“Life in the silver dollar era, looking back, truly tells a story of vicissitudes.”, Chen Cunren
Chen Cunren was a renowned Shanghai physician in the 1920s and 1930s. Drawing on his own experiences and writing about the smallest details, he recounts through one vivid story after another nearly half a century of Shanghai history, from the end of the Qing dynasty to the eve of World War II. He depicts the city’s economy, finance, trade, medicine, public life, and customs, along with the remarkable anecdotes of people from every walk of life he encountered. From influential figures in cultural, commercial, and political circles, Zhang Taiyan, Yu Youren, Cai Yuanpei, Du Yuesheng, Huang Jinrong, the Rong brothers, and many others, he reveals the ordinary side of these celebrated personalities. Then there are the people at the bottom of society: shop assistants, policemen, prostitutes, “rakes,” alleyway ruffians, peddlers, and laborers, each with their own ways. His engaging stories trace the shifting fortunes of ordinary people amid a great age.
From everyday necessities to the cosmopolitan streets of Shanghai, Chen Cunren writes from the perspective of an ordinary citizen, using the circulation of silver dollars to chart the city’s economic transformations. Through intriguing, sometimes hair-raising anecdotes, he brings the people and customs of Republican-era China to life, capturing the joys and sorrows of an era. As a Confucian physician, the author also offers passing reflections on the philosophy of life, mental well-being, interpersonal relationships, and financial management, all shaped by traditional education. These insights remain a warm source of inspiration and encouragement for young readers today.
Written in a plain, intimate, and deeply humane style, this book also includes more than 120 vintage black-and-white photographs. They take you back to the scene of history and into the bright, colorful world of the silver dollar era.
I read an article in "Collected Works of Acheng" that recommended this book. I picked it up and read it, and found it very interesting. The author's writing is sincere and delicate, and in the plain description, he feels a period of history that is closely related to the lives of ordinary people.
A very good account of the Republic of China period in Shanghai
Warm, beautiful and interesting
Reading is like a breeze blowing on your face, refreshing and refreshing
There are fireworks from the old days, and you can learn some details of that era.
A very nice book
The story is clearly described and easy to understand.
Learn about daily life in Shanghai during the Republic of China
Well-informed and knowledgeable, he speaks eloquently; he is a dragon and a phoenix among people.
This book is very interesting and it reminds me of listening to my grandparents telling stories about the past when I was little. The various characters and life scenes described in the book are very vivid, and it feels like traveling back to that era. I especially like the introduction about the silver dollar, as well as the interesting names, such as "Ying Yang", "Long Yang" and "Yuan Datou", which gave me a more specific understanding of the economy of that era. Moreover, I also benefited a lot from some of the philosophy of life and descriptions of interpersonal relationships in the book. All in all, this is a book well worth reading.