Shanghai Baby (chinese)
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From Publishers Weekly
Although it caused an uproar in the author's native China, Western readers will find 27-year-old Wei Hui's semiautobiographical offering reminiscent of fiction by the brat pack writers of the '80s, though more clich‚d and less edgy. Waitress Nikki "but my friends call me Coco after Coco Chanel" is in love with Tian Tian, a melancholy and impotent artist who falls prey to narcotics. Coco loves him madly, but not so madly that she wants to give up sex, and this is why she's also been seeing Mark, a married German businessman. Coco's deceptions, Tian Tian's problems with his wealthy mother (who he suspects killed his father) and the intertwining worlds of art and fashion are all fodder for Coco's upcoming slice-of-lifestyle novel, in which Shanghai 's privileged 20-somethings are shown in their natural habitat of clubs and coffeehouses. Beneath the techno beat, though, the sore subject of Western imperialism its avatars, this time, multinational managers still lurks. Among Coco 's friends, one known as Madonna stands out in particular: she earned a fortune first as a madam and then as the widow of a rich man. Wei Hui evidently wants to imitate her heroes, the beats and Henry Miller, and relishes observations like "our bodies were already tarnished, and our minds beyond help." But she spends more time analyzing people by the brands they use and the cars they drive, thus giving the book an odd air of beat fluff, as if Jack Kerouac had mated with Judith Krantz. The book is as alluring as a gossip column, but, alas, as shallow as one, too. (Sept. 11)Forecast: Forty thousand copies of Shanghai Baby were burned by the Chinese government. Proving censors make the best publicists, rights were subsequently sold in 19 countries 200,000 copies are in print in Japan alone. U.S. media curiosity is already high, but the resulting sales bounce may be minor.
From Library Journal
Wei Hui's debut novel, which was banned in China, delves deep into the dark and glittering heart of Shanghai, as experienced by a hopeful and hedonistic young novelist, Nikki (better known to her friends as Coco, after the also irrepressibly glamorous Coco Chanel). Although deeply in love with her impotent artist boyfriend Tian Tian, the frustrated Coco takes a successful German businessman as a lover. What follows is the painful and explicit sexual and vocational journey of a young woman in search of her true self, attempting to gain control of her own trajectory as nefarious forces work on her from both within and without. Indeed, it seems almost as if the city's over-the-top materialism drives its inhabitants toward adultery and dark passions, forcing them at once into the dual role of victim/accomplice. It is just such paradoxes that make Wei Hui's novel so complex and thought-provoking: she deftly explores the intimate relationships that belie the seeming oppositions of East and West, love and desire, the natural and the artificial, hedonism and spiritualism. Haunting and resonant, Shanghai Baby proves the existence of the sacred in the profane. For all Chinese literature and contemporary fiction collections. Tania Barnes, "Library Journal"
***
Wei Hui's SHANGHAI BABY is the poetic, bittersweet and subtly spiritual tale of one woman's quest for personal fulfillment and drive for creative expression. The diverse and cultured city of Shanghai is more than the backdrop for the novel; it is a character itself. The city is celebrated by Hui, and its busy pace and natural sensuality contribute to the postmodern tone of the book. The most interesting character, however, is 25-year-old Nikki, the "baby" of the title. Nikki, known as Coco to her friends, is a writer. Unapologetic in her desire for both emotional and sexual satisfaction, Coco becomes involved with two very different men, all the while trying to write her first novel.
But more important than the details of Coco 's exploration of sex is the novel's examination of life, freedom, love, and death. Each man Coco is involved with offers a different path for that examination and different answers to the same philosophical questions.
Coco 's live-in boyfriend, Tien Tien, is a fragile and beautiful artist. The love between Coco and Tien Tien is sensual and spiritual. Obsessed by death, Tien Tien awakens in Coco an awareness of life and the importance of love. However, his impotence, physical but often emotional as well, leads her to a fierce and passionate affair with a married man. Strong, assertive Mark, a German businessman temporarily living in Shanghai, is the opposite of sensitive Tien Tien in every way. Coco 's fragile balance of juggling two lovers while writing her novel is upset as both men eventually become unavailable to her and she is faced with tragedy.
