The Three Leaps of Wang Lun: A Chinese Novel (Calligrams)
Alfred Doblin
Language: English
Pages: 528
ISBN: 962996564X
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
In 1915, fourteen years before Berlin Alexanderplatz, Alfred Döblin published his first novel, an extensively researched Chinese historical extravaganza: The Three Leaps of Wang Lun. Even more remarkably, given its subject matter, the book was written in Expressionist style and is now considered the first modern German novel, as well as the first Western novel to depict a China untouched by the West. It is virtually unknown in English. Based on actual accounts of a doomed rebellion during the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the late 18th century, the novel tells the story of Wang Lun, a historical martial arts master and charismatic leader of the White Lotus sect, who leads a futile revolt of the “Truly Powerless.” Densely packed cities and Tibetan wastes, political intrigue and religious yearning, imperial court life and the fate of wandering outcasts are depicted in a language of enormous vigor and matchless imagination, unfolding the theme of timidity against force, and a mystical sense of the world against the realities of power.
in a long face, cheekbones jutting out sharply, thin lips. It was more softly contoured, the eyes more rounded, but their laugh was the same: soft, trilling, beginning like a cough. They were still laughing about their sedan chairs, which were waiting in front of a shop in Wei-ai Street, while to the astonishment of the shopkeeper they climbed a ladder over the courtyard wall into the neighbouring yard through the shoemaker’s workshop into a parallel street, merrily pulling and jostling each
few times Wang was turning towards the plain, driven by his restlessness, when through the thin trunks bordering the road he saw a rider, followed by two others. He ran through the darkness ahead of them, recognized the costume of a high officer in the provincial army and two servants. They were riding slowly past the Mongolian town. Where the path turned for a while into the wood Wang stepped up to the gaunt officer, who wore a long beard and moustaches, and asked him for directions to a certain
Marrying in wartime was a sign of great prudence; for you might have a son and then you’d die happier. Now, he didn’t need to look at him like that. Straight to the point: would the young Ming like to marry the daughter of general Chao Hui? If he wanted to, he had only to give the nod; Wang would play matchmaker. The young fellow bowed very gravely to Wang; he didn’t want to harm Wang, but he didn’t deserve to be made fun of; he set no store by his Ming ancestry these days. Wang repeated
settlements along the coast and patronised Chao Hui. Wang Lun went with fifty of his boldest followers into one of these coastal villages. He told his men they’d open the town gates from within. Well armed they approached the fishing village where the crews of three great ships were lying. Noisily they emerged from a lane into the main street that crept past eroded dunes. The surprised pirates in straw hats and woven straw cloaks came from the houses into the street. Wang climbed up to a tavern
came from various villages of north Shantung, had joined forces so as to break through to a more fertile country; nothing had gone their way; near Peking they’d been forced to merge with the rebels but had been defeated, had eaten dogrice for a couple of days in the College of Great Humanity in Peking, now wanted to try their luck at sea. And why were they so heavily armed. So as not to have to beg any more. After this exchange the interlocutors stepped back with deep bows. Wang’s people