Course:ASIA351/2022/The Song of Everlasting Sorrow

First published in 1995, Song of Everlasting Sorrow is Wang Anyi at the pinnacle of her re-invention. The novel was translated to English in 2008 by Michale Berry and Susan Chan Egan. The novel won the Mao Dun prize in 2000, and has been adapted for stages, television and film.

The Song of Everlasting Sorrow
The Song of Everlasting Sorrow
Author	Wang Anyi
Title	The Song of Everlasting Sorrow
Country	China
Language	Chinese English translation
Genre	Adult Fiction
Published	1995

Historical background

The Song of Everlasting Sorrow is a novel first published in Chinese in 1995, it's written by Chinese author Wang Anyi.

The prototype of The Song of Everlasting Sorrow is a news that Wang Anyi accidentally saw. The news tells the story that the girl on the cover of the "Beautiful" brand cigarette was harassed by young men, who killed the girl with a guilty conscience. The above materials are only relatively crude information. The author needs to select the cover girl and young man who were once popular and the tragic fate of the heroine as the real elements of the novel through screening in the depths of his heart. For example, "Miss Shanghai" is the synonym of "modern" in Shanghai in the 1940s and 1950s. In the contest for "Miss Shanghai", the top three "名花"(Famous flower) have their own names. Such a famous prostitute culture still exists in modern times when it is transformed into a new public image. Therefore, real materials can quickly bring people back to the 40s and 50s to feel the Shanghai customs at that time. Wang Anyi uses realistic characters and plots to express Shanghai, which will give readers a sense of identity. Then the author makes up the story on the basis of determining the ending of the novel.

Synopsis/Plot Summary

Part 1 (Chapter 1 to 15)

Chapter 1-10

Wang Anyi in the beginning of the novel introduced the character Wang Qiyao; she is the main character of the novel and the whole story of the book revolves around her. The first chapter Wang Qiyao appears is in the chapter Wang Qiyao; she first appeared as a classic "daughter" in the longtang. At this point she can be seen as no different than any other girl. Wang qiyao is described as a typical girl waiting and she always follows the mainstream “neither falling behind nor rushing ahead— they are modernity in numbers”.Wang Qiyaos represent the spirit of the Shanghai girls in longtang.  The focus description on Qiyao’s ordinariness in the beginning is for the contrast with the future character. Wu Pei Zhen is Wang Qiyao’s friend and one day her cousin invited them to go to the movie studio. This is a very new experience for Qiyao. Although Qiyao did not show much feeling during her visit, Wu Pei Zhen found that Qiyao actually liked visiting the film studio a lot. As Wang Qiyao and Wu Pei Zhen visited the film studio more often they developed a better understanding of the movie production and shooting technique. They also got close to the director and Qinyao got a chance for an audition. Qiyao was auditioning for a bride in a traditional wedding ceremony; however, during the audition, the director soon realized Qiyao’s beauty is ordinary and not so artistic. Still, the director asked his photographer friend to take a photo shoot for Qiyao which later was on the front cover of Shanghai Life.  Wang Qiyao has decided not to visit the Movie studio after the audition, she admits that the memory of her wearing the dress had given her strange frisson. One month later, the director called Qiyao telling her a photographer named Mr.Cheng would like to take a photo shoot for her. Qiyao first felt embraced because of the last audition experience but soon agreed. Mr.Cheng is a 26 years old man wearing a pair of golden trimmed glasses, white shirt and western slacks. Mr. Cheng has passions during the photo shoot, he thinks that Wang Qiyao is beautiful, unpolished and different from the audition. Qiyao does not need to build a character for the photo shoot, she just needs to be pretty for the shooting. The photo was later the inside front cover of Shanghai Life,  and Qiyao was not happy since she does not have much memory when this shoot was taken and she thinks she is not pretty enough in the picture. In the school, Qiyao soon became a celebrity, students came to see her on purpose.

