This is a sweeping novel rooted in lacquer trees, mulberry trees, and tea, portraying the tumultuous history and national spirit of modern China.
Title: The Three Trees Through the Ages
Meaning of the title:
• Three Trees: The title directly refers to the lacquer tree, mulberry tree, and tea tree. They are both the material foundation of the story, represented by lacquer workshops, silk mills, and tea houses, and symbols of Chinese civilization and the national spirit.
• Through the Ages: The phrase has two meanings.
◦ The era: The novel spans the years from the 1919 Paris Peace Conference through the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan and beyond. This was a momentous era in which China underwent great upheaval, hardship, and struggle.
◦ History: Like the historical chronicle Spring and Autumn Annals, the title suggests that the novel records the rise and fall, honors and humiliations, love and hatred of a family and a nation during a particular period in history.
