The Three Leaps of Wang Lun: A Chinese NovelHere for the first time in English is Alfred Döblin's astonishing epic of eighteenth century China, hailed on its publication in 1915 as a master-piece of Expressionist prose, and since recognized to be the first modern German novel. The Three Leaps of Wang Lun is the story of a doomed sectarian rebellion during the reign of Emperor Ch'ien-lung (1736-1796). It is also the most sustained evocation, in any European language, of a China untouched by the West. Döblin's imagination, almost hallucinatory in its intensity, brings this China to vivid life. Teeming cities and Tibetan wastes, political intrigue and religious yearning, life at Court and the fate of wandering outcasts are depicted in a language of enormous vigour, unfolding the theme of meekness against force, a mystical sense of the world against the realities of power. This translation for the first time presents the whole work as Döblin wrote it. The inclusion of the Prologue, dropped from the first German edition and never replaced, restores a unity of structure and theme missing from previous editions. The Introduction places the novel in the context of Döblin's life and work, the Expressionist movement and the historical background, and discusses its theme and style. |
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already arms asked beside body bowed Broken brothers brothers and sisters brought Buddha called carried Ch'ien-lung Chao Hui Chia-ch'ing Chihli City close dark door Emperor eyes face fate father fear feeling feet fell felt fields five followed four friends front gate gave girl grew ground half hands head heard held hill holy hour hundred Imperial knew land later leave lived looked lovely Melon monastery months morning mountains mouth night once passed path province pulled reached seemed shoulders side smiled soldiers speak spirit spoke steps stood streets sword taken temple things thought told took town troops turned village voice waited walked wall Wang Lun Wang's wanted Western whole woman women Yellow Bell young