My Beijing

Author: Zuiyu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: My Beijing is not a novel that rushes headlong into concepts; it's a stream-of-consciousness depiction of a young person's life, somewhat casual, somewhat indulgent, and a touch humorous. I've been laughing out loud multiple times at Gao Yang and his friends in the novel. The character development is also very successful, with the protagonist Gao Yang being the main focus, and the other characters each possessing distinct personalities. The unfortunate yet resilient and optimistic Lao Luo; Zhou Jian, who is self-important yet underachieving; Guo Xiaoxue, pure and kind with a variety of talents; and Li Jing, mature and composed with passion like fire. Each character is well-rounded, embodying their own contradictions or harmonious traits, appearing genuine and natural—not rigidly carrying the author's intended messages (Introduction by Xu Xing).
I remember reading an article that said one of the defining traits of aging is a tendency to dwell on the past. I don’t want to admit to my own aging, so I must try to control my nostalgia. At the same time, I don’t think I’m quite qualified for nostalgia either, because I still need to make a living. I must extract more energy from this city to survive, only then can I more gracefully praise or criticize her.