Chapter 10-15

Jiang Lili and Mr. Cheng pushed Wang Qiyao to enter the “Miss Shanghai” pageant, but she really got into the secondary election. During this period, Wu Peizhen and the director who had worked with Wang Qiyao advised Wang not to continue the election campaign. More unexpectedly, Wang Qiyao won third place in the “Miss Shanghai” pageant. Jiang Lili originally loved Mr. Cheng, but Mr. Cheng has always loved Wang Qiyao. Their love triangle relationship was broken when Jiang Lili finally saw the photo of Mr. Cheng dating Wang Qiyao. She rose to fame and became the focus of social attention. This led Wang Qiyao to be admired by Director Li at the beginning of her relationship with Mr. Cheng and confirmed her relationship with Director Li with half a push. Director Li rented a room for Wang Qiyao in the luxurious Alice apartment, and Wang Qiyao became his mistress. After Wang Qiyao left, Mr. Cheng had lost all desire for food and drink. Later, he met Jiang Lili again. After Jiang Lili told him that Wang Qiyao had become attached, he began dating Jiang Lili. But their relationship didn't last long. Mr. Cheng also left completely and disappeared. When Wang Qiyao lived in Alice's apartment, Wu Peizhen came to say goodbye to her and told her that she was married. Finally, the good times didn't last long. Director Li died because of an airplane accident.

Part 2 (Chapter 16 to 31)

Wang Qiyao went to find her grandmother, who thought about the life of a beautiful woman, early enlightenment and late enlightenment, and the reality of women. Unfortunately, Wang Qiyao absolutely cannot understand grandma now.

Wang Qiyao knew a young man named Ah Er. A Er was kind-hearted and loved reading. Because he was forced to give away tofu in 1948, Ah Er's simple heart attracted Wang Qiyao. The two talked about poetry and had simple experiences with each other. One day when Ah Er left, Wang Qiyao believed that Ah Er had gone to Shanghai.

Although Wang Qiyao is in her hometown in Suzhou, she misses Shanghai. Once the miss starts, she cannot hold back, so Wang Qiyao returns to Shanghai. Shanghai was still the old Shanghai; Wang Qiyao became a nurse, watched the crowds, and learned about the affairs of the world from their mouths.

Wang Qiyao met a middle-aged woman named Mrs Yan, who has a good family. Mrs Yan likes to dress up. Under the influence of Mrs Yan, Wang Qiyao also likes to dress up herself. Wang Qiyao visited Mrs Yan's house as a guest, and looking at the resplendent and resplendent house; she remembered her former self.

Mrs Yan's son was ill, and Uncle Mao Mao was still visiting, and the three of them became acquainted. Uncle Mao Mao said that she could predict life. Later, we talked about many things, which greatly relieved the boredom. Later, Uncle Mao Mao introduced Shasha to me. It is said that Shasha is still a child of a big man. Shasha is a lively big boy, straightforward and simple, and later they gathered at Wang Qiyao's house to play, and everyone was pleased when they came and went.

One is the noble son Kang Mingxun who has lost his soul, and the other is the noble lady who was forgotten by the times. The two naturally tend to feel pity, which should be a passion, but not loves, because people should think for a lifetime. You cannot fly in the air for the first half of your life and spend the rest of your life in hell. Looking at the relationship between the two, I am apprehensive. What kind of person would like the lingering relationship between the two?

Wang Qiyao is pregnant, the child cannot be anonymous, and Wang Qiyao thinks of Shasha; Shasha is of mixed race, his parents died, and he has his pride, so Wang Qiyao gets mixed up with Shasha, hoping to blame this matter on Shasha's head, Shasha is a The character of the child constantly bullies Wang Qiyao, but he is not good at saying anything. However, Shasha has his responsibility, so they go to the hospital because his aunt asks him to leave; Wang Qiyao thinks he would constantly pester Shasha no matter what. It Holds him accountable to the end.

Wang Qiyao met Mr Cheng unexpectedly, and the two were worried about living, so they made do with each other, and Mr Cheng only went home to sleep at night. Mr Cheng still maintains the style of a gentleman. Jiang Lili later found Mr Cheng, and Wang Qiyao watched it with Mr Cheng. Although it is a sea of ​​vicissitudes, there is also the joy of seeing an old friend again.

