Recommend a writer for advanced Chinese learners and Chinese lovers

[PineWu]

Seems I have long been not posting here.. Ok, back to topic. This thread is to recommend a writer who is my most favorite one and arguably one of the most talented writers in China, 简媜 (original name 简敏媜). She is a contemporary and mainly writes prose. Although she is relatively unknown when compared to 余秋雨，余华，迟子建 or other contemporary writers, her work is, at least in my opinion, far far more elegant and profound than those of other writers mentioned or unmentioned above.

She write in a style that is between 白话文 and 古文, so the difficulty is not so insurmountable as that of most pure 古文. But once the difficulty conquered you will be able to savor her half-poetic, half-straight style, one that blends the elements of both traditional and contemporary Chinese, one that makes her work so uniquely appealing.

However just a reminder, if you are not even able to read normal prose or novel in Chinese without and barrier, at least put away her books for now. Reading it would be like a TOEFL test taker scoring 90 reading Shakespeare.

Just type in some excerpts I love for you to judge.

橋底綠水流淌，幾處淺灘豎起水薑，似一群正在發誓的白蝴蝶，薄香；偶有不知名野鳥，在突出的巖塊上，引吭；如朗誦牠上輩子寫的一首詩，無人聽懂，飛走。

她像西斜陽光照在剛哭過的流浪漢眼睛上針尖的反光，輕微得沒有重量。踏出玻璃帷幕大樓，冷雨天空起了風，過客與風是孿生的：從杳無人煙的驛站到廢船麇集的港口，如此一生。

樹林傳來揉葉子的聲音，那是秋天的手指。陽光把牆壁刷暖和了，夜將它吹涼。秋天把舊葉子揉掉了，你要聽新故事麼？靜靜的頓河睜著星子眼睛，笑著說：總有回家的人，總有離岸的船。

時光，重疊在一棵樹上。

舊枝葉團團如蓋，新條從其上引申。時光在樹上寫史，上古的顏色才讀畢，忽然看到當代。總奇怪，嶙峋的老枝怎會抽出嫩條，而又相安無事。

我們隔了一段距離，觀賞樹的新舊問題，既承認舊枝條盤出的姿態之美，又歡喜新條帶來綠意與生機。則在觀賞者眼裡，舊與新，往昔與現在，並不是敵對狀態的，他們在時光行程中互相辯證，以美為最後依規。

The original language in traditional Chinese like I write above, but I understand most of you maybe more comfortable with simple Chinese, so I attach a simple Chinese version (by online translator). But for myself I prefer the traditional version.

桥底绿水流淌，几处浅滩竖起水薑，似一群正在发誓的白蝴蝶，薄香；偶有不知名野鸟，在突出的岩块上，引吭；如朗诵牠上辈子写的一首诗，无人听懂，飞走。

她像西斜阳光照在刚哭过的流浪汉眼睛上针尖的反光，轻微得没有重量。踏出玻璃帷幕大楼，冷雨天空起了风，过客与风是孪生的：从杳无人烟的驿站到废船麇集的港口，如此一生。

树林传来揉叶子的声音，那是秋天的手指。阳光把牆壁刷暖和了，夜将它吹凉。秋天把旧叶子揉掉了，你要听新故事麽？静静的顿河睁着星子眼睛，笑着说：总有回家的人，总有离岸的船。

时光，重叠在一棵树上。

旧枝叶团团如盖，新条从其上引申。时光在树上写史，上古的颜色才读毕，忽然看到当代。总奇怪，嶙峋的老枝怎会抽出嫩条，而又相安无事。

我们隔了一段距离，观赏树的新旧问题，既承认旧枝条盘出的姿态之美，又欢喜新条带来绿意与生机。则在观赏者眼裡，旧与新，往昔与现在，并不是敌对状态的，他们在时光行程中互相辩证，以美为最后依规。

As for her books(most of them).

水问 the most simple one and I would recommend for beginner.

空灵 a combination of prose and poem.

下午茶 insightful, short pieces.

只缘身在此山中 about Zen

女儿红 only one word MASTERPIECE (my favorite)

红婴仔 wrote when she is pregnant

胭脂盆地 not recommended, Taiwanese may love it.

Except 胭脂盆地 the others are definitely worth reading if you are capable of understanding.

女儿红 is the most difficult yet elegant and profound book of her work imo.

Ok, finished. Any comments or questions regarding her and her work are welcome.

(@imron hope this thread won't get deleted or moved , then it's the first thread I have here