The Bewitching Braid (novel)

The Bewitching Braid (Portuguese: A Trança Feiticeira) is a 1993 novel by Henrique de Senna Fernandes, of Macau. It was written originally in Portuguese and published by Fundação Oriente [pt; zh].[1] the English translation of this novel was published by Hong Kong University Press in 2004, with translation by David Brookshaw.[2] The Chinese translation, Dà Biànzi de Yòuhuò (大辮子的誘惑), translated by Yu Hui Yuan, was published by the Macau Cultural Affairs Bureau [zh] (澳門文化司署) in 1996.[3]

The Bewitching Braid
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese大辮子的誘惑
Simplified Chinese大辫子的诱惑
Literal meaningThe attraction of the big braid
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinDà Biànzi de Yòuhuò
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpingdaai6 bin1 zi2 dik1 jau5 waak6
Portuguese name
PortugueseA Trança Feiticeira

The novel was adapted into a 1996 film, The Bewitching Braid.

According to Brookshaw, the novel was "politically correct" as the Handover of Macau was imminent. Brookshaw compared the plot to that of Escrava Isaura.[4]

Plot

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The novel is about a relationship between a Macanese man and a Chinese woman. The story is set in the 1930s.

Adozindo, the man, is of mixed Chinese, Dutch, and Portuguese heritage; according to Brooks, his education was geared towards commercial enterprise and "rudimentary".[5] A-Leng, the woman, is of Chinese heritage.

The resolution in which the couple stays together and raises a family, according to Wang Chun, reflects Chinese culture and "especially show[s] a tendency towards a Chinese style of art appreciation."[1]

Release outside of Macau and Hong Kong

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The HKU Press English version is distributed in the United States by University of Chicago Press.[6]

In Brazil, the novel is published by Gryphus.[7]

References

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  • Brookshaw, David (2000). "Imperial Diasporas and the Search for Authenticity. The Macanese Fiction of Henrique de Senna Fernandes". Lusotopie: Enjeux Contemporains dans les Espaces Lusophones. 7 (1): 271–282. - PDF

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Wang, Chun. "MACANESE LITERATURE OF PORTUGUESE EXPRESSION". Translated by Mali Edmonds. Cultural Affairs Bureau. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  2. ^ "The Bewitching Braid". Hong Kong University Press. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  3. ^ "大辮子的誘惑". Macau Cultural Affairs Bureau [zh]. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  4. ^ Brookshaw, "Imperial Diasporas and the Search for Authenticity," p. 279.
  5. ^ Brooks, p. 278.
  6. ^ The Bewitching Braid. University of Chicago Press. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  7. ^ "A Trança Feiticeira". Gryphus. Retrieved 2024-02-10.

Further reading

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