Chinese Contemporary Short Fiction:

The Tall Woman and Her Short Husband

For all of the short stories taken from The Time is Not Yet Ripe, be aware of the relationship between the canned biography supplied before the stories and the story itself. Here, how does the biography of the writer appear to be at odds with the way he writes the story?

Given what you know of the history of when he wrote, what clues mark this story as belonging to a particular stage in the freeing of Chinese writers from the constraints of the 'cultural revolution'?

Discuss the "struggle meeting", its setting, indeed staging, the actors, the process, and the commentary of the author on it.

How does the personal become political in this story? Can you better understand the social dynamics of the 'cultural revolution' after reading this?

Do any of the characters remind of others we have read from traditional Chinese literature?

The Boundary Wall

This story is obviously meant to be allegorical, a lesson in politics. Which characters represent what aspects of Chinese society here? Can you give quotes to back this up?

Besides the obvious political statements there is much humour and also accurate cultural observation. Can you give examples of these aspects?

An excellent metaphor was suggested in class between the process of building the wall and the construction of the story itself in the context of the difficulties of leadership and the writer's place in Chinese society of the time. Can you explain this?

What can the wall symbolize? (There are many answers to this.)

Ten Years Deducted

How do you react to this story, is it a satire, funny, sad, or simply unbelievable?

What are the reactions to the directive of various characters introduced here and how do their reactions further illuminate their personalities?

Life in a Small Courtyard

This story shows a cross section of characters living in a danwei; describe some of them.

What is the main theme here and how is it worked out, not only through the main character but those she observes around her.

Can you comment on the life these people have with regard to day to day existence?

This group of people contrasts strongly with the group presented in the tall woman's story. The author's intent is obviously different but so is the time period; discuss the interaction between intent and history.

The Time is Not Yet Ripe

This story is a character study of a man we hear called only Yue, Section Chief Yue, or sometimes Old Yue. What are his positions in the civil and political hierarchies? What is his background and how would you describe his character?

There are several other secondary characters: Little Duan, Cai Depei,Yue's wife Huifen, Director Chen Jinghui, and Liu Danian. How does each of these people relate to Yue?

On the level of satire, what is the author (Zhang Jie) holding up for comment? Given her biography, as told through the PC of the introduction, how deep do you think her satire goes?

What period in recent Chinese history does this story capture?

A Truck Driver's Story

This story is fairly straightforward but the setting is unusual for Chinese fiction and the narrator's voice is also different, how so?

What are some of the characters encountered here and how do you react to them? Do you see any parallels to people encountered in Western fiction?

Again, what would you say are some of the main themes, and how does history interact with them?

Often it is in extreme circumstances, and the countryside in NW China counts as extreme, that we may most clearly see the lines of society drawn for us. Did you learn anything new about Chinese society from this story?

Dialogue in Heaven

Many comments on this story revolved around the translation, which showed an imperfect grasp of at least English expression and maybe a repression of the Chinese as well. Can you comment on what does come through and what doesn't?

This story shows influences from a number of both Western and Chinese sources, can you name some of them?

What do you think of the narrator's situation; in short, what is actually happening or has happened?

What literary ground does this story cover not often seen in previous Chinese writing?

Beijing Bicycle (film)

Who are the two main characters here and what distinguishes them from each other? What is the conflict, other than the ownership of the bicycle?

What comments on Chinese society come to mind after watching this film? It is after all one of the newest and so a changed view of life in an eastern Chinese city.

There are often aspects of a film we think we would have altered and done better; what are some of those here?

Comment on the filming techniques themselves; the use of the claustrophobic alleyways for example with their bright goldish plaster (which look far to clean to my eyes).

The Bridegroom

Ha Jin is a Chinese expat writer living in the United States and writing in English. Can you comment on his use of the language in this and the following story?

What do you think of his portrayal of his characters, is he sympathetic, are they real to us? How much of what they are is merely political?

Have you any comment on the state of Chinese sociological and psychological understandings compared to Western views? (Don't be too quick to answer.)

In the Kindergarten

What is this story about?

The use of an innocent narrator is a device much used in American fiction of late; how is it used here and is it successful?

What adult machinations are laid bare by the child's eyes?

On the other hand, where does the pathos in this narration lie once we have come to the end of the story?

Eat Drink Man Woman (film from Taiwan)

Describe the father and his three daughters. Is the story of Lear suggested here at all?

Food and sex! Give examples of how they are related in this film.

The most earth shaking announcements are all made at dinner in this family. Give some examples.

How would you contrast the Taiwanese Chinese society depicted here with what we have seen of the mainland of China in other films and stories?

Stand Up Straight and Never Give In (film)

The English subtitles in this movie are often not very clear, however, are you able to get and ideal of the social distinctions portrayed here? Can you describe them?

Since this is a comedy of sorts, what aspects of Chinese society are being targeted for humour or ridicule?

Give a short description of your favorite character. Is this character a recognizable comedic or other Chinese type?

This movie reveals a slice of life in a Chinese neighborhood; what if anything stood out: socially, in physical arrangement, business wise, or in the residents themselves and their habitual interactions?

In the Remote Place (film)

This film is billed as a musical, perhaps in immitation of the Bollywood (South Asian) style; how would you characterize it? Consider the ending!

Beginning with the title, how is the contrast between the city and countryside depicted?

This film is one of the few that features minority peoples, with non-actors as extras. Do you have any comment on the way the members of these groups are depicted; is it realistic, fair, sympathetic?

The music of 'the remote places' is authentic and one of the purposes of the film is to showcase it; can you comment on how this is done and whether it works or not? Remember the collection of poetry and songs from outlying areas in China goes back several thousand years.

Finally, considering the hero and heroine, how do they compare to the pairs of lovers and spouses we have see so far in Chinese literature? Do you recognize any types and if so, how do these two play to those types or differ from them?