Poor Mr Cheng took care of Wang Qiyao until the birth of Wang Qiyao's child. Facing the world, he had to take good care of Wang Qiyao's psychology and bury the matter in his heart. The sadness and bitterness in his heart could only be cried out to Jiang Lili. Mr Cheng could not bear it, so he often entrusted Jiang Lili to visit Wang Qiyao. Jiang Lili often visits Wang Qiyao, and the two are considered companions.

Wang Qiyao came to Wu Bridge, a place where non-native people gathered. Wang Qiyao's grandmother lived here. Wang Qiyao's different demeanor and Shanghai background filled Deuce's heart with imagination and desire. But Wang Qiyao regarded Deuce's love as merely puppy love.

Part 3 (Chapter 32 to 45)

Section I

Wang Qiyao’s daughter, Weiwei, is born in the year 1961. With an absentee father, Weiwei and Wang Qiyao develop a difficult relationship. Entering high school, Weiwei becomes enthralled with fashion, eventually leading to a common interest not only with her mother, but also with her friend Zhang Yonghong. The three eventually become closer due to their shared interest in fashion, although many arguments and disagreements arise. As Zhang Yonghong enters into a series of unsuccessful relationships, Weiwei begins to date one of Zhang Yonghong’s ex boyfriends named Xiao Lin. Although visiting Weiwei very infrequently at first due to studying for university entrance exams, Xiao Lin and Wang Qiyao eventually become close due to his respect for her experience as well as her antique items. However, Weiwei eventually becomes jealous of the relationship between the two and begins arguing with Xiao Lin.

Section II

After receiving news that Xiao Lin had been accepted into college, Wang Qiyao, Weiwei and Xiao Lin go to Hangzhou for celebration. After the couple is surprisingly absent for breakfast and lunch, the three begin to have a series of arguments. While eventually things are smoothed over, Wang Qiyao begins to question Xiao Lin. After returning from vacation, Weiwei and Xiao Lin go out to a newly in vogue Christmas Eve party. The night following the party, Weiwei reveals to Wang Qiyao that Xiao Lin had proposed to her during the Christmas Eve celebration. Although somewhat surprised, Wang Qiyao emotionally approves of the marriage. Subseqeuntly, Xiao Lin and Weiwei begin to plan to move to America while Wang Qiyao prepares for the wedding with the help of Madame Yan. Following the wedding, Weiwei and Xiao Lin move to San Fransisco for his second year of college, leaving Wang Qiyao on her own.

Section III

With Weiwei now in America, Wang Qiyao goes to several dances where she eventually meets Old Color. Old Color, who is entranced by old Shanghai, begins to visit Wang Qiyao at her home. Although having a significant age difference, Old Color is intrigued by the former Miss Shanghai. While Wang Qiyao initially rejects his advances, she still invites Old Color over regularly. Continuing his visits, Old Colour and Wang Qiyao have a series of disagreements. However, this does not deter Old Colour from pursuing Wang Qiyao. After several dinners with Wang Qiyao, Zhang Yonghong and her new boyfriend, Long Legs, Old Colour begins to stay overnight at Wang Qiyao’s apartment regularly. Meanwhile, Long Legs, although appearing to be wealthy, begins to feel the strain of his lavish lifestyle. He fakes leaving Shanghai on numerous occasions in order to have more time to repay his debts and begins to defraud his clients.

Section IV

Wang Qiyao hosts a series of parties, but begins to wonder what will happen to the trio of younger people that she now considers her closest friends. After continuing to visit, Old Colour becomes Wang Qiyao’s lover. However, when Wang Qiyao asks to take Old Colour out to dinner, cementing their relationship, Old Colour begins to have second thoughts and runs away. Eventually Old Color returns to Wang Qiyao’s apartment later that night. While Wang Qiyao attempts to give him the locked box that contains the remaining gold bars, Old Color rejects this and ends their romantic affair. Attempting to show her need for him, Wang Qiyao hosts another party which Old Color does not show up to. After the party, Long Legs leaves only to return later that night. Desperate and having heard rumors of the wealth that was left to her, Long Legs to breaks into Wang Qiyao’s apartment. However, Wang Qiayo catches him in the act and demands he turns himself into the police. Instead, Long Legs murders Wang Qiayo and leaves with the gold bars.

