China’s Best Books 2020

Heart as a Dwelling

Author: Teng Xiaolan

Beijing October Literature and Art Publishing House

Heart as a Dwelling is a masterpiece by Teng Xiaolan, a well-known writer and winner of the Lu Xun Literature Award. The novel takes "house" as the starting point, beginning from the Gu brothers and sisters buying and selling houses, and extends to all aspects of life. The author is familiar with the current experience of Shanghai residents and the warm and shrewd nature of Shanghainese, and he observes the influence of contemporary Shanghai and the great era on individuals. Teng Xiaolan said, "The focus of Heart as a Dwelling is not ‘dwelling’, but ‘heart’. Most people in the book are working hard for what they want in their hearts, living and fighting tenaciously, and they finally find their own spiritual abode .I hope that after reading the novel, readers can cherish the present and the people in front of them more while feeling ‘life is not easy’, and always have hope for life even in adversity. This is what I created this novel for." It is reported that filming of the TV series adapted from the novel had begun. The TV series is directed by Teng Huatao and starred by Hai Qing, Tong Yao, and Zhang Songwen, with Feng Shaofeng as the leading star.

The Old Dog in Trouble

Author: Ye Guangqin

Beijing Children's Publishing House

The Old Dog in Trouble is the third book of Beijing children's literature series "The Story of Mouse Yaya" by the famous writer Ye Guangqin. It is worth mentioning that among the three books in the series, Uncle Mouse Gets Up Late was nominated for " China’s Best Books 2018", The Cat Sanya Goes up to the Roof was selected as " China’s Best Books 2019", and The Old Dog in Trouble was selected as " China’s Best Books 2020". The honor that one writer’s works being consecutively selected was rare and eye-catching in the previous "China’s Best Books" selection. Ye Guangqin, in her seventies, used mature writing style to depict the happy childhood of the little girl "Mouse Yaya" and her friends. She also wrote about the warmth of ordinary people in Beijing, as well as the unique temperament of Beijing as a thousand-year-old ancient capital. Ye Guangqin said, “I have written a lot of Beijing-based novels, describing the past and present lives of old Beijing and new Beijing. Now that I am old, I suddenly move closer to my childhood, which is the complete circle of life.” Ye Guangqin said that although “The Story of Mouse Yaya” had come to an end, she would continue to write for children in the future. In the next step, she will start from her life experience in the old county town in the hinterland of the Qinling Mountains. She will write about tigers, pandas, takins, monkeys and the smart and sensitive children in the Qinling Mountains.

China’s Best Book Nomination 2020

The Charm and Fashion of Beijing Opera 

Author: Zhang Yonghe 

Beijing Education Press

The Charm and Fashion of Beijing Opera is a simple and deep "Beijing Opera Encyclopedia" written by Zhang Yonghe, a national first-class playwright and famous opera critic. The book covers the Chinese operas and the development of Beijing Opera today. It clarifies the history, talks about the figures, introduces the singing, genre, repertoire, costumes, and music of Beijing Opera. It expounds Beijing Opera’s birth, growth, transformation, innovation and, in particular, the whole process of its gradual integration with social culture. Beijing Opera has a deep foundation and infinite charm. In order to survive, it is absolutely unwilling to be complacent. It is the courage and ability to keep "crossing borders" that make the fashion and charm of Beijing opera perpetual.

Beijing Publishing Group

Books selected as China's Best Books over the years