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Bi Feiyu. Massage. Fiction. Beijing. The People's Literature Publishing House. 2008. 325 pages. 20 RMB. isbn 9787020068258
In recent years, Bi Feiyu has increasingly been recognized as an important young writer. His reputation is built on works like Yu Mi ..., Yu Yang ..., Yu Xiu ..., Qing Yi ..., and Pingyuan ..., most of which feature sober narration and recount individual lives against the immense backdrop of history and society. Known for weaving grandiose stories that are both delicate and detailed, Bi Feiyu in his new novel, Massage, shifts his attention to a unique microcosmic world, a world that is often neglected by ordinary people- the enclosed realm of those who are visually impaired.
Perhaps it is due to the nature of the subject that Bi Feiyu displays more than his usual share of patience and tenderness in his new work. He seems to have forgotten his accustomed detachment and coolness, and tries instead to gingerly guide readers into Sha Zongqi Massage Center-a colorful world oftentimes misread by outsiders. He tries to acquaint readers with every character: Sha Fuming, Zhang Zongqi, Dr. Zhang, Little Kong, Tai Lai, Jin Yan, and Du Hong. He mimics the traditional Chinese literary style known as ji zhuang (biographical sketch), first introducing characters one by one and then painting...