Translation methods for names in this book
In Chinese, the surname comes before the given name. Surnames often have repetitions, while given names exhibit diversity. Following the convention of translating contemporary Chinese to English, the names of characters and places in this book are transliterated using Pinyin, the system of Romanization for Chinese. This method has significant advantages as it provides a unified and accurate standard for translation between Chinese and English. However, it also has its drawbacks, one of which is that English speakers cannot smoothly read all the names unless they have specifically learned Pinyin. To address this issue, several important examples are provided here to help you understand the differences in spelling and pronunciation between Pinyin and English.
Pinyin English
C TS
E ER
Q CH
X SH
Z DS
In particular, if you are unfamiliar with the pronunciation of "x" as "sh," you may have difficulty pronouncing the syllables that contain "x." The same applies to "q" in Pinyin. "Cui Xilin" is an important character in the book, and the pronunciation of his name is "Tsui Shilin." The place name "Qing Gang" should be read as "Ching Gang." The other pronunciations in Pinyin are generally similar or even identical to English. In summary, the method of translating names is not crucial and will not affect the complete understanding of the fascinating content of this book.
The translation of some names in this book does not follow the Pinyin method because their names were introduced to the West before the advent of Pinyin (in 1952). For example, the name of Chiang Kai-shek, the President of the Republic of China, is still translated using the historical method. The actual spelling in Pinyin is "Jiang Jieshi."
Important historical milestones related to this book
Qing Dynasty: 1936 -1912. Foreign ethnic groups conquered China. The capital was Beijing. "jing" means "capital" in Chinese.
Taiping Heavenly Kingdom: 1851-1864. A rebellion against the Qing dynasty, which later established a country and its capital in "Heavenly Capital," which is Nanjing, also called "Jinling."
Republic of China: 1912 -1949. Led by Sun Yat-sen and the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party), the Qing Dynasty was overthrown, and a republic was established with Nanjing as its capital. Beijing was renamed Beiping. Chiang Kai-shek was the leader, and after retreating to Taiwan, he was succeeded by his son, Chiang Ching-kuo. At the beginning of the Republic, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party cooperated, but later split and started a civil war.
The War of Resistance Against Japan: 1932-1945. Also known as Second Sino-Japanese War. The Kuomintang and the Communist Party cooperated again to resist foreign invaders. Their armies were merged, with the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army remaining under the command of the Communist Party. After the war, negotiations between the two parties broke down in 1945, leading to another civil war.
People's Republic of China: In October 1949, the Communist Party led by Mao Zedong won the civil war, established the People's Republic of China, and made Beijing its capital. The Republic of China continued to exist on the island of Taiwan.
Korean War: 1950-1953. The People's Liberation Army of China joined the Korean War, and the troops sent to Korea were referred to as the "Chinese People's Volunteers."
Cultural Revolution: 1966-1976. A decade-long period of political and social turmoil, during which the normal state of social law, people's thoughts, and behaviors were disrupted. It was initiated and ended by Mao Zedong, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party.
Establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States: Began in 1979. Since then, Chinese students and new immigrants gradually entered the United States and other Western countries. In the early 1990s, a wave of emigration emerged, and the author of this book, Cui Ge, was also part of that wave.
Chinese Economic Reform and Open Door Policy: Began in 1978. China's economy started to grow rapidly several years later.
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Where Lake Meets Sky (Part 1)
Historical FictionIn the increasingly tense and discordant world between China and the West, bridging the cultural divide is crucial for mutual understanding. One way to uncover the complexity of Chinese history, culture, and ways of thinking is through literature. ...
