The
1980s were a time of significant political and social upheaval in China. Mao Zedong dying in the late 70s, early years
in the decade saw ideas that had been biding their time appear in the mindset
of what was still a very totalitarian government but a government seeking to
escape the stagnation of the regime spearheaded by Mao. Putting too much air into the balloon
initially, the 80s’ financial scene in the Middle Kingdom quickly burst,
culminating in a collapse, and indirectly the Tiananmen Massacre of ’89. Learning some lessons, those in power
throttled back their economic ambition and began putting in place more stable
policies. Now, more than twenty years
later, the economic and social development of China is undeniable. Regardless of its environmental or political
impact (though this is not to be taken lightly), the quality of life is slowly
improving for the average person (see the burgeoning middle class). China now possessing the second largest GDP
in the world, it is only the US looking over its shoulder, and given the pace
with which the Chinese are gaining, there are many who believe it is only a
matter of time before China overtakes and comes to dominate the economic world
in a fashion similar to the US the past 50 years. Written in the aftermath of Tiananmen,
Maureen McHugh’s 1992 China Mountain
Zhang—on top of being able to overlook the economic collapse of China in the 80s—postulates a futuristic
scenario wherein China comes
to dominate the US
culturally and economically. The focus human
and the writing subtle, it is more than just social commentary, however, making
for an excellent first novel.
China Mountain Zhang is the story of
Zhang Zhongshan—the Chinese equivalent of naming your son Abraham Lincoln
Smith. An American Born Chinese (ABC),
his Latino mother and Chinese father, on top of giving him the patriotic name,
paid to have his genes altered so that he would appear full-blood Chinese, thus
giving him a leg up on other Americans in the Chinese-dominated US. A construction tech living in New York City, Zhang
spends his days on site performing manual labor for a Chinese boss and his
evenings partying with friends and going to the kite races. But when a clash of cultural proportions
occurs, Zhang is forced from his job and must reevaluate the direction of his
life. Traveling through highly
unexpected locations, he ultimately finds a place, just not where he imagined.
But
Zhang’s story is not the only told in the novel. Interleaved with windows into Zhang’s life
are windows into the lives of four other people seeking place: Martine, an
ex-army officer now a farmer living in a Martian commune; Alexi, a widower
trying to survive on Mars with his young daughter; Angel, a young kite racer
trying to make a name for herself; and San-Xiang, the ugly daughter of Zhang’s
construction boss. While at first
seeming disparate, McHugh patiently ties these stories, like tributaries to a
river, into the life of Zhang.
Affective, their lives act as point/counter-point to Zhang’s struggles
as he also tries to find a place in society.
A
factor not helping Zhang’s chances is the fact he is gay. The Chinese culture portrayed in the novel
decrying homosexuality to the point of capitol punishment, Zhang lives part of
his life in fear of being caught by the authorities. McHugh never presenting society as a perpetual
pogrom in search of deviant sexuality, Zhang nevertheless is unable to admit to
his colleagues and bosses his preferences for fear of being socially
ostracized. McHugh handling this portion
of the narrative without unnecessary focus, (i.e. “This is a gay book, here me
roar!”), she does a wonderful job of integrating Zhang’s sexuality into his
overall plight for satisfying employment, relationships, and living
place—things we all seek. Thus, despite
having what is a minority sexual preference, Zhang is presented as fully human
and not a piece of propaganda.
It
would be amiss to write this review without mentioning the amount of Chinese
culture infused with the novel. Having
lived in China
for four years, I can vouch for 95% of the content included. McHugh includes language (a scattering of
Chinese pinyin), but what she captures
better than any other non-Chinese writer I’ve read yet is the social and
cultural concerns. The opening chapter of the novel which features Zhang’s
interaction with a traditional Chinese family is something from real life. Ideas like: when answering ‘yes’ is more than
‘yes’; when agreeing to a situation is more than just the situation; when you
want to say ‘no’ but must handle the rejection in more delicate fashion; and
when obligation follows upon social hierarchy and opportunity—all are facets to
social interaction that must be considered in daily life. Kudos to McHugh for presenting Chinese
culture realistically.
Though
it is her first published novel, McHugh utilizes polished style. Minimalist, as much is written between the
lines as is in them, making China
Mountain Zhang a highly satisfying novel from an emotional and personal
perspective. A story is told, but the
interaction and dialogue continuously keep the story focused on the human
elements, particularly the unexpected circumstances life throws our way. McHugh would go on to cut her style even
closer to the bone in later writings, yet the novel remains an accomplished
first effort.
In
the end, China Mountain Zhang is
ostentatiously a novel of a man’s maturation, but becomes more given the
cultural and societal elements effectively integrated with his
development. Informative regarding
Chinese culture and potentially prescient in the manner in which China has
become an economic power, the remaining speculation is highly interesting for
not only its imagination, but proximity to our reality. Communes on Mars obviously a lot further in
the future, the lives portrayed there are never included simply for
worldbuilding’s sake, but rather to depict real human concerns in specific
political and social environments. Possessing a strong degree of autobiography,
McHugh brings her Chinese education and living experience to full bear on the
novel, and given the denouement, her own professional development. A wonderful first novel that evinces
everything the author’s fiction would become, it is highly recommended.
No comments:
Post a Comment