Main characters

Wang Qiyao: The heroine of this work, a Shanghai girl. She did not want to be mediocre. She met Jiang Lili, a rich lady, and Mr. Cheng, who was always loyal to her. Under their help, she won the title of "Third Miss" in the "Miss Shanghai" pageant. The starting point of her destiny is to change from here. With this title, she will no longer be the little girl in the alley who nobody pays attention to, but a spokesman for the urban trend. Wang Qiyao's love affair was almost bumpy. From being elected as the third Miss on the "Miss Shanghai" pageant to 40 years later, she broke up with several man in bad ending. In her relationship with her daughter, she always remembered old Shanghai, but did not understand the culture of her daughter's time, and had a bad relationship with her daughter. Finally, Wang Qiyao was killed by her daughter's classmate's boyfriend "Long Legs" for money.

Mr. Cheng: Mr. Cheng is a man throughout the full text. Among the men who have ties with Wang Qiyao, Mr. Cheng is the most sincere one. But in Wang Qiyao's mind, Mr. Cheng is the last way out. Even if she loses everything, she still has Mr. Cheng. Mr. Cheng leave Shanghai after he knew Wang Qiyao had ties with Director Li. When he came back more than ten years later, Wang Qiyao already became a single mother and a daughter. Mr. Cheng still kept his original intention and took good care of them. Until he saw Kang Mingxun, he knew that Wang Qiyao had never given him love. He left the woman who had been in love for half a century in despair.

Director Li: Director Li was a high-ranking official in the Kuomintang National Revolutionary Army, known to everyone in Shanghai. The first time he saw Wang Qiyao was in the "Miss Shanghai" pageant. Later, at a banquet, after a brief talk, he asked Wang Qiyao out for dinner. After going out a few times together, he bought a ring and rented a room for Wang Qiyao in the luxurious Alice apartment. Wang Qiyao became his mistress, and although there is a big difference in age, they still love each other sincerely. As China's civil war progressed, Director Li became busier and busier, rarely in Shanghai. He told Wang Qiyao not to admit their relationship. Later he died in a plane crash.

Weiwei: Wang Qiyao’s daughter. A source of conflict within the novel, Weiwei often argues with her mother due to her jealousy towards Wang Qiyao. While not beautiful like her mother, Weiwei became interested in fashion after seeing clothes items in her mothers personal chest. Often described as being very simple minded and unambitious, Weiwei eventually goes to sanitary school and then nursing school after graduating highschool. Eventually marrying Xiao Lin, Weiwei moves away from Wang Qiyao’s home to America along with her husband.

Zhang Yonghong: One of Weiwei’s friends, Zhang Yonghong has a particular talent and interest in fashion. Although slightly arrogant due to her excellent fashion sense, Yonghong took to Weiwei particularly and became friends with her. Zhang Yonghong comes from a very poor family where her father is a shoe maker and her mother and older sister have contracted Tuberculosis. Although anorexic, Zhang Yonghong is described as being very beautiful and is sometimes contrasted with Wang Qiyao. While she becomes close with Wang Qiyao, her constant finding and dumping of boyfriends becomes a point of conflict between the two. Although eventually dating Long Legs for a much longer amount of time and considering him for marriage, it is revealed that Zhang Yonghong often changed boyfriends due to low self esteem

Xiao Lin: The son of an engineer, Xiao Lin begins dating Weiwei after Zhang Yonghong breaks up with him. Having not been accepted into university on his first application, Xiao Lin is primarily focused on passing the college entry exams to follow in his fathers footsteps. While initially cultivating a strong bond with Wang Qiyao due to his appreciation of old Shanghai, this relationship begins to deteriorate after a trip to Hangzhou with her and Weiwei. Eventually marrying Weiwei, Xiao Lin moves to America for the second term of college and bringing Weiwei with him to San Francisco.

