The Deer and the Cauldron by Louis Cha (Jin Yong in Asia)

The Deer and the Cauldron by Louis Cha (Jin Yong in <st1:place w:st="on">Asia</st1:place>)

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http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0195903234/qid=1079955783/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/104-2486253-1218366?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

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The Deer and the Cauldron is the last of 12 novels that Louis Cha wrote in the 50s, 60s and the 70s. Mr. Cha in typically plucky Chinese fashion originally published his stories a 1000 words are a time in his very own daily newspaper published in Hong Kong and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Singapore</st1:place></st1:country-region>.

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The impact of Louis Cha on Asian culture is hard to underestimate. All of the Hong Kong kung-fu movies, and hundreds of novelists in <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Korea</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Japan</st1:place></st1:country-region> all owe their work directly to Louis Cha. In this manner Cha is far more influential to Asian Fantasy than Tolkien is to Western Fantasy.

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The Deer and the Cauldron is considered to be his boldest novel and many regard it as his finest work. The protagonist is Trinket a son of a whore, who grows up in the whore-house where his mother works. Trinket teaches us that no matter how tough life can get, look for escape! More seriously, Trinket holds the bonds of friendship above all concerns – above wealth, freedom, society, the empire, even more sacred than his own life as demonstrated on countless occasions.

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The Deer and the Cauldron perhaps has the most elaborate plot that I ever had the pleasure to ride. John Minford does a strong job translating Cha’s words and I am surprised by Minford’s strength in keeping to some fairly crude expressions that are no doubt true to the original. I regret that the English translation is an abridged 3 volumes of the original 7 volumes! I will have to catch up with my Korean most likely to be able to read a full version, as I am sure my Chinese is a good 15 years away!

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Whoever you are you will enjoy this work of wonderful fantasy steeped in Chinese culture.

Originally posted on LiveJournal