The Peasants are revolting!

[OZgronk]

Upon my return to Middle Kingdom this month I had to leave out a couple of jars of Vegemite in order to pack a copy of Jung Chan's "Mao-the untold story", which is only available in hardcover and is the size of a Chinese brick. I also packed a selection of other books about China to get us through winter.

The reason for this preamble is to point out that my readings to date indicate that many changes have occurred here due to the power of the peasants.

And it is happening right now, right outside our school gates, bless 'em.

You see our school is situated on top of a hill almost at the end of a dead end road.

The road is only used by the village, the school and the electricity department which has a large branch office at the very end of the road.

On September 1st, the electricity people sent a letter to the villagers informing them of a rise in the price of juice, to subsidies the reduction in price for power for the little industrial estate being set up where our road turns off the main road.

Now this move seemed to hit some sort of raw nerve and within days the locals had dumped several truck loads of boulders right across the road at the bottom of the hill completely blocking all access to our road.

So for the past 2 weeks everyone has had to trudge the 1.5km up and down the hill, the argument being that if the power company wants to raise their prices, then they can all walk to work!

The only trouble with that thinking was that no produce could get to the shops or the school (apart from that which could be carried by hand) and the building of the new school dormitory had to stop for lack of materials.

Things really got grim when the little mixed business ran out of pijou and I started to panic!

It was anarchy at the road block as a fierce looking woman set up camp next to it and would hurl gibbers along with abuse, at anyone who tried to shift the rocks to let even a tricycle through.

Everyone, including the school has been right behind the action but it was becoming very difficult for things to operate....especially the school, so the Headmaster came to the rescue.

He sent all the local kids home with a note to the villagers saying that because the school was running low on food and other essentials, that the students would have to stay home until things were resolved.

Now I must say that was an inspired move on his part.

We all know that the major role of any Middle School is to provide a 24 hour 7 day child minding service, so by sending the kids home he has caused the locals a real dilemma.

Within two days, the roadblock has been moved to just past the school gates so as to still block the power company's movements, the food is flowing again and so is the beer in our flat.

And I was there to see just how changes can happen, even though there has been no word yet on the proposed price increase.

[gengrant]

well, I suppose when the power company starts cutting off the electricity to those peasants' homes, they'll find a way to pay whatever price is being asked...or find a way to use rocks as fuel...guess if they were coal.

[Mr Nobody]

I liked the story Ozgronk. Cheered me up, and I wasn't even depressed.

[Ruth]

I hope you are keeping this story for that book you are going to write, right?

[Steiner]

Go peasants!

[Newbs]

I had to leave out a couple of jars of Vegemite in order to pack a copy of Jung Chan's "Mao-the untold story",

You left out Vegemite, just to be able to pack in the latest Mao book. OZgronk, where's your priorities, mate?

Also, something wierd is happening here. I'm at a different internet cafe today and everytime I try to post I get message that the site can't be found. So I post again, and then find that I've posted twice. So I delete the second post, but my post count doesn't go down by one. So in theory it would be possible to post once, re-post it 999 times, deleting after each post, and so reach superbarfly status with only one post. In theory, mind.

[Non-Dave]

That is the saddest story I have ever heard! You left Vegemite out to pack a book on Mao? You ran out of beer?
The rest was interesting too I guess...

I have an extra jar of Vegemite for emergencies (vacuum sealed and bubble-wrap packed) so if things get really, really desperate let me know and I'll send it to the rescue.

[Raoul Duke]

What Steiner say: Go peasants!

Another nice write, O-G.

I'm reading Wild Swans now and am absolutely enthralled. If the Mao book is even close to this good it's worth sacrificing the vegetable tar.

[OZgronk]

Raoul, I too am absorbed in Wild Swans at the moment and an interview with Jung Chan that we heard on the ABC on line about her Mao book was so interesting that we just had to grab a copy on our trip home last month.

My wife is presently laughing her way through "A bend in the Yellow River" written by a Yorkshireman about his adventures as an English teacher. Then we've got "1421" and "From Rice to Riches" to get through before getting onto the Mao tome. "Culture Shock China " was a waste of space, but we made sure we brought back our trusty and dog eared copies of Lonely Planet and Lets Go China.

The funny thing is I have never willingly picked up a book to read for entertainment before coming here, but there is something compelling about reading stories that deal with the very things that are happening all around us.

[amewupp]

I have Wild Swans sitting on my bookself right now, waiting to be read. I randomly picked it up in New York a few months ago and haven't managed to get around to reading it yet. Looks like I'll have to bump it up on the to-read list ;D

[Crippler]

Wild Swans is a good read.

[Lotus Eater]

Also try "The Child Bride" by Wang Ying. Autobiography of a woman who died in the Cultural Revolution after being jailed by both the KMT and McCarthy.

I'll be hitting the bookshops in both the international airport and KL - clothes could be dumped!

[Steiner]

Wild Swans - good.
Mao: The Untold Story - hopefully it'll be good, too. It doesn't come out here until October 18 or somewhere thereabouts, but I've already bought my copy from Amazon. Now I just have to wait patiently...

[Newbs]

Yeah, I'll join the chorus about "Wild Swans" These heaps of books out there about 1st hand accounts of the cultural revolution, but it's, IMHO, the best.

What I've been doing since getting back to Australia is re watching all the videos I recorded off air of docos about China. eg. Tian An Men, cultural revolution, Israel Epstein, etc. Great to have a look at them again after having been in China for a year. I see things from a different perspective.

