Half rotten, half burning

Author: David Liu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: This book is a novelistic slice of life of urban Chinese people over 19 years. The novel reveals the destiny that everyone is both a victim and a perpetrator of this era. Through this book, you can see the subtle changes of the times, such as the pop superstar Zhang Xing, the distant four-speaker recorders, slogans on the walls, Phoenix bicycles, protests in front of the U.S. Consulate, encountering SARS, the entire nation hunting Ma Jiajue, and the suicide of brother, etc. The book tells the story of 19 years on a street in Shanghai and the fates of several ordinary people. It touches the heart. In 1984, in that closed-off era, a sensational yellow handwritten manuscript that swept across the country influenced Da Zui's life. He betrayed his childhood friend. In 1998, he followed a girl named Manna, who shared his name, like a street suitor. At night, they embraced tightly in the securities trading hall. In 1999, he became a "marriage intermediary," charging 100 yuan for each session, and was also an unsuccessful fraudster. While copying love letters from San Mao's books for a middle-aged woman, he developed a pure love with Tao Ke, a high school girl. In the hot summer night of 2001, lightning flashed atop high-rise buildings as they walked hand in hand around the playground, and he took her on a night tour of Shanghai on a women's bicycle. In 2003, when the entire nation was hunting Ma Jiajue, Da Zui was beaten with nunchucks by his childhood friend on Renmin Road. Tao Ke, now a university student, came alone to the east gate of Renmin Middle School—the place where they first met. It was being transformed into a hot pot restaurant. She hummed a song by, "The Wind Continues to Blow." The secondary storyline follows Da Tou, who was influenced by the film Shaolin Temple his whole life. In the morning of 1984, he practiced nunchucks bare-chested on Renmin Road. In 2000, he constantly clashed with his son, Hou Xiao Huan. And there is also Xiao Sun, a university graduate from the provinces who lost his ideals and worked in Shanghai, eventually returning to his distant homeland. The book tells the story of 19 years on a street in Shanghai and the fates of several ordinary people. It touches the heart. In 1984, in that closed-off era, a sensational yellow handwritten manuscript that swept across the country influenced Da Zui's life. He betrayed his childhood friend. In 1998, he followed a girl named Manna, who shared his name, like a street suitor. At night, they embraced tightly in the securities trading hall. In 1999, he became a "marriage intermediary," charging 100 yuan for each session, and was also an unsuccessful fraudster. While copying love letters from San Mao's books for a middle-aged woman, he developed a pure love with Tao Ke, a high school girl. In the hot summer night of 2001, lightning flashed atop high-rise buildings as they walked hand in hand around the playground, and he took her on a night tour of Shanghai on a women's bicycle. In 2003, when the entire nation was hunting Ma Jiajue, Da Zui was beaten with nunchucks by his childhood friend on Renmin Road. Tao Ke, now a university student, came alone to the east gate of Renmin Middle School—the place where they first met. It was being transformed into a hot pot restaurant. She hummed a song by, "The Wind Continues to Blow." The secondary storyline follows Da Tou, who was influenced by the film Shaolin Temple his whole life. In the morning of 1984, he practiced nunchucks bare-chested on Renmin Road. In 2000, he constantly clashed with his son, Hou Xiao Huan. And there is also Xiao Sun, a university graduate from the provinces who lost his ideals and worked in Shanghai, eventually returning to his distant homeland. Through this book, you can see the subtle changes of the times, such as the pop superstar Zhang Xing, the distant four-speaker recorders, slogans on the walls, Phoenix bicycles, protests in front of the U.S. Consulate, encountering SARS, the entire nation hunting Ma Jiajue, and the suicide of brother, etc. The book is also a novelistic slice of life of urban Chinese people over 19 years. The novel reveals the destiny that everyone is both a victim and a perpetrator of this era.