Contemporary Chinese Short-Short Stories: A Parallel Text

This book presents Chinese short-short stories in English and Chinese, integrating language learning with cultural studies for intermediate to advanced learners of Mandarin Chinese and students of contemporary Chinese literature. Each chapter begins with a critical introduction, followed by two or more stories in parallel Chinese and English texts; each story is followed by a vocabulary list, discussion questions, and a biography of the author.

The chapters are organized around central concepts in Chinese culture such as li (ritual), ren (benevolence), mianzi (face/prestige), being filial, and the dynamics of yin and yang, as well as the themes of governance, identity, love, marriage, and change. The stories selected are short-shorts by important contemporary writers ranging from the most literary to everyday voices. Specifically designed for use in upper-level Chinese language courses, Contemporary Chinese Short-Short Stories: A Parallel Text offers students a window onto China today and pathways to its traditions and past as they gain language competence and critical cultural skills.

Aili Mu is associate professor of Chinese in the Department of World Languages and Cultures at Iowa State University. She is a cotranslator of Loud Sparrows: Contemporary Chinese Short-Shorts (Columbia, 2006).

Mike Smith is associate professor of English at Delta State University. He is the author of Byron in Baghdad (2012) and the translator of Faust: A Tragedy (2012).