Baptism by Yang Jiang

Contents

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Yang Jiang and Baptism: Translators’ Introduction

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pp. vii-xi

Twentieth-century Chinese literature was born in nationalism and politics, and has seldom managed to escape those boundaries. Western readers who sample modern Chinese fiction often feel they have strayed into confusing territory. They may encounter political and historical...

Preface to the Second Edition

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p. xiii-xiii

Xizao is not a novel constructed around a single main character. Rather, it offers a cross-section of every variety of intellectual, in the setting of a government campaign. It has neither an epic-type plot, nor a principal character. Part One describes...

Preface to the First Edition

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pp. xiv- xv

This novel describes how intellectuals faced the first wave of ideological reform after Liberation, “The Three Anti Campaign.” It was also called “Pull down the pants and cut off the tail.” These intellectuals had delicate ears and weren’t used to hearing about “pulling down pants...

Guide to Names

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pp. xvi- xviii

Chinese names present some difficulty for Western readers. The surname comes before the given name. (We have made an exception in the case of Nina Shi, since she uses a Russian sounding given name.) Women keep their surnames after marriage, though the husband’s name may be used with “Mrs.” (but not her given name),...

Part One

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pp. 1-84

On the eve of Liberation,₂ Yu Nan was pretty well doublecrossed. At least, Yu Nan felt Miss Hu double-crossed him. Onlookers might find it hard to say just who betrayed whom. They say even Solomon can’t judge family quarrels, much less the murky relations between these two...

Part Two

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pp. 85-204

The offices of the Foreign Languages Department were at some distance from the other departments. Shanbao, Luo Hou, Jiang Min, and Yao Mi shared the outer office. The inner office contained the department head’s large desk along with other desks, large, small, old, and new ones, and a big empty bookcase. But those few research workers with loftier titles, or lofty ideas of themselves, seldom showed...

Part Three

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pp. 205-276

Baffled, Zhu Qianli asked Luo Hou, “I hear there’s some sort of Three Anti Campaign going on outside. I know about anti-profiteering, but what else??” “Three Anti means three antis,” Luo Hou said. “Anti what?” “First, anti-bureaucratism. Second, anti-corruption. Third, anti-waste.” Zhu Qianli puffed...

Epilogue

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pp. 277- 282

One Sunday morning, Yancheng said to Lilin, “I’m going to the Yaos’. Does that bother you? Do you want to come with me?” Lilin wasn’t dressed yet. She had already slipped back a little, into her old ways. Her complexion didn’t look so sallow and she no longer wore uniforms. She gave an unconvincing smile. “It’s been a long...