Jian Ma Boeken

Part memoir, part travelogue, this volume shows Ma Jian's skills as novelist, poet and painter. It brings the people and places alive on the page, while his personal story offers an insight into Chinese society since the death of Mao.

Dai Wei, a PhD student and protestor in Tiananmen Square in June 1989, was caught by a soldier's bullet and fell into a deep coma. But as the millennium draws near, he begins to emerge from unconsciousness, and to sense the massive changes in his country. At once a powerful allegory of a rising China, and a seminal story of the Tiananmen Square protests, Beijing Coma is Ma Jian's masterpiece.

The book masterfully intertwines fact and fiction, presenting a darkly comic fable that explores the moral failings of the Communist Party. Through this narrative, the author delves into the country's most troubling aspects, showcasing a unique talent for highlighting societal issues with humor and insight. This blend of satire and critique offers a compelling examination of political and moral complexities.

Written in the aftermath of the Tiananmen Square massacre, this novel is a virtuoso piece of red humour about the absurdities and cruelties of life in modern China. A father desperate for a son abandons his retarded daughter; an illegal migrant scrapes a living by writing love letters, but can't help falling in love himself; a heartbroken actress performs her own suicide in front of a packed audience, a young entrepreneur uses an old pottery kiln to set up a private crematorium and is overwhelmed by demand

From China-based publisher Shanghai Press, this book recounts the legend of Mulan and her bravery through beautiful Chinese ink paintings. Though we all know the beloved Disney retelling, the original story ofMulan comes from a folktale from China's Northern Dynasty (439-589) about the unusual tale of an ordinary girl named Fa Mulan. One day, the government drafted Mulan's father into the army. However, he was too old. Mulan didn't have an older brother and the younger one was not old enough to be a soldier, so she decided to disguise herself as a man and joined the army in place of her father, hoping her secret wouldn't be exposed. Her excellent martial arts skills always put her on the front lines of every battle. During the 12 years she was in the army, she made great contributions and won admiration from her unit of soldiers. After the war, the emperor honored generals and soldiers, rewarding them with status and money; Mulan didn't care about either. All she wanted was a horse to take her home as soon as possible. Once home, Mulan changed her armor into a dress and fixed her hair in an elegant hairstyle. She came out and thanked her unit for accompanying her home. It's safe to say, she had fooled them all.

Ein bewegender Roman über das Leben der einfachen Menschen im heutigen China, fernab des Wirtschaftswunders und der Metropolen. Im ländlichen Hinterland leiden die Bauern Meili und Kongzi, ein Nachfahre von Konfuzius, unter den drastischen Folgen der Industrialisierung. Sie wünschen sich neben ihrer Tochter einen Sohn, um das Erbe fortzuführen, doch die Behörden drohen mit Zwangssterilisation aufgrund der Ein-Kind-Politik. Um zu entkommen, fliehen sie auf den Jangtse, wo sie ein illegales Leben als Tagelöhner und Flussnomaden führen. Jahrelang kämpfen sie in vergifteten Gewässern und ruinierten Landschaften ums Überleben, bis sie schließlich auf einem Müllplatz für westlichen Elektronikschrott landen. Der Autor beleuchtet die Schicksale dieser einfachen Menschen im Kontext eines tiefgreifenden politischen Wandels. Der Roman erzählt von der ökologischen Krise des Jangtse durch Staudammbau und Begradigung sowie von den Kosten der chinesischen Industrialisierung. Es ist ein ungeschminktes, schockierendes Porträt eines sich wandelnden China, das die dramatischen Herausforderungen und das Leid der Menschen in den Vordergrund stellt.