The TV series "Flowers" directed by Wong Kar-wai is currently being aired on major platforms. This TV series is adapted from Mr. Jin Yucheng's novel of the same name "Flowers". The most interesting thing about the TV series adaptation is that this is the second creation of the screenwriter and director, and there is no need to be too rigid in the original novel. Wong Kar-wai's version of "Flowers" is a typical Wong Kar-wai flavor.
The Shanghainese version of the TV series "Flowers" seems to be much better than the Mandarin version. This is actually the taste. If watching Wong Kar Wai's Shanghai-language version of "Flowers" is not satisfying enough, or if you want to read a novel after watching the TV series, I feel that when it comes to choosing the version of the novel "Flowers", it is better to "get it right in one step" .
When I read the novel "Flowers", I didn't get it right in one step. In my memory, this novel was first published in Harvest magazine. Many young friends may have only learned about "Harvest" in the past two years. This is probably because Yongxin, the chief programmer of "Harvest", is now in charge of Jiangsu Satellite TV's cultural program "I Study on an Island". "Harvest" has a history of several decades, and is the highest-quality publication of novels among existing magazines. In 2023, Teacher Jia Pingwa's "Heshan Biography" will be published first on "Harvest" and then published as a physical book.
I read "Flowers", and I read the version in "Harvest" first. Later, Teacher Jin Yucheng's "Flowers" had a people's literature version. The version of People's Literature is very neat, just like "Flowers", and the binding is relatively simple. I bought this copy of "Flowers" by People's Literature for my collection. At that time, it seemed to be 48 yuan. The original version was the regular price and was not discounted. The novel "Flowers" has collection value.
Before New Year's Day, the editor of Changjiang Literature and Art sent me a copy of "Flowers Annotated Edition". The editor said, let me see the quality of this annotated version and whether it is worth collecting. The editor also said that if I think this annotated edition of Changjiang Literature and Art is good, I can send a few more copies and let me keep them for readers. I quickly refused. The reason for rejection is also simple. The current publishing industry is in such a slump. As readers, we should buy and read books ourselves instead of waiting for publishers to send books to read.
Before I got Yangtze Literature and Art's "Flowers Annotated Edition", I had another kind of inner activity. Although there is a lot of Shanghainese content in teacher Jin Yucheng's "Flowers", the great thing about Chinese is that all kinds of dialect creations will eventually be included in the Chinese system itself. Dialect novels do not affect Chinese reading. Anyone who knows Chinese can basically read it. Therefore, the Shanghai-language novel "Flowers" does not seem to require annotations.
The day before New Year's Day, I got this annotated version of the novel. After reading it, I felt that my earlier thoughts seemed wrong. This annotated version not only annotated some Shanghainese content, but also "suddenly a third person appeared, chatting with the reader and the author." Moreover, a very important point is that the "third person" in this annotation not only understands Shanghainese, but is also humorous.
Changjiang Literature and Art's "Flowers Annotated Edition" is written by Jin Yucheng and annotated by Shen Hongfei. Many people know Shen Hongfei from the food documentary series "A Bite of China", where he is a food consultant. I know Shen Hongfei from some columns and magazines. Lao Shen opened columns in many well-known print media, specializing in content about men, women, and food. He was humorous and to the point. Shen Hongfei is a bit like Lin Yutang.
Shen Hongfei has a book called "Assured Men and Complaining Women Ask Mr. Shen", which uses the method of "readers to ask" to specifically answer some issues about food and sex that men and women encounter. In terms of creative temperament, Shen Hongfei and Jin Yucheng are similar. Mr. Jin Yucheng's "Flowers" is actually the product of "Jin Ping Mei" hybridized with "Dream of Red Mansions", and it is also a matter of food and sex. The TV series "Flowers" directed by Wong Kar-Wai is going to be broadcast on stars, so the only thing left to do is food and sex. To find the real taste, you have to read novels.
Teacher Jin Yucheng’s single volume of "Flowers" shows Jin Yucheng chatting with readers in Shanghainese.Jin Yucheng is also a typical foodie and can talk about these things easily. This time, the interesting thing about Changjiang Literature and Art's "Flowers Annotated Edition" is that a third person named Shen Hongfei came between the author and the readers, and he participated in this chatter by annotating it. Moreover, his participation was very interesting, humorous, and to the point.
For example, at the beginning of "Flowers", Jin Yucheng wrote, "Tao Tao said, long time no see, come in for a cup of tea." "Long time no see" is actually a phrase from ancient Chinese novels, and readers with good reading skills can understand it. "Come in and have a cup of tea", many of us non-Shanghai readers can easily understand it according to their own meaning. This means drinking Longjing and Biluochun. Actually, it's not. Shen Hongfei's annotation will tell the truth:
The so-called "tea" in old Shanghai dialect generally refers to cold and boiled water. Adding tea leaves is called "tea leaf tea". There is tea but no tea. Readers from other provinces must pay attention.
This comment is not only full of useful information, but also can make readers laugh for three hours, especially readers from other provinces. Basically, every comment is informative and contains the commentator's own humor and wisdom. So I said that this "Flowers Annotated Edition" is a chat between the author, the reader and the annotator. The author and the annotator are more humorous than the other, and they are both masters of food and sex. The next reader burst into laughter.
Therefore, I suggest that when you read the novel "Flowers", you can choose a one-step method. This annotated version by Shen Hongfei of Yangtze River Literature and Art is indeed worth collecting. I took a look and found that this version, sold online, is cheaper than the copy of People's Literature I had back then. The publishing industry is indeed in a slump, so I should volunteer for "Flowers" to promote it. (Text/Ma Qingyun)
