A long time ago, before I went to Taiwan or developed an interest in Chinese culture, I read one fifth of the massive Dream of The Red Chamber (the first volume of the Penguin Classics edition, renamed The Story of the Stone) and found it surprisingly enjoyable, like a Chinese Downton Abbey. I only gave up on it because I found all the Chinese names difficult to keep up with.
Aside from the obvious books like Dream of The Red Chamber and Journey to the West, what are some of the classics of Chinese literature that anybody trying to understand the culture should read? And, crucially, which of them shouldn’t be too difficult for a foreigner without a deep understanding of Chinese culture and history to follow?
I read Mo Yan’s Red Sorghum recently, a pretty interesting read for the early to mid 20th. c. That is, however, not an answer to your question.
But as for foundational works of modern literature, maybe Lu Xun?
P.S. I think “Story of the stone” is an alternate title (石頭記) seen on Qing manuscripts of Dream of the Red Chamber, so it’s not really that the book was renamed.
I actually read The Tao of Pooh when I was a teenager. I’m sure if I read it now I’d find it embarrassing, but I remember finding it quite profound when I was a teenager.
It isn’t strictly a “classic”, but Mo Yan is a good suggestion!
On my list: Taiwan Theory by Yoshinori Kobayashi Sun Yat Sen by Marie-Claire Bergere Three Principles of the People by Sun Yat-sen Progress and Poverty by Henry George
