Fortress Besieged [1947] by Qian Zhongshu
Qian Zhongshu (1910-1998) was a talented literary scholar, researcher and polyglot. He published his novel Fortress Besieged in 1947, but it received its due attention only in the 1980s. It is now considered “one of the masterpieces of twentieth century Chinese literature”. Set on the eve of the Sino-Japanese war in 1937, it tells the story of Fang Hung-chien, a young man who returns home to Shanghai after years of aimless and fruitless studying in Europe. Without a proper degree, he then jumps from one job to another, and from one love affair to the next, becoming disillusioned with both his career and his eventual marriage. Penguin Publishing describes this contemporary Chinese classic as “a glorious tale of love, marriage, war, calamity, disillusionment and hope, this is one of the greatest Chinese novels: combining Eastern philosophy, Western traditions, adventure, tragicomedy and satire to create a unique feast of delights.”
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