SHANGHAI BABY is a beautiful novel. The language is poetic and sensual yet funny and brutally honest. Coco is frank in her confusions, frustrations, elations, and joys. She is joined by a bevy of interesting characters, including a former madam, a computer hacker, a bisexual fashion stylist, an avant-garde filmmaker, drug addicts, and artists, not to mention her parents who must overcome their traditional expectations in order to understand and support her artistic and personal choices. Each character is faced with the same issues as Coco and each attempts to make sense of relationships, sexuality, family, and life in a changing Chinese culture. While Hui implies the struggle between tradition and modernity is lessening (at least in cosmopolitan Shanghai) her forecast for a woman's chance to find both sexual and emotional fulfillment is less optimistic.
We have been taught that through novels we can witness the changes and ultimately the growth of characters. As we read, they ideally become better people. Hui's novel is more challenging in that Coco does not fundamentally change and her growth is not overtly apparent. Hui's honest portrayal of Coco is both frustrating and refreshing and is thus an accurate reflection of the human condition. Coco 's vanity and selfishness (or confidence and trueness to her own needs) can verge on annoying; she is not always likable. However, she is capable of great insight.
This view into contemporary Chinese culture and the issues of female independence and sexuality is worthwhile. Coco's controversial publication of short stories mirror Hui's own experience -- the sex and sexuality described by Hui in SHANGHAI BABY doomed the novel to condemnation, banning, and public burnings in China, where it was originally published. However, American readers may be disappointed to find that what is scandalous in China is more commonplace in Western literature. Although a fairly easy read, it is not a light one. The themes of death, sadness, and loneliness balance the themes of romance and passion.
