Yong Chang Boeken

Alleen schrijvers met een uitzonderlijk talent lukt het om grote historische gebeurtenissen zo te beschrijven dat de lezer diep geëmotioneerd raakt. Een schrijver moet ook over veel overtuigings- en verbeeldingskracht beschikken om de lezer deelgenoot te maken van de gevoelens die de personages beheersen. Over dat talent beschikt de Chinese schrijfster Jung Chang. In "Wilde Zwanen, drie Dochters van China" vertelt zij de buitengewone levensgeschiedenis van haar grootmoeder, concubine van een generaal in het feodale China; haar moeder, hoge partijfunctionaris tijdens het communistische bewind; en ten slotte het indrukwekkende verhaal hoe zij zelf als jong meisje in China opgroeide. "Wilde zwanen" geeft een panoramische visie van drie vrouwen op een complexe samenleving in de vorm van intieme memoires, prachtige portretten en verteld als een meeslepende kroniek van het twintigste-eeuwse China. En ondanks de haast onvoorstelbare gruwelen die de familie van Jung Chang ten deel zijn gevallen en die door de auteur op bijna onderkoelde manier worden beschreven, is "Wilde zwanen" een indrukwekkende getuigenis van optimistisch geloof in een rechtvaardige samenleving met gelijke rechten en gelijke kansen voor ieder individu.

Jung Chang vertelt het dramatische levensverhaal van Cixi, een sterke, eigenzinnige vrouw die bijna vijftig jaar lang China zou regeren, voor en achter de schermen. Een vrouw die begon als nederige concubine, maar uiteindelijk eeuwenlange tradities en formaliteiten overboord gooide en de basis legde voor het moderne, machtige China van vandaag de dag. Cixi werd op twaalfjarige leeftijd door Keizer Xianfeng uitverkoren tot zijn concubine. Van al zijn vrouwen was zij de enige die de keizer een mannelijke erfgenaam schonk, een jongen die in 1861 op vierjarige leeftijd keizer werd na de dood van zijn vader. Niet tevreden met de aangewezen regenten, riep Cixi de hulp in van Xianfengs weduwe en samen pleegden de twee vrouwen een briljante coup die van Cixi uiteindelijk de enige regentes zou maken. Tot haar dood in 1908 charmeerde, dreigde en manipuleerde Cixi het achtergebleven China de moderne tijd binnen en smeedde banden met de Westerse wereld die zelfs nu nog van groot belang zijn.

This is one of Jung's later writings, in which readers will find the practical applications to familiar psychological situations. It is an account of Jung's handling of the transference between psychologist and patient in the light of his conception of the archetypes.

In Psychology and Alchemy Jung works out in detail the analogies between alchemy, Christian dogma and symbolism in relation to alchemy, focusing on the mandala in particular.

The basic introduction to the thought of Jung, one of the founders of modern psychiatry. Here Jung examines some of the most contested and crucial areas in the field of analytical psychology: dream analysis, the primitive unconscious, and the relationship between psychology and religion. -- Publisher

From the bestselling author of Wild Swans and Mao: The Unknown Story In this groundbreaking biography, Jung Chang vividly describes how Empress Dowager Cixi âe" the most important woman in Chinese history âe" brought a medieval empire into the modern age. Under her, the ancient country attained virtually all the attributes of a modern state and it was she who abolished gruesome punishments like âe~death by a thousand cutsâe(tm) and put an end to foot-binding. Jung Chang comprehensively overturns the conventional view of Cixi as a diehard conservative and cruel despot andalso takes the reader into the depths of her splendid Summer Palace and the harem of Beijingâe(tm)s Forbidden City, where she lived surrounded by eunuchs âe" with one of whom she fell in love, with tragic consequences. Packed with drama, fast-paced and gripping, it is both a panoramic depiction of the birth of modern China and an intimate portrait of a woman: as the concubine to a monarch, as the absolute ruler of a third of the worldâe(tm)s population, and as a unique stateswoman. âe~Powerfulâe(tm) Simon Sebag Montefiore âe~Truly authoritativeâe(tm) New York Times âe~Wonderfulâe(tm) Sunday Times Shortlisted for the James Tait Black Biography Prize

Set against a backdrop of a century of turmoil in China, the narrative explores the lives of the three Soong sisters from Shanghai, who rose to prominence during a time of war and revolution. Each sister played a pivotal role in shaping the political landscape, influencing key events and figures. Their stories reveal the complexities of power, family loyalty, and the impact of personal choices on national history, showcasing how these remarkable women navigated a rapidly changing society.

The best-known modern Chinese fairy tale revolves around three sisters from Shanghai, central figures in China's power dynamics throughout the twentieth century. Often simplified as 'One loved money, one loved power, and one loved her country,' the Soong sisters were far more complex. As China faced a century of wars, revolutions, and transformations, each sister played a significant role, leaving an indelible mark on history. Ching-ling, the Red Sister, married Sun Yat-sen, the republic's founding father, and later became Mao's vice-chair. May-ling, the Little Sister, was Madame Chiang Kai-shek, a prominent political figure in pre-Communist Nationalist China. Ei-ling, the Big Sister, served as Chiang's unofficial adviser, amassing wealth and influence as one of China's richest women. Despite their privilege, the sisters faced constant threats and danger. Their lives were filled with courage, love, despair, and heartbreak. The emotional tension between them intensified as they embraced opposing political ideologies, with Ching-ling aiming to dismantle her sisters' world. This gripping narrative unfolds through a monumental journey across various global locales, revealing the intertwined lives of three extraordinary women who significantly shaped twentieth-century China.

From the internationally bestselling author of Wild Swans, this dramatic biography explores the life of a remarkable woman who ruled China for 50 years, transforming the nation from concubine to Empress. Cixi, a figure of immense wealth yet largely confined within palace walls, was a mother, a ruthless adversary, and a brilliant strategist. The author presents Cixi as one of the most formidable and enlightened rulers in history. Selected as a concubine at 12 by Emperor Xianfeng, she bore his only male heir, who became Emperor at just four years old after his father's death in 1861. In a masterstroke, Cixi allied with the Emperor's widow to orchestrate a coup, ousting the regents and becoming the sole Regent. Despite her lack of formal training, she and the widow studied history and politics, ruling the vast nation from behind a curtain. Following the death of her son, she appointed a young nephew as Emperor, maintaining her influence until her death in 1908. The author crafts a complex portrait of Cixi, highlighting her ruthlessness against rivals, her thirst for knowledge, her strategic appointments of Westerners, and her commitment to preserving China's cultural heritage while embracing modernization, including the controversial ban on footbinding.

This biography is full of startling revelations, exploding the myth of the Long March, and showing a completely unknown Mao: he was not driven by idealism or ideology: his intimate and intricate relationship with Stalin went back to the 1920's. Mao conquered China in 1949 and his goal was to dominate the world. in chasing this dream he caused the deaths of 38 million people in the greatest famine in history. In all, well over 70 million Chinese perished under Mao's rule in peacetime