Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze
Encyclopedia
Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze is a book by Elizabeth Foreman Lewis
that won the Newbery Medal
for excellence in American
children's literature
in 1933. The story revolves around Fu Yuin-fah, the son of a widow from the countryside of western China
, who wishes to become a coppersmith in the big city on the Yangtze River, Chungking (now spelled Chongqing
). With the help of many people, including an old scholar and a white missionary, his goal is eventually attained. Perhaps because of its colonial overtones, this book has fallen out of favor on recommendation lists.
In the chapters that follow, Young Fu goes from being a young and somewhat arrogant boy of 13 to a more capable and humble youth of 18. Along the way, he has encounters with soldiers, foreigners, thieves, political activists, an old scholar, the poor of the city, the rich of the city, and government officials. He is alternately swindled, attacked by bandits, reviled and praised as his coppersmith skills grow.
— the episodes are like stepping stones in the development of the main character.
) province, and one of the largest cities in China. (In modern times, Chongqing is its own political entity and not part of Sichuan.)
The historical period depicted, the 1920s, was a turbulent period in China, a time of technological and political change, which are all touched on to varying degrees. Indeed, one who knows Chinese history can find starting points for many discussions, including the opening of city walls, the rise of modern machinery, modern technology and modern medicine, the warlords
(known as Tuchun — pronounced "doojün"), the western gun boats, opium
and the First
and Second Opium War
, Sun Yat-sen
, the Chinese Nationalist
and Chinese Communist forces, the influence of Western foreigners, etc. Since this is a book for children, historical events are mainly just touched on, rather than described in detail, so as not to slow down the plot.
Similarly, one who knows China can find starting points for many discussions about Chinese culture of the time. Points touched on include: The use of "Young" and "Old" in names and how names are formed, the nature and role of Written Chinese, the social status of the scholar, Buddhism
and the veneration of Guanyin, many common Chinese words and phrases (sometimes presented in English translation), the often-Four-character Chinese proverbs, traditional social roles of men and women, New Year and Spring Festival, the prejudice of city folk towards country folk, traditional clothing (including silk), the queue (hairstyle)
and foot binding
, the social status of soldiers, the role of artisan guilds and other guilds, sedan chairs, weddings and the role of women, story tellers, the role of shame (vs. guilt), the abacus, veneration of ancestors, the traditional humility in interpersonal relationships, the tea house, the coolie, the construction of houses and tenements, traditional medicine, the use of chopsticks and rice in meals, gambling games, bargaining, thriftiness, the kitchen god, the use of animals to name points in time, etc. etc.
The main character has a rather Western taste for progress and invention.
The author also appears to harbor a sympathy towards the Nationalist government vs. social/land reformers such as the Communists (however, you see this sympathy only if you know what to look for — a child might not notice it). Again, considering who the author is, this should be no surprise. This point of view does not detract from the plot of the book, and in fact can be the seed of discussions about author bias with students old enough to understand what that means.
Elizabeth Foreman Lewis
Elizabeth Foreman Lewis , was an American children's book author.She was born Elizabeth Foreman in Baltimore, Maryland and studied art at the Maryland Institute of Fine Arts from 1909-1910...
that won the Newbery Medal
Newbery Medal
The John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...
for excellence in American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
children's literature
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
in 1933. The story revolves around Fu Yuin-fah, the son of a widow from the countryside of western China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, who wishes to become a coppersmith in the big city on the Yangtze River, Chungking (now spelled Chongqing
Chongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
). With the help of many people, including an old scholar and a white missionary, his goal is eventually attained. Perhaps because of its colonial overtones, this book has fallen out of favor on recommendation lists.
Plot summary
As the book opens, the widowed Fu Be-be arrives in Chungking with her 13-year-old son Yuin-fah and a letter from a village friend to Tang Yu-shu, a master coppersmith, asking that Young Fu be given an apprenticeship in Tang's establishment. Because the widow is alone and Young Fu is her only son, he is allowed to complete his apprenticeship while living in a small rented room with her, rather than living in the shop, a plot device which allows us to see more of the city than might otherwise be the case.In the chapters that follow, Young Fu goes from being a young and somewhat arrogant boy of 13 to a more capable and humble youth of 18. Along the way, he has encounters with soldiers, foreigners, thieves, political activists, an old scholar, the poor of the city, the rich of the city, and government officials. He is alternately swindled, attacked by bandits, reviled and praised as his coppersmith skills grow.
Main Characters
- Young Fu is the main protagonist.
