Dragonworld

by Zhang Xinxin, Helen Wang (Translator)

Short story, translated by Helen Wang, now available to read online at the Paper Republic website as part of its Afterlives series.

Ten years ago, while filming in China, I went to Anting on the outskirts of Shanghai. With its Bierstube, Konditorei, luxury stores, and pedestrian zones, it had everything one would expect to find in a German town. Construction completed, it was waiting quietly for buyers. Walking down the empty streets was like being in a children’s story. From there we moved on to Huangshan to shoot a short film. At the foot of the mountain I saw block after block of new apartment buildings, all of them sold, but none of them lived in. In the gorgeous evening sun, the new blocks cast shadows that were long and crowded. Two ghost-towns in one day – it was absurd. That night I had a dream…
—Zhang Xinxin on the genesis of "Dragonworld"

This story was first published in Chinese with the title 《龙的食谱》 (“Recipe for Dragons”) in 《上海文学》Shanghai Literature Oct. 2011; and in English in The Guardian, 14 April 2012. It's an incredibly visual piece, and the energy behind the language is phenomenal (think acrobatics, tumbling, mental gymnastics...). I recently learned why – for a few years, Zhang Xinxin was working intensely, even obsessively, on a graphic novel. When she started writing again, she found the words simply flew on to the page! — Helen Wang

Unknown Binding

First published October 1, 2011

About the author

Zhang Xinxin is a Chinese writer. She is best known in the for her book of 100 interviews with ordinary citizens Chinese Profiles (Beijing 1986), revised as Chinese Lives (1988). The book was co-authored with journalist Sang Ye.