Red Fairy Tales

Author: Wang Xiaoping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: A New Long Novel by Wang Xiaoping – Tracing back forty years, three Red Guards, entrusted with the "revolutionary" mission, experience the absurd and hilarious encounters of studying in New York. The novel tells the story of three Chinese children growing up in the United States. The story is interesting because the three children arrived in the U.S. during the "Cultural Revolution" period, when most Chinese people were unfamiliar with, hostile to, or even afraid of the word "America." The trip to America was given profound political significance, and the three children were burdened with a revolutionary mission heavier than Mount Tai. They came to this laid-back, politically indifferent country, where conflicts arose naturally, first from the inevitable cultural gap between the two nations, and second from the awkwardness and strangeness of their politically saturated minds in an extremely individualistic environment. Certain truths once deeply believed in appeared absurd in a different setting, colliding and creating a series of hilarious childhood memories. During the "Cultural Revolution," three Red Guards "parachuted" into New York, entrusted with the "revolutionary" mission, and began their hazy days as students abroad. In this laid-back, utilitarian foreign land, they stood out in every way, experiencing all sorts of absurd and ridiculous events. The protagonist, Su Wuwu, is like ice beer in the dog days—refreshing, mischievous, and bold, never willing to let herself be wronged, with thoughts more bizarre than the next. The story is based on the real-life experiences of several characters the author encountered, and with witty and humorous language, the author records a long-forgotten past, allowing readers to laugh heartily while feeling the bitterness and weight of history.