Floating and Sinking on the Sea of Officialdom

Xiao Zhang John

Description

Floating and Sinking on the Sea of Officialdom is the second volume of the trilogy of modern Chinese historical fiction. It is a compelling historical novel with a moving love story. In Volume I,Sailing Across the Red Storm,the main character and his family, friends and lovers bravely struggled through the ordeal of the Cultural Revolution in China. But in this volume, they try to change their politically suppressed and economically poor country into a democratic, dynamic and prosperous one, through economic and political reforms. The main character gives up his academic career and enters into the world of politics, launching reforms to improve society. He experiences both success and setbacks in these political circles. Emotionally, he and his lovers experience many complicated events, bringing both sorrow and happiness.This novel gives readers a panoramic view of the great political, economic and social upheaval in China in the twenty years following the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976. Through rich character portrayal and meticulous description of historical events, the readers will see the true essence of this turning point in modern Chinese history and the changing attitude of Chinese people towards love, morality, wealth and their traditional ideology of Confucianism and Taoism.

Sujets

• Historical fiction

Informations

• Publié par: Troubador Publishing Ltd
• Date de parution: 28 juin 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781800469198
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Copyright © 2021 John Xiao Zhang

The moral right of the author has been asserted.


Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.


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ISBN 978 1800469 198

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.


Matador is an imprint of Troubador Publishing Ltd

To those brave social reformers, for the country’s democracy and prosperity, you dare to challenge the old system and institutions, not hesitating to sacrifice your own interests and even life. Thanks to your struggle and pioneering efforts, your country has gradually become a democratic and prosperous society. You have set your old civilization on the path towards rejuvenation and a modern nation.


Contents
List Of Characters
Prologue

Part I
A Successful Academic Career
Chapter I
A Happy Wedding
Chapter II
Give Freedom to Writers
Chapter III
Who Presents This Flower?
Chapter IV
Should I Marry Him?

Part II
Joining Official Circles
Chapter I
Do You Still Remember the Last Words of Secretary Li?
Chapter II
To Feed Ten Billion People Well Is the Biggest Political Achievement
Chapter III
I Offer My Post as Political Collateral
Chapter IV
A Good Harvest – Never Seen in 30 Years

Part III
Economic Reform in the City
Chapter I
The Rising of the Self-Employed Vendors
Chapter II
Do You Want to Become a Business Woman?
Chapter III
On Tian An Men Square
Chapter IV
On the Banks of the River Avon

Part IV
The Dream Lover Comes out of His Dream
Chapter I
The New Deputy Secretary
Chapter II
The Secret Head of the Department
Chapter III
I Thought I Would Never See You Again
Chapter IV
The Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony

Part V
You Can Marry Her Now
Chapter I
I Want to See the Outside World
Chapter II
Let Me Still Be Your Sister
Chapter III
I Am Satisfied to Sleep with You Only Once
Chapter IV
At Last You Can Marry Each Other

Part VI
Leaving Political Circles
Chapter I
A Ten Year Overdue Wedding
Chapter II
A Political Event Which Shocked the World
Chapter III
The Retrogression of the Reform Movement
Chapter IV
Leaving Official Circles

Epilogue


List Of Characters
Main Characters
I. Zhang Feng, main hero in the trilogy and in this volume. A handsome and talented man who suffers greatly during the Cultural Revolution. After the revolution, he first becomes a scholar, and then later a political leader in his city. He is also called Brother Feng by his lovers and friends, Elder Brother by his close friends, Xiao Feng or Xiao Zhang by his family and people around him who are older than him.

II. His close friends: in Volume 1 and this volume,
A. Wang Hai, a factory director. He supports Zhang Feng in his mission to carry out economic and political reforms
B. Li He , a doctor. He supports Zhang Feng in his mission to carry out economic and political reforms.

III. His lovers:
A. Yu Mei, daughter of a late high ranking officer and a Red Guard in Volume 1 (her name means plum blossom. Her full name is Li Yu Mei) She is also called Xiao Mei or Mei Mei by her family and lovers. In this volume, she is head of department in a city bureau.
B. Dan Dan, a girl who was a neighbor of Zhang Feng (her name means peony) and his ‘sister’ in Volume 1. She is Zhang Feng’s wife and a scholar at a university in this volume.
C. Qing Lian, a former classmate of Zhang Feng and an active Red Guard in Volume 1. She is a journalist in this volume. (her name means lotus)

IV. His personal and political enemies:
A. Director Shen, a high ranking official who is a rigid left-wing element set against economic and political reform.
B. Li Qiu, Zhang Feng’s former university classmate but also an official in the government who is a political villain.
C. Wang Gui, an evil countryside militia cadre.


Characters by Alphabet
Cai Wenge , an ambitious villain, enemy to Zhang Feng in Volume I. In this volume, he is released from jail and sets up his own company.
Chang Zheng , rival of Zhang Feng and a Red Guard in Volume I, son of General Zhao Wu. In this volume, he is a friend to Zhang Feng, discharged from the army and becoming a civil officer to support Zhang Feng
Chen Tao , a former university classmate of Zhang Fen, an officer in city council who supports Zhang Feng.
Dan Dan , Zhang Feng’s lover, a beautiful and talented girl. She is a lecturer at a university.
Dan Feng , Son of Zhang Feng and Dan Dan.
Du Ming , a retired general in Taiwan.
Du Shan, a businessman from Taiwan.
Hai Jing, Master , he used to be a Taoist monk who taught Zhang Feng martial arts in Volume I, with a secret identity. In this volume, he is Zhang Feng’s father-in-law.
He Hua , a younger girl in the countryside where Zhang Feng and his friends worked as ‘Educated Youth’ in Volume I. In this volume, she enacts economic reform in countryside by conducting a land contract scheme.
He, Secretary , a secretary of the party committee of Hua Dan County.
Hei Tou , a local hooligan, later becoming an active Red Guard in Volume I. In this volume, he is a self-employed vendor.
Huang Lei , a lecturer of Jili University, Friend to Zhang Feng.
Liang Fu , a businessman in Hong Kong.
Liang Hua , a professor at the London School of Economics, supervisor to Dan Dan
Li He , a close friend to Zhang Feng, a doctor of Chinese medicine.
Li Jianguo , the late first secretary of the provincial party committee. Yu Mei’s father.
Li Li, a friend of Zhang Feng, a Red Guard in Volume I. Her boyfriend died during the Cultural Revolution.
Lin Jianguo , an officer in the government who always supports Zhang Feng, a savior of Zhang Feng in Volume I.
Li Qiu , a former university classmate of Zhang Feng in the past, an officer who follows the evil leaders in the government.
Li Yong , He Hua’s boyfriend.
Liu Qi , secretary of the Chinese Department, Jili University. A rigid left-wing element.
Liu, Secretary , a secretary of the provincial party committee who supports Zhang Feng politically, a subordinate of the late secretary of provincial party committee Li Jianguo.
Lv Guohao , director of the Jiang Cheng Daily Newspaper.
Meng, Secretary , the secretary of the party committee, Jili University.
Qing Lian , an active Red Guard who loves the main hero Zhang Feng secretly in Volume I. She is a journalist in this volume. She marries Li He, a friend of Zhang Feng
Song Ping , Zhang Feng’s middle school classmate, a self-employed vendor.
Sun, Teacher , a violin teacher to Zhang Feng in the past. He was killed by the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution in Volume 1.
Wang Hai , a close friend of the