The Chinese Reader

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Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

BBC Radio 4 - The Chinese Reader

Writer and presenter Julie Tsang explores the world of Chinese literature.

Julie Tsang explores Chinese literature, encountering classical monkey kings, imagined future technologies, and everything in between.

Chinese literature is a landscape populated by everything from monkey kings, to modernist madmen and imagined future technologies. 

Fiction in China has always been political. Classical novels guided readers on appropriate Buddhist conduct, or cunning military strategies. In the modern day, all creative works are expected to contribute positively to the "main melody" - a harmonious and healthy narrative about the nation. 

Twentieth century authors like Lu Xun wrote works that precipitated key historical moments. He critiqued centuries of Confucian thought in his psychological short fiction and inadvertently found himself a figurehead of the 1949 Socialist Revolution. 

Following years of upheaval, like those of the Cultural Revolution, access to literature was limited, and sometimes even banned. Authors have had to adapt to self-censorship - toeing the line while exploring difficult topics through metaphors and humour.

In a culture that is at the technological cutting edge, Chinese language science fiction has flourished. Titles have travelled far, going on to win international recognition. Online, netizens pore over sprawling libraries of web fiction, written to order by authors finding a way around traditional publishing routes to promote their works. 

And where do we draw the line when designating literature as "Chinese"? The Chinese-speaking world extends far beyond the mainland. How much do we limit ourselves when we focus solely on mainland China?

Julie Tsang dives head first into a reading list that explores how the personal relationship between writer and reader can challenge our understanding of Chinese culture. 

With contributions from: Ted Hui, Letty Chen, Jing Tsu, Xueting C. Ni, Jung Chang, Megan Walsh, and Xiaolu Guo.

Producer: Rebecca Guthrie
Executive Producer Mark Rickards

A Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

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The Chinese Reader

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