pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Zhang Henshui (张恨水). He published more than 100 novels in his 50 years of fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
writing.
Biography
Born and raised in in NanchangNanchang
Nanchang is the capital of Jiangxi Province in southeastern China. It is located in the north-central portion of the province. As it is bounded on the west by the Jiuling Mountains, and on the east by Poyang Lake, it is famous for its scenery, rich history and cultural sites...
, Zhang moved to Qianshan
Qianshan
Qianshan may refer to the following places in China:*Qianshan County , in Anhui*Qianshan District , in Anshan, Liaoning*Qian Mountains , mountain range in the Northeast...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
, his ancestral home, at the age of 16, after his father's death. Keen in classical vernacular (baihua
Baihua
Baihua can refer to:*Written vernacular Chinese*Bai language*Pe̍h-ōe-jī...
) literature since youth, he began composing in the vein of zhanghui xiaoshuo (章回小说), novels written in vernacular style using classical Chinese poetry
Classical Chinese poetry
thumb|right|300px|Attributed to [[Han Gan]], Huiyebai , about 750CE .Classical Chinese poetry is that type of poetry that is the traditional Chinese poetry written in Classical Chinese. It is typified by certain traditional forms, or modes, and certain traditional genres...
as chapter headings. He joined the press in 1918 as an editor and took up novel-writing as a hobby. The first of his novels being serialized was "A Pining Song for the Southern Country" (南国相思谱, Nanguo xiangsi pu, 1919). After departing for Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
in 1919 to work as a newspaper editor, his first major long work, "An Unofficial History of Beijing" (春明外史, Chunming Waishi, 1929), was serialized between 1924 and 1929. It was a huge success and established him as the pre-eminent popular novelist of his generation.
His masterpieces "A Family of Distinction" (金粉世家, Jinfen shijia, 1927-32) and "Fate in Tears and Laughter" (啼笑因缘, Tixiao Yinyuan, 1930) were much more perspicaciously planned than his earlier books. At the height of his popularity he concurrently worked on six novels on serialization, in between his career as a press-man and editor.
The fourth of his major works, Eighty-One Dreams (八十一梦), was published in 1941. This work, perhaps the most representative of his 40-odd novels set during the War of Resistance against Japan
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, uses parable
Parable
A parable is a succinct story, in prose or verse, which illustrates one or more instructive principles, or lessons, or a normative principle. It differs from a fable in that fables use animals, plants, inanimate objects, and forces of nature as characters, while parables generally feature human...
s and dream sequence
Dream sequence
A dream sequence is a technique used in storytelling, particularly in television and film, to set apart a brief interlude from the main story. The interlude may consist of a flashback, a flashforward, a fantasy, a vision, a dream, or some other element. Commonly, dream sequences appear in many...
s to satirize the corrupt bureaucracy. Suffering a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in 1949, Zhang temporarily lost the ability to walk, but continued to write.
It is estimated that throughout his life Zhang wrote a total of some 30 million Chinese characters in over 110 novels. His works emphasize realistic dialogue, often interposing people from different social strata and were thus hugely popular amongst the Chinese public from 1920s to 1940s. He died of a brain hemorrhage in 1967 in Beijing.