Liang Shiqiu
The Fine Art of Reviling
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Edited and with the introductory essay "Le arti marziali della parola"
(“The word martial arts”) by Gianluca Magi
Torino 2006 (2009 4th reprint)
Einaudi
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«When you criticize someone, you should do it in a very subtle language, whose meaning remains implicit. You should avoid that the opponent understands you are criticizing him since your first words: it’s only at the end of a time of reflection that, little by little, he becomes aware of the fact that the words addressed to him were not kind at all. You should put him at ease, to make his face, firstly smiling, pass from white to red, from red to purple, then from purple to leaden grey. This is the highest grade in the art of the reviling».

In 1926, Liang Shiqiu wrote this little treatise, presented here, for the first time, in its integral translation into a European language. «This short treatment – the author writes, - aims at offering a general aid to all the ones who want to take advantage in a dispute showing, in a concise way, how it could be possible to develop the technique of invective in its different aspects».
A book whose roots sink in the disillusioned knowledge of life and of the art of living, belonging to the ones who have gone through all sorts of problems. A sharply sarcastic little pearl, quite unknown outside China.