Chinese (Shanghai)-English translation by Yian Zhang

CHINESE (SHANGHAI) 繁花

Jin Yucheng

Blossoms is a full-length novel which is primarily written in Shanghai dialect. In order to establish a concise style of writing, the author omits most personal pronouns and conjunctions.

阿宝十岁，邻居蓓蒂六岁。两个人从假三层爬上屋顶，瓦片温热，眼 里是半个卢湾区，前面香山路，东面复兴公园，东面偏北，看见祖父 独幢洋房一角，西面后方，皋兰路尼古拉斯东正教堂，三十年代俄侨 建立，据说是纪念苏维埃处决的沙皇，尼古拉二世，打雷闪电阶段， 阴森可惧，太阳底下，比较养眼。蓓蒂拉紧阿宝，小身体靠紧，头发飞 舞。东南风一劲，听见黄浦江船鸣，圆号宽广的嗡嗡声，抚慰少年人 胸怀。阿宝对蓓蒂说，乖囡，下去吧，绍兴阿婆讲了，不许爬屋顶。蓓 蒂拉紧阿宝说，让我再看看呀，绍兴阿婆最坏。阿宝说，嗯。蓓蒂说， 我乖吧。阿宝摸摸蓓蒂的头说，下去吧，去弹琴。蓓蒂说，晓得了。这 一段对话，是阿宝永远的记忆。 此地，是阿宝父母解放前就租的房子，蓓蒂住底楼，同样是三间，大 间摆钢琴。帮佣的绍兴阿婆，吃长素，荤菜烧得好，油镬前面，不试咸 淡。阿婆喜欢蓓蒂。每次蓓蒂不开心，阿婆就说，我来讲故事。蓓蒂 说，不要听，不要听。 […]吃过夜饭，蓓蒂的琴声传到楼上。有时，琴声 停了，听到蓓蒂哭。阿宝娘说，底楼的乡下老太，脾气真不好。阿宝爸 爸说，不要再讲乡下，城里，剥削阶级思想。阿宝娘说，小姑娘，自小 要有好习惯，尤其上海。阿宝爸爸不响。阿宝娘说，绍兴阿婆哪里懂 呢，里外粗细一道做。阿宝爸爸说，旧社会，楼上贴身丫鬟，楼下大脚 娘姨。阿宝娘不响。阿宝爸爸说，少讲旧社会事体。 蓓蒂的爸爸，某日从研究所带回一只兔子。蓓蒂高兴，绍兴阿婆不高 兴，因为供应紧张，小菜越来越难买，阿婆不让兔子进房间，只许小 花园里吃野草。礼拜天，蓓蒂抽了篮里的菜叶，让兔子吃。蓓蒂对兔 子说，小兔快点吃，快点吃，阿婆要来了[…]一天阿婆冲过来说，蓓蒂 呀蓓蒂呀，每天小菜多少，阿婆有数的。阿婆抢过菜叶，拖蓓蒂进厨 房，蓓蒂就哭了，只吃饭，菜拨到阿婆碗里。阿婆说，吃了菜，小牙齿 就白。蓓蒂说，不要白。阿婆不响，吃了菜梗，菜叶子揿到蓓蒂碗里， 蓓蒂仍旧哭。阿婆说，等阿婆挺尸了，再哭丧，快吃。蓓蒂一面哭一面 吃。[…]蓓蒂说，小兔也要断气了。阿婆说，是呀是呀。蓓蒂说，花园 里，野草已经吃光了。阿婆抱紧蓓蒂说，乖囡，顾不到兔子了，人只能 顾自家了，要自家吃。蓓蒂哭了起来。阿婆不响。附近，听不到一部汽 车来往。阿婆拍拍蓓蒂说，菜秧一样的小人呀，眼看一点点长大了，

Besides, Jin prefers to leave the characters' feelings unexplored, frequently using the phrase 'No sound from somebody' to signal a pause.

ENGLISH Blossoms

translated by Yian Zhang

Bao was ten; Beidi, his neighbour, was six. The two climbed up to the roof from the false third floor; the tiles were warm, half of the Luwan District was in eyes; Xiangshan Road was in the front; Fuxing Park was to the east; to the north of the east, they saw the corner of grandfather's detached house; to the back of the west, Nicholas Orthodox Church of Gaolan Road was there, built by Russian expatriates in the thirties, allegedly in memory of Nicholas II the Tsar who was executed by the Soviets; in the stage of thunder and lightning, it was filled with eeriness and dread; under the sun, it was a bit more eye-pleasing. Beidi drew Bao close; the petite figure leaning close; the hair was fluttering. The southeast wind strengthened; the sound of the boats on the Huangpu River was heard; the broad hum of the French horn soothed the youngsters' chests. Bao said to Beidi, get down sweety; never climb the roof; Shaoxing Granny keeps telling you that. Beidi drew Bao close and said, let me take another glimpse; Shaoxing Granny is the worst. Bao said, well. Beidi said, I'm good, right? Bao petted Betty's head and said, go down, play the piano. Beidi said, all right. An everlasting memory, Bao bears in mind.

Before Liberation, Bao’s parents rented this house; Beidi lived on the ground floor, with three rooms as well as Bao’s; the biggest one set up with a piano. Shaoxing Granny the housekeeper, ate vegetables of all time; she cooked the meats well; in front of the frying pans, she never tried the taste of her cooking. Granny liked Beidi. Whenever Beidi was upset, she would say, let me tell you a story. Beidi said, no, no. […] After the evening meal, the sound of Betty's piano beamed upstairs. Sometimes, the sound of the piano stopped, crying from Beidi was heard. Bao's mum said, the old hick lady on the ground floor, she has a really nasty temper. Bao's father said, stop talking about the hick, about the city, it’s too exploiting class. Bao's mum said, young ladies, they should have good habits since childhood, especially in Shanghai. No sound from Bao's father. Bao's mum said, Shaoxing Granny is completely unaware of it, she does and teaches the housework and homework and everything else together. Bao's father said, in the Old Society, the personal maids lived upstairs, and the freemoving aunties lived downstairs. No sound from Bao's mum. Bao's father said, do not bring up the history of Old Society.