Old Color: A gym teacher at the local high school and an astonishing flamenco guitar player. Ironically, Old Color is only 26 years old and still lives with his parents in Longtang in the Hongkou neighborhood. Eventually pursuing Wang Qiyao, Old Color has an affinity for anything that comes from old Shanghai. This obsession with the past causes Old Color to be interested in different things than his friends of his age, leading him to be interested in Wang Qiyao. Originally, Wang Qiyao does not agree to his advances, but after becoming her lover, Wang Qiyao begins to show interest in a relationship with Old Color. However, as Old Color is as much a product of his time as she is of her’s, he begins to become uninterested in a relationship with Wang Qiyao. While he is fond of the old Shanghai, Old Color ultimately decides that he no longer wants to pursue Wang Qiyao, rejecting her pursuit for him.

Long Legs: Zhong Yonghong’s longest boyfriend, Long Legs claims to be the grandson of a Shanghai soy sauce magnate. A tall young man, Long Legs is extremely outgoing and thoroughly enjoys spending money on his many friends - especially his girlfriend, Zhang Yonghong. However, despite Long Legs' claim to have come from wealth, he is extremely poor and makes money through illegal currency exchange. Although Long Legs initially treats his client very well, putting friendship first, he eventually begins to accrue more and more debt. Becoming desperate to pay off his debts, Long Legs begins to defraud his clients and often pretends to leave the city. Ultimately, Long Legs attempts to steal Wang Qiyao’s hidden supply of gold bars, resulting in him murdering her when she discovers his larceny.

Themes of the work

Love and Tragedy

The most predominant theme of The Song of Everlasting Sorrow is the theme of love and tragedy. While primarily following the love affairs of Wang Qiyao, much of the plot revolves around the romantic relationships that are cultivated between many different characters as the narrative progresses through Shanghai’s different eras. Moreover, this theme of love extends beyond inter-character relationships, such as the love felt by Wang Qiyao and Old Color towards Shanghai. In addition to, and often as a result of the relationships between characters, tragedy composes another main theme of The Song of Everlasting Sorrow. An example of this are the unsuccessful relationships of Wang Qiyao and Zhang Yonghong, where both characters, despite being very capable, are unable to cultivate meaningful relationships causing them to fall in to deep loneliness and longing at times. Although ending in the murder of Wang Qiyao, the tragedy of this novel has caused comparison between Wang Qiyao and the 1920-30’s Chinese film star, Ruan Lingyu. While this theme of tragedy is predominant in both the translated and original text of the novel, some studies have found that the translated editions “...​​use English adverbs that emphasized the tragedy experienced by the heroine…”(Meng and Pan 3). Subsequently, this discrepancy has led to several debates surrounding the faithfulness of the translation.

Fashion

A predominant aspect of the novel is the fashion that is used to depict the lives of the petit bourgeoisie within Shanghai. Being both the source of conflict and commonality between several characters, Shanghai’s fashion is shown to be as much a part of the evolution of Shanghai as the characters themselves. Beginning in the 1940’s the novel describes the elegance of the fashion of the time, highlighting the nature of pre-cultural revolution Shanghai. Progressing into the 1960’s and the cultural revolution, fashion also takes on an important role in highlighting the transition between eras. Finally, moving onto post cultural revolution Shanghai, fashion becomes the guiding part of the relationship between Wang Qiyao and Weiwei. By bringing fashion to the forefront of description, Wang Anyi accentuates several other themes of the novel, such as highlighting the progressive alteration of Shanghai throughout time.

