Beijing guys

Author: Yong Ren
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: This is a consciously narrated coming-of-age story, depicting the anxieties and frustrations of a generation in the folk society, as well as the raw vitality that, through blind passion, gives rise to diverse life stories. They endure setbacks, with some even paying the ultimate price with their lives. The protagonist, Zhang Dong, repeatedly faces obstacles, becoming a trendsetter in the commercial world through his adventurous life, yet ultimately confronts the numb reality of society, helpless. With profound life experience, the work tells the story of the "heroes" in the folk society—each with their own rebellious processes, embodying a raw and resilient struggle. Amidst irrational antics, they display an anti-cultural spirit. The author's abundant emotional associations further lend his humor a childlike imagination, while the hurried narrative pace suits the depiction of the era's universal restlessness, also revealing the author's own inner anxieties.