The King of Trees
Book description
When the three novellas in The King of Trees were published separately in China in the 1980s, "Ah Cheng fever" spread across the country. Never before had a fiction writer dealt with the Cultural Revolution in such Daoist-Confucian terms, discarding Mao-speak, and mixing both traditional and vernacular elements with an…
- Coming soon!
Why read it?
1 author picked The King of Trees as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Set in China’s southwestern mountainous rainforest borderland of Xishuangbanna, this novella is based on the author’s time as a “sent-down youth” during the Cultural Revolution. Politics take a backseat to the intimate friendships forged during those years, alongside the heedless degradation of the country’s lushest lands. The famed director Chen Kaige—who had served two mountains away from the author—made a faithful film adaptation.
From Michael's list on set in China’s diverse regions.
Want books like The King of Trees?
Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The King of Trees.
Browse books like The King of Trees
5 book lists we think you will like!
Interested in China, the Chinese Cultural Revolution, and chess?
10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about China, the Chinese Cultural Revolution, and chess.