[Lotus Eater]

Newbs:

I see things from a different perspective

And for me it is a more sympathetic perspective. I have just finished reading a pot-boiler by Patrick Robinson "Kilo Class". The plot involved having American submarines prevent the acquisition of Kilo class subs by China by the simple means of destroying them (and their crews) enroute from shipyards in the Ukraine to Shanghai.

The US Navy and heavy duty guys (including the President) were portrayed as tough, brave protectors of the US interests and Taiwan sovereignty.

The Russians were presented as beleagued but sympathetic.

The Chinese Navy and high command, as backbiting, vicious and self-absorbed, intent on expansion and acquisition.

Sitting here in China does give a different perspective. While I have NO desire to see Taiwan absorbed by China, I also do not feel that the US motives in preventing this (ie protection of massive investments, foothold in Asia) are any more noble as reasons for active prevention.

But the histories as told in Wild Swans, Child Bride, The Good Women of China, Colours of the Mountain etc are fascinating, moving and for me create respect for the survivors of those times. I would truly love to be able to sit down and talk to the old people I see.

[Steiner]

Reading Wild Swans you think that yeah, the Nationalists sucked and I would've joined the Communists, too. But then the Communists sucked and you're stuck.
'

[Wolf]

Chinese lit, eh? Like any good FE, I also read Wild Swans. (I also read a book by Amy Tan called Red China Blues.)

There's tons from the pre "Mao sucks/sucked" era on offer. Not that there's anything wrong with China's "Mao Sucks" genre, but it's a shame that's most of what is known outside of Middle Earth.

I recently bought four books from China:

The Story of the Western Wing by Wang Shifu: This is a romantic comedy theatre play, and apparently is/was so popular that it helped define dramatic criticism in China.

Strange Tales from a Make - Do Studio by Pu Songling: A collection of short stories about stuff, including mythological/fairy tale stuff. Ought to arrive in a couple of days.

The Scholars by Wu Ching-Tzu: This ought to be the spokesnovel of ESL teaching in East Asia. It's a satire on China's exam system (from the imperial days, not that the "pass the test get the $$" mentality has changed much.)

Outlaws of the Marsh by Shi Nai'an: one of China's four "big" novels; and probably the least respected (the other three being Journey to the West, The Three Kingdoms, and The Red Chamber.) A small band of rebels fights against the tyrrany of the evil empire. Thankfully not directex byGeorege Lucas.

I especially like how being articluate, having a sense of humour, speaking out against stupidity, and bashing currupt injustice in the head with a hopti sax (or a heafte mece, for you Anglo Saxons) is "the Chinese way."

[Mr Nobody]

Love them meces to peces. Especially a good heafte one.

[Lotus Eater]

Red China Blues was Jan Wong, and she has since written a book called "Jan Wong's China". Amy Tan has books: The Bonesetter's Daughter, The Joy Luck Club, The Hundred Secret Senses, The Kitchen God's Wife (my favourite), The Opposite of Fate - not read it yet.

There are plenty of fascinating books about China out there - not all of the "Mao sucks" genre, but many detailing life as it is/was. Red Dust by Ma Jian is interesting and more modern.

I also have a series of short stories by Chinese women writers that are really interesting.

[Raoul Duke]

Yeah. The suffering this country has endured staggers the mind. Not to say I don't still go upside some heads of the subsequent generations, though.

I actually like Culture Shock- China although it must be read cum grano salis for sure. Much of it is out of date, some of it is just bullpoo...but there are still some nice insights to be found in there.

[Ruth]

I would truly love to be able to sit down and talk to the old people I see.

Me too. You just know there are stories behind every wrinkle on those faces.

[Mr Nobody]

ANd one of them is "who is this bignose, and why are they asking me all these stupid questions? Where is my baijiu, anyway?"

[Lotus Eater]

Bulldust! Ask your parents and grandparents to tell their stories - oral histories are valuable and people love to be asked about their lives. The way you ask is important. It can't be intrusive, but gives opportunities for people to pass on their knowledge and wisdom to you.

This is a time where you can sit back and let other people talk and if done right, you hear the most wonderful stories. Can't interrupt, can't come in and tell them what else was happening at the same time, can't be erudite. Just let them go.

But, you need the language.

[Ruth]

Resurrecting this thread because I just finished the Mao book. Anyone else read it? If so, what's your take on their take?

Anyone read Edgar Snow's book? I'm wondering if I should try to find it and read it. According to Jung Chang, Snow was fed lots of propaganda. Might be interesting to compare the two versions of what went on in those years.

Just trying to broaden my Chinese history education. I think the stories from the people who lived through those times are the best way to do this.

[hankuh]

Yo Ruth,

I've read Snow's Red Star Over China. In fact, I have it on my shelf right now, but I didn't really care for it; for one thing, at the time that it was written, it seemed Snow had this idealistic adulation for Mao, and this tends to color so much of the book. He tends to see Mao as some great visionary for China, and after a while of reading that view, I start to get a little sick of it. It's best to remember the time that Red Star Over China was written: before the GLF and the CR, where a socialistic beginning seemed to hold great promise in Mao's leadership and ideals and just before the horrors of the whole reality would begin. I tend to consider it propaganda too, but less so, because of Snow's gullibility; though Red Star Over China might be interesting if read in its proper historical perspective, similar to a root canal without anesthesia.