Shanghai as a Changing City

Following the characters throughout their lives, Shanghai is consistently constructed and reconstructed. Focusing several chapters on Wang Qiyao’s interpretation of the change (and downfall) of Shanghai life, such as Chapter 33: Weiwei’s Era, The Song of Everlasting Sorrow explores the ever changing nature of Shanghai. This heavy focus on the evolution of Shanghai by Wang Anyi has led many literature theorists to argue that the city itself is the main subject of the book, not necessarily the characters that the narrative follows. Moreover, this theme of the novel has inspired many to believe that Wang Anyi was writing a novel to add to the nostalgia towards old Shanghai, which was common throughout the 1990’s. Considering that several characters born after the cultural revolution are depicted as showing nostalgia for antique items belonging to Wang Qiyao, this claim seems to be supported within the novel. However, Wang Anyi has consistently denied this claim, asserting that Shanghai simply provided a backdrop for the novel's setting. This assertion by Wang Anyi is also supported by several critical theorists who argue that by having Wang Qiyao become emotionally attached to and in love with Shanghai allows for the eventual tragedy that befalls her. As is stated in Ian Ho-Yin Fong’s 2012 essay “Glamour, reflected in a kaleidoscopic Shanghai made of fragmented mirrors, distracts Wang from seeing its ruinous nature.” (242). Subsequently, in this interpretation of the novel's theme, the city acts less as a character, and more as a plot device.

Influence

Hong Kong director Stanley Kwok

Considered the "quintessential novel associated with the wave of nostalgia in the 1990s", Song of Everlasting Sorrow first started garnering readers through the magazine: Bell Mountain.Circulating among ones in the academic world, the novel aroused minimal attention from the public until 2000, when it won the Mao Dun Literature prize. This recognition, shortly followed by more awards in Hong Kong and Taiwan, led to a large increase in popularity and sales worldwide. As with other popular contemporary works, the Song of Everlasting Sorrow has been adapted for film and television. In 2003, it reaped "great theatrical success in Shanghai when it was staged by director Zhao Yaomin." Two years later, it was adapted to the big screen under the name "The Everlasting Regret" by prestigious Hong Kong director Stanley Kwan.

Reception

Critical Reception

Since the novel has been translated into English, critical reception has been mostly positive. In a positive review, Francine Prose of the New York Times described the novel as “extraordinary”, mentioning that the “scope and sweep of the book, along with its focus on the lives of women, seems reminiscent of the memoir ‘Wild Swans’, written by Jung Chang”. In a glowing review, Baochai Cheng & J. B Rollins specifically praise the characterization of Qiyao, mentioning how “like Qiyao, modern Shanghai has never been able to control its own fate.” In one of the earliest reviews for this novel, academic Luo Gang identified the significance of the reminisces of Old Shanghai and the reinvention of the city through imagination. Another prominent scholar, Wang Dewei wrote in his magazine drawing parallels between the novel and the work of Eileen Chang, mentioning that Wang Anyi is Chang's successor.

In 2000, Wang Anyi won the prestigious Mao Dun prize for the Song of Everlasting Sorrow.

Further reading

• Meng, Lingzi, and Feng Pan. “Using corpora to reveal style in translation: The case of The Song of Everlasting Sorrow.” Frontiers in psychology vol. 13 1034912. 28 Oct. 2022, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1034912
• Zeng, Hong. "Photography in Wang's Chang Hen Ge (The Song of Everlasting Sorrow)." CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture, vol. 12, no. 3, Sept. 2010. Gale Literature Resource Center, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A246449753/LitRC?u=ubcolumbia&sid=summon&xid=3d09d34c.
• Saint Jean, Catherine. Wang Anyi's "the Song of Everlasting Sorrow: A Novel of Shanghai", a ShiShi Novel of the 1990s, Dartmouth College, Ann Arbor, 2017. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/wang-anyis-song-everlasting-sorrow-novel-shanghai/docview/1983976594/se-2.

Wang Anyi

Other

• Wang Anyi moved to Shanghai with her family at the age of one.
• Wang Anyi grew up in the longtang neighbourhood mentioned in the beginning of the novel.
• Other English translated works of hers includes; Lapse of Time, Brocade Valley, Love on a Barren Mountain, and Love In a Small Town.
• In a Q&A session with Ping Zhu, Wang Anyi mentioned that the work she reads the most is "Dream of the Red Chamber".
• Wang Anyi was shortlisted for the 2011 Man Booker International Prize, an award recognizing one's achievement in fiction.