From the Old Country
From the Old Country is a short story written by Taiwanese Hakka author Chung Li-ho (1915–1960) in 1959. It can be juxtaposed with two other works by him, presenting a contrasting sense of ethnic identity. One is Oleander (夾竹桃), published during his early residence in Peking (now Beijing), China, in 1945, portraying the shattering of the idealized image of China.[1] The other is the prose The Sorrow of Sweet Potatoes, published after Chung’s return to Taiwan in 1946, depicting the constraint of Taiwan consciousness.
From the Old Country draws from Chung Li-ho's childhood experiences during the Japanese rule and reflects the influence of reading Three Principles of the People and works by May Fourth Movement writers, presenting a work that yearns for his homeland of China.[2] This short story adopts a first-person perspective, narrated by the protagonist, "I," depicting how the protagonist, a teenage Chung Li-ho, decides on the journey to China. The title "From the Old Country" literally means "the person from the old country". In the book, the author initially defines "the old country" as the ancestral roots of the vast majority of Hakka people in Meinung Township, specifically Mei County in Kuangtung Province. Additionally, it encompasses the cultural and idealistic yearning for "China" that arises due to a psychological resistance to Japanese colonization.[3]
The short story continually narrates the Chinese experiences provided by the protagonist's grandmother, father, teacher, colleagues, etc., to ponder and imagine the meaning of the so-called "old country". This prompts the protagonist to realize the necessity of personally exploring the truth. Through the protagonist's circumstances and reflections, the novel presents the transformation of self-identity among people living in Taiwan amidst different political changes.[4]
References
- ↑ Lin, Ching-ya (2014). 原鄉人的心靈地圖──鍾理和文學中的自我敘事與療癒 [The Mind Map of a Hometown Man: A Study of the Self-Narration and Healing in Li-Ho Chung’s Literary Works]. Huafan University. pp. 60–62. Search this book on
- ↑ Chang, Liang-ze (1983). "總序" [Preface]. 鍾理和全集．原鄉人 [The Collected Works of Chung Li-ho: My Native Land]. Vista Publishing. Search this book on
- ↑ Hsieh, Pei-ling (2015). 鍾理和「原鄉人」研究 [A Study of Chung Li-ho's 'My Native Land']. National Central University. pp. 39–43. Search this book on
- ↑ Hsieh, Pei-ling (2015). 鍾理和「原鄉人」研究 [A Study of Chung Li-ho's 'My Native Land']. National Central University. pp. 52–58. Search this book on
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