1. Historical context
10/1/1949: Founding of People’s Republic of China.
6/1957: Anti-rightist Campaign
: Socialist Education Campaign
1965: Criticism on a historical play “Hai Rui Dismissed from Office” 海瑞罷官initiated the Cultural Revolution
6/1966: Red Guard Movement spread throughout China
: Millions of urban high school students were sent to the countryside
10/1976: Gang of Four arrested
1977: Deng Xiaoping returned to power

2. “Maple” 楓 (1979) by Zheng Yi
Zheng Yi (1947- ), the man:
Born in Chongqing, his father was a senior clerk of a Shipping Company
Attended the high school affiliated to Qinghua University where the Red Guard Movement was originated:
Discriminated because of his family background
Sent to the countryside (Shanxi province)
Published stories from 1979
Active in the Democratic Movement (1989)
Left for US via Hong Kong in 1992

3. “Maple”
A representative of “wound literature” 傷痕文學 after the cultural revolution:
How does the fight break out between two factions? (C. P. 332/58)
Who is the narrator of the story? (ibid., 50)
What is his assignment at the beginning of the text?
Who catches him while he pretends to paint the scenery?
What do Little Rabbit and the girl notice of his painting? (ibid., 60-61)
Does the narrator recall the girl?
What does he want to tell her? (ibid., 62)
What does the girl want him to diver? (ibid., 63)

4. “Maple” (continued)
Where does the narrator find himself after he emerges? (ibid., 63)
What does he overhear from the conversation of his opponents while he hides in the classroom? (ibid., 64)
What does he recall of the girl in the past? (ibid., 64-5)
Why does the girl reproach the boy “bitterly” (ibid., 69)?
Who begins to “tremble all over” at the final parting (ibid., 70)?
What does her note reveal? (ibid., 71)
How long have two factions fought? (ibid., 71)
What happens to the boy by the end?
What do you think of the story?

5. Yang Jiang (1911-?)
Born in Beijing, a scholar’s family
Received her BA in 1932
Married Qian Zhongshu in 1935
Studied at Oxford University and returned to China in 1938
Taught at various univresities

6. “The Art of Listening” (1940s)
What is the aim of listening? (C. P. 222/260)
-- to turn a deaf ear (ibid., 261)?
-- to absorb information?
-- to understand and appreciate?
What are the functions of clothing according to the text?
-- On the one hand it conceals the body; on the other it reveals and accentuates certain parts of the body (ibid., 223).

7. “The Art of Listening” (Continued)
Does the truth of a work of art have to correspond with the historical fact?
-- Can we assume poetic truth is historical truth?
What renders a work of art differ from a historical record?
-- entertaining characteristics
Is it easy for us to associate with the super-hero?

8. “Cloak of Invisibility” (1984)
Do we encourage people to become what they are not? (ibid., 267)
What is the significance in her discussion of the turnip and cabbage ?
“A turnip should endeavour to be a good juicy crunchy turnip; a cabbage should endeavour to be a good round, firm-hearted cabbage” (ibid., 267).
Are we able to enjoy our lives even though we are under constant pressure?

9. “Cloak of Invisibility” (Continued)
Is it really a great idea to be invisible according to her discussion?
What might have blinded us in everyday experience?
What do you think of her writings?