– - Reviewed by Sarah Egelman
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三 我有一个梦
好女孩上天堂，坏女孩走四方。
– 伊芙·泰勒
一个女人选择写作这个职业，
多半是为了在男权社会里给自己一个阶层。
– 艾瑞卡·琼
我是这样一个人，对于父母来说，我是个没良心的小恶人（在5岁时我就学会拿着一把棒棒糖傲然出走），对于师长或昔日杂志社领导、同事来说，我是个不可理喻的聪明人（专业精通，喜怒无常，只要看过开头就猜得出任何一部电影或一个故事的结尾），对于众多男人来说，我算得上春光滟涟的小美人（有一双日本卡通片里女孩特有的大眼睛和一个如可可·夏奈尔的长脖子）。而在我自己眼里，我是个很不怎么样的女孩子，尽管有朝一日可能会推也推不掉地成为名女人。
我的曾祖母在世时经常说，“人的命运好比一根风筝线，一端在地上，另一端在天上。上天人地都逃不过这命的，”或者说，“人如三节草，不知哪节好。”
她是一个头发雪白，个子小小的老年人，像白线团一样终日坐在一把摇椅上，据说很多人相信她有特异通灵能力，曾经成功预测过1987年那次上海3级小地震，也准确地在死前3天向家人通告了她的死期。她的照片至今还挂在我父母家的墙壁上，他们认为她继续在保佑全家。也正是我的曾祖母预言了我会成为舞文弄墨的才女，文曲星照在我头顶，墨水充满了我的肚子，她说我终将出人头地。
在大学里我经常给一些我暗恋的对象写信，那些情书声情并茂，几乎使我出手必胜。在杂志社里我采写的人物故事像小说一样情节曲折、语言优美，以至于经常使真的变得像假的，假的变得像真的。
在终于意识到我以前所做的一切只是在浪费我的写作天才后，我辞了那份高薪的工作，为此我的父母对我再次感到绝望，当初还是我父亲四处托人才得到那份工作的。
“你这小孩到底是不是我生的？怎么老是头上长角脚上长刺？你说你折腾来折腾去为了个什么呢？”妈妈说。她是个柔美而憔悴的女人，她把她的一生都花在给丈夫烫衬衣给女儿寻找一条幸福大道上，她不能接受婚前性行为，也绝不能容忍女孩子穿紧身T恤时不穿胸罩故意露出乳头的形状。
“终有一天你会意识到，人活在世上安稳踏实最重要，人家张爱玲也说，人生还是以安稳做底子的。”爸爸说，他知道我喜欢张爱玲。爸爸是个微胖的喜欢抽雪茄喜欢和年轻人谈心的大学历史系教授，风度翩翩，从小就对我溺爱有加，在我3岁的时候就训练我欣赏“波西米亚人”这样的歌剧。他总是担心我长大后会被色狼骗色骗心，他说我是他一生最重要的宝贝，我应该慎重地对待男人，不要为了男人哭泣。
“我们的想法太不一样了，隔了100条代沟。还是互相尊重，不要强求算了。反正说也白说的。我25岁了，我要成为作家，虽然这个职业现在挺过时的，但我会让写作变得很酷很时髦。”我说。
在遇到天天后我决定搬出去，家里又是一阵轩然大波，可以把太平洋掀翻。
“我拿你没有办法，是好是坏你走着瞧吧，就当没养你这个小孩。”妈妈几乎是尖叫着说，脸上有种被狠狠打了一拳的表情。
“你让你妈妈伤心了，”爸爸说，“我也很灰心，你这样的女孩最后要吃亏的。听你说那个男孩的家庭古怪，他父亲死得不明不白，那么他本人是不是正常，是不是可靠呢？”
“相信我，我知道我在做什么。”我说。很快我拿着一支牙刷、一些衣服，一些唱片和一箱书走了。
唱机前方的地板上泛着琥珀色的太阳光，像泼翻的苏格兰威士忌酒。在一帮衣冠楚楚的美国人离开后，咖啡店恢复了安静，老杨在他的办公室兼卧室里堡电话粥。蜘蛛懒懒地倚着窗，吃一块客人吃剩下的巧克力松饼（他老干这事，以此来体现他动物般的生存能力），窗外是栽着悬铃木的马路，城市的景色在夏季里发绿发亮，像欧洲电影里的一种情绪。
“CoCo，你无聊的时候会做什么？”他没头没脑地问了一句。
“无聊的时候当然是什么也做不了的时候，还能做什么？”我说，“好比是现在。”
“昨天晚上我也很无聊，我选择上网Chat，同时与10个人Chat蛮爽的。”于是我注
意到他那半圆形的黑眼圈，就像两只调羹印一样浮在脸上。“我认识了一个叫媚儿的人，看样子倒不像是那种男扮女装的，她说自己很漂亮，还是处女。”
“现在这时候，处女也疯狂，你知不知道？”我笑起来。不管怎样，那个女孩口出此言，脸皮也蛮厚的。
