Half is rotting, half is burning

Author: David Liao
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 fate of everyone being both victims and perpetrators 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 moves the heart. In 1984, in that closed-off era, a sensational "yellow" handwritten manuscript swept across the country and influenced Daizui's life. He betrayed his childhood friend. In 1998, he tracked down 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 Sanmao's books for a middle-aged woman, he developed a pure love with Tao Ke, a high school girl. On a hot summer night in 2001, lightning flashed atop tall buildings, and they strolled around the playground holding hands. He took her on a night tour of Shanghai on a women's bicycle. In 2003, when the entire nation was hunting Ma Jiajue, Daizui 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, "Wind Keeps Blowing." The secondary storyline follows Daodu, who was influenced by the film Shaolin Temple for his entire life. In the morning of 1984, he practiced nunchucks bare-chested on Renmin Road. In 2000, he constantly clashed with his son Hou Xiaohuan. And there's Xiaosun, a university graduate 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 moves the heart. In 1984, in that closed-off era, a sensational "yellow" handwritten manuscript swept across the country and influenced Daizui's life. He betrayed his childhood friend. In 1998, he tracked down 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 Sanmao's books for a middle-aged woman, he developed a pure love with Tao Ke, a high school girl. On a hot summer night in 2001, lightning flashed atop tall buildings, and they strolled around the playground holding hands. He took her on a night tour of Shanghai on a women's bicycle. In 2003, when the entire nation was hunting Ma Jiajue, Daizui 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, "Wind Keeps Blowing." The secondary storyline follows Daodu, who was influenced by the film Shaolin Temple for his entire life. In the morning of 1984, he practiced nunchucks bare-chested on Renmin Road. In 2000, he constantly clashed with his son Hou Xiaohuan. And there's Xiaosun, a university graduate 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 fate of everyone being both victims and perpetrators of this era.