An Ethical Literary Criticism of Han Suyin's Autobiography: Braving Irrationality

by Florence Kuek

Overview

Han Suyin (1916/1917–2012) became a household name when Love is A Many-Splendored Thing, the Hollywood rendition of her novel won several awards in 1956. The study of Han Suyin went out of fashion for a while, but it has recently been revitalised, especially in Singapore and Malaysia. Kuek pays attention to The Crippled Tree autobiographical series, delineating her two-track narrative of her family saga against the backdrop of 20th century China.

Different from the earlier studies on Han Suyin that employed perspectives from postcolonialism, feminism, and new historicism, this book examines Han Suyin’s autobiography through the lens of ethical literary criticism (ELC), paying attention to the ethical lines and knots embedded in her series. Using ELC, an apolitical literary analysis approach, this book uncovers multiple layers of meaning and reveals Han Suyin’s life trajectory which draws attention to China’s difficult path of modernisation in the past century. The insights gleaned from this book shed light on Han Suyin’s life accomplishments in the face of great adversities and challenges.

This is a valuable book that will enlighten literary critics on critical approaches to autobiography and those interested in understanding the development of modern China through the words of a proud Chinese-Eurasian writer living in the era.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781040368015
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/15/2025
Series:	Interdisciplinary and Transcultural Approaches to Chinese Literature
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	130
File size:	666 KB

About the Author

Florence Kuek is Senior Lecturer at Universiti Malaya. Her latest research publications include translation studies of Honglou Meng in Malaysia, the English translation of Li Zishu’s The Age of Goodbyes, translation strategies in Ho Sok Fong’s Lake Like a Mirror, and the concept metaphor translation in Chang Kuei-hsing’s novel.

Table of Contents

1. Why Han Suyin? Why Ethical Literary Criticism? 2. Autobiography as Revelation of Irrationality and Lost Humanity of An Era 3. Ethical Identity, Dilemma, and Soul-searching in Han Suyin’s Autobiography 4. Ethical Choice and Issue of Legitimacy in Han Suyin’s Autobiography 5. Ethical Consciousness and Imagery of a Recreated China in Han Suyin’s Autobiography 6. Han Suyin, a “Daughter of China” and Global Citizen

Editorial Reviews

"This study of Han Suyin’s autobiography series is most welcome as an exceptional way to evaluate her place as a creative writer. From her first book, Destination Chungking (1942), there was an open self-searching that shone through the first three novels she wrote before she turned to autobiography, as in The Crippled Tree (1965) and its sequels. Her irrational and distinctive China-centred way to confront the East-West divides in modern Asian history spurred an ethical imagination and illuminated the mixed identity developments more prevalent today."

Wang Gungwu, AO, CBE; Professor, National University of Singapore, Singapore

"Han Suyin's oeuvre has drawn considerable attention in the past, but Florence Kuek's concise study manages to revitalise this interest by productively focusing on the ethical dilemmas and choices faced by this cosmopolitan writer whose political sympathies would often court controversy."

Galin Tihanov, FBA, MAE; George Steiner Professor of Comparative Literature, Queen Mary University of London, UK

"Most studies into literature discussed Han Suyin’s works using postcolonial or gender perspectives. Reading Dr. Han Suyin’s works through the lens of ethical literary criticism offers new insights."

Nie Zhenzhao, FBA, MAE; Professor and Yunshan Chair on World Literature and Languages at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, China

"In this thought-provoking study, Florence Kuek illuminates Han Suyin’s extraordinary trajectory—from marginalized outsider to celebrated world citizen—against the backdrop of China’s turbulent twentieth-century transformations. With analytical rigor, Kuek reexamines Han’s autobiographical oeuvre, revealing how she confronted and navigated the era’s entrenched misogyny, racial bigotry, and geopolitical upheavals. A vital read for scholars and critics alike, this book challenges prevailing literary and sociopolitical assessments, calling for a necessary recalibration of how we interpret a writer’s moral and ideological stance within their historical milieu."

Andrea Riemenschnitter, Chair Professor of Modern Chinese Language and Literature and Deputy Director of the Institute of Asian and Oriental Studies, University of Zurich, Switzerland

"For many of us who grew up in the late 1980s and 1990s, Han Suyin’s autobiography was an essential part of our reading on China, a country still largely inaccessible then and when books on China were still scarce. In this book, Dr. Kuek relives those memories about Han Suyin and her world. A significant contribution to the literary criticism of autobiographical works and memoirs."

Danny Tze-ken Wong; Professor cum Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia

"With a delicate touch and rigorous academic approach, An Ethical Literary Criticism of Han Suyin’s Autobiography places Han Suyin’s autobiography under the framework of ethical literary criticism, revealing the ethical dilemmas, identity issues, and profound contemplation on the “legitimacy” embedded in her works. The book offers in-depth analyses of Han Suyin’s sense of self amidst complex Sino-Western cultural contexts."

Su Hui, Professor of Chinese & Literature cum Director of the International Centre for Ethical Literary Criticism, Centre China Normal University, China; Chief Editor, Foreign Literature Studies

"Dr. Kuek’s monograph integrates multiple dimensions of analysis—ethical, cultural, historical, and literary—into a coherent narrative that elucidates Han Suyin’s complex identity and her role as a mediator between Eastern and Western cultures. By emphasizing the ethical dimensions of her autobiography, Kuek transcends mere biographical details to scrutinize the profound philosophical and moral questions embedded in Han Suyin’s life and work. While there may be scope for further expansion and engagement with additional critical perspectives, the work stands as a meaningful exploration of the intersections between literature, ethics, and history in the life and writings of a remarkable Eurasian author."

Yang Gexin, Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Director of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies of World Literature, Zhejiang University, China

From the Publisher