- Fu Be-Be is Young Fu's widowed mother.
- Tang Yu-shu is a master coppersmith — one of Young Fu's mentors.
- Wang Scholar is a poor but educated old man — another of Young Fu's mentors.
- Lu and Old Tsu is the principal journeyman in Tang's shop.
- Small Li is an apprentice in Tang's shop and Young Fu's good friend.
- Small Den is another apprentice in Tang's shop and Young Fu's main antagonist.
Structure and Theme
The book is highly episodic, almost like a series of short stories. Like many novels for children, it is a BildungsromanBildungsroman
In literary criticism, bildungsroman or coming-of-age story is a literary genre which focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood , and in which character change is thus extremely important...
— the episodes are like stepping stones in the development of the main character.
Portrayal of Chinese life
Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze touches on any number of historical and cultural aspects of China. It takes place in Chungking, at that time the largest city in Szechuan (SichuanSichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
) province, and one of the largest cities in China. (In modern times, Chongqing is its own political entity and not part of Sichuan.)
The historical period depicted, the 1920s, was a turbulent period in China, a time of technological and political change, which are all touched on to varying degrees. Indeed, one who knows Chinese history can find starting points for many discussions, including the opening of city walls, the rise of modern machinery, modern technology and modern medicine, the warlords
Warlords
Warlords may refer to:* The plural of warlord, a name for a figure who has military authority but not legal authority over a subnational region.* "WARLORDS", the call sign of a United States Navy Helicopter squadron based in Ayase city, Japan....
(known as Tuchun — pronounced "doojün"), the western gun boats, opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
and the First
First Opium War
The First Anglo-Chinese War , known popularly as the First Opium War or simply the Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom and the Qing Dynasty of China over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice...
and Second Opium War
Second Opium War
The Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war pitting the British Empire and the Second French Empire against the Qing Dynasty of China, lasting from 1856 to 1860...
, Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
, the Chinese Nationalist
Chinese nationalist
Chinese nationalist can refer to:* Chinese nationalism* Kuomintang - Chinese Nationalist Party in Taiwan....
and Chinese Communist forces, the influence of Western foreigners, etc. Since this is a book for children, historical events are mainly just touched on, rather than described in detail, so as not to slow down the plot.
Similarly, one who knows China can find starting points for many discussions about Chinese culture of the time. Points touched on include: The use of "Young" and "Old" in names and how names are formed, the nature and role of Written Chinese, the social status of the scholar, Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and the veneration of Guanyin, many common Chinese words and phrases (sometimes presented in English translation), the often-Four-character Chinese proverbs, traditional social roles of men and women, New Year and Spring Festival, the prejudice of city folk towards country folk, traditional clothing (including silk), the queue (hairstyle)
Queue (hairstyle)
The queue or cue is a hairstyle in which the hair is worn long and gathered up into a ponytail. It was worn traditionally by certain Native American groups and the Manchu of Manchuria.-Manchu Queue:...
and foot binding
Foot binding
Foot binding was the custom of binding the feet of young girls painfully tight to prevent further growth. The practice probably originated among court dancers in the early Song dynasty, but spread to upper class families and eventually became common among all classes. The tiny narrow feet were...
, the social status of soldiers, the role of artisan guilds and other guilds, sedan chairs, weddings and the role of women, story tellers, the role of shame (vs. guilt), the abacus, veneration of ancestors, the traditional humility in interpersonal relationships, the tea house, the coolie, the construction of houses and tenements, traditional medicine, the use of chopsticks and rice in meals, gambling games, bargaining, thriftiness, the kitchen god, the use of animals to name points in time, etc. etc.
Author's Point of View
In terms of plot, the story is told through the eyes of Young Fu. However, in terms of the overall conception, the story is told from a Western point of view, which should be no surprise, as the author is a Westerner who herself lived in China and knows the country from first-hand experience. One can see the author's point of view in that the featured Westerner characters tend to be sympathetic, whereas unsympathetic Western characters or influences are merely mentioned or alluded to. However, Westerners are depicted only sporadically in the book, and by the middle of the book they have all evacuated the city, having flown to the gunboats on the Yangtze to avoid the general chaos of the warring Tuchuns.The main character has a rather Western taste for progress and invention.
The author also appears to harbor a sympathy towards the Nationalist government vs. social/land reformers such as the Communists (however, you see this sympathy only if you know what to look for — a child might not notice it). Again, considering who the author is, this should be no surprise. This point of view does not detract from the plot of the book, and in fact can be the seed of discussions about author bias with students old enough to understand what that means.