“我觉得这媚儿说话挺酷的，”他没笑，“我发现我们的生活理想惊人地相似，我们都想恶狠狠地赚一笔钱，然后环游全地球。”
“听上去像《天生杀人狂》里的一对男女。”我好奇地说，“那么，钱怎么赚？”
“开店，抢银行，做鸡做鸭都行啊。”他大言不惭，半真半假。“目前我就有个计划，”他俯头过来，在我耳边低语了几句，让我吓了一大跳，“不行，这不行，你发神经啊。”我连连摇头。
这小子居然想要和我联手偷店里的钱。他观察下来，发现老杨每晚都把钱装进一个迷你保险箱，积满一个月后再去银行存上。他有一个朋友专撬各类保险箱，他的计划就是请来那个职业小偷，来个里外串通，众人联手，把钱卷光光再来个脚下滑溜溜，当然事后还得造成是无名小偷串人店里行窃的假象。
日子也定好了，下星期二就是蜘蛛的生日，恰逢我和他当夜班，他将以庆祝生日为由邀请老杨喝酒，把老杨灌得晕晕乎乎的就成了。
蜘蛛的话便我感到紧张，甚至有轻微的胃绞痛。“千万不要做梦，忘掉那事吧，想点别的来转移注意力，哎，不会是那个媚儿的主意吧？”
“嘘！”他示意我老杨已经打完电话往这边走来。我紧紧闭上嘴，惟恐泄露一点点刚才的密谋内容。
店门被推开，我看见天天走进来。我的胃感到一阵温暖，他穿灰色衬衫黑色的灯芯绒裤，手里拿着一本书，头发有点长有点乱，眼睛有点近视有点湿，嘴唇有点笑意有点冷，这几乎是我的甜蜜爱人的标准像。
“老公来了，开心是开心得来。”老杨趁机起哄，一口上海话带着评弹的口音。他其实是个性格简单、和和气气的好人。
天天被他这么一说，表情拘谨起来，我端着一份卡布基诺咖啡走过去，轻轻握住他的手。“还有45分钟，我等你下班。”他看看手表低声说。
“蜘蛛肯定是想钱想疯了。”我忿忿地说。对面的墙上印出我夸张挥舞的双臂。小圆桌上点着蜡烛，我和天天坐在桌边，在围棋盘上下五子棋。“智商高的人一旦产生犯罪的念头，真是比得狂犬病还糟，会用电脑偷银行的钱、用电子炸药消灭飞机和船、用看不见的刀杀人，制造瘟疫和悲剧。l999如果有末日，我相信是这些顶尖怪人所致。”
“你输了，我拉3冲4”天天负责地冲着棋盘提醒我。
“聪明是种天赋，疯狂是种本能，但如果功利地利用这些东西，就不对头了。”我的演讲欲这会儿刚被吊起来，“到头来，聪明人会陷入比笨蛋更难堪的境地。最近我觉得绿蒂有种特别安静的气氛，眨一下眼皮都听得到声音。原因就在于某种杀机暗伏，我的预感不太妙。”
“那就离开那个地方，回家写作。”天天简单地说。
每次他说“回家”这个词总说得很自然。这三房一厅的住所，这充满水果发酵味、烟蒂焦味、法国香水味、酒精味，充满书和音乐还有无休止的空想的地方，已经像一团来自巫仙森林的云雾一样紧紧附在我们身上，挥之不去，飘之澹澹。事实上它是一种比家更有宿命感，也更真实的一方空间，它与血缘无关，但与爱情、灵魂、喜悦、第六感、诱惑法则、不明目的的飞行等诸如此类的东西紧密相联。
回家吧，现在该是切入正题的时候了。开始写作，通向梦境和爱欲之旅的尽头。用毫无暇疵的叙述完成一篇篇美丽的小说，在故事的开场、悬念、高潮、结局巧用心机、煽情至极，像世界最棒的歌手那样站在世界之巅大声放歌。
一只手抓着这个念头在我脑子里划过。天天要我向他保证，明天就打电话向老杨辞工。
“好吧。”我说。辞掉一份工作，离开一个人，丢掉一个东西，这种背弃行为对像我这样的女孩来说几乎是一种生活本能，易如反掌。从一个目标漂移到另一个目标，尽情操练，保持活力。
“从我第一次在绿蒂看着你的时候，我就觉得你天生是作家的料子。”天天进一步激发我的虚荣心，“你的眼神复杂，你说话的声音显得很有感情，你一直在观察店里的顾客，有一次我还听到你和蜘蛛在讨论存在主义和巫术。”
我温柔地抱住他，他的话像一种抚摸，能够给我别的男人所不能给的快乐。经常是这样，听他说话的声音，看他的眼睛和嘴唇，我会突然感到下身一阵热浪涌流，一瞬间湿透了。“还有什么，再说点什么，我想听。”我吻着他的耳根，请求着。
“还有…还有你让人永远看不透，也许适合当作家的人都有些人格分裂，也就是说，有些靠不住。”
“你在担心什么？”我奇怪地问，把嘴唇从他的耳边移开。
天天摇摇头，“我爱你。”他说着，轻轻搂住我，把头放在我的肩膀上，能感觉到他的睫毛在我的脖颈上细微颤动，在我心里引发一阵天鹅绒般的柔情。一双手慢慢地抵住我的小腹，另一双手也触动了他的臀部，我们面对面地站着，看到了镜中的自己，看到了水中的倒影。
五彩的肌肤在夜色中归于黯淡。他睡着了，在床上弯成S形，我从背后抱着他，昏昏沉沉。是的，他的执拗他的柔弱始终像谜一样困着我，我无端端地觉得自己对他怀有一份责任，还有一份梦境般的怅惘。
