北京摺疊: Beijing folding

by Lynn Robertson

工作兩年多了，只是被派往聯合國參加培訓，趕上那次會議，就幫忙參與了組織。她不需要上班，老公掙的錢足夠多，可她不希望總是一個人呆在家裏，才出來上班，每天只工作半天，拿半薪。其餘的時間自己安排，可以學一些東西。她喜歡學新東西，喜歡認識新人，也喜歡聯合國培訓的那幾個月。她說像她這樣的太太很多，半職工作也很多。中午她下了班，下午會有另一個太太去做助理。她說雖然對秦天沒有說實話，可是她的心是真誠的。“所以，”她給老刀夾了新上來的熱菜，“你能不能暫時不告訴他？等我……有機會親自向他解釋可以嗎？”老刀沒有動筷子。他很餓，可是他覺得這時不能吃。“可是這等於說我也得撒謊。”老刀說。依言回身將小包打開，將錢包取出來，掏出五張一萬塊的紙幣推給老刀。“一點心意，你收下。”老刀愣住了。他從來沒見過一萬塊錢的紙鈔。他生活裏從來不需要花這麼大的面額。他不自覺地站起身，感到惱怒。依言推出錢的樣子就像是早預料到他會訛詐，這讓他受不了。他覺得自己如果拿了，就是接受賄賂，將秦天出賣。雖然他和秦天並沒有任何結盟關係，但他覺得自己在背叛他。老刀很希望自己這個時候能將錢扔在地上，轉身離去，可是他做不到這一步。他又看了幾眼那幾張錢，

Genres: Science Fiction, China

39 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 27, 2020

Reviews

[ElxiElxi · Rating 3 out of 5]

妈的蠡竟然读李

[Benjamin Kozel]

It's got a nice Good Days feel to it, though, completely different purpose. Chinese Sci-Fi is kinda strange for an American to read. It's funny, but it takes everything super seriously at the same time. Everything has weight, but there's always time for a quick gag. Not a Marvel quip, more like a man's leg gets crushed by a building and has to wait thirty minutes until the government orders the building to be moved again. It's got real charm to it, though the complete lack of any individuality, which is almost synonymous with the genre, is jarring. The heavy collectivist/engineer/whig in every resolution works, but it feels more pragmatic than an emotional release.

Hao could not suspend my disbelief for long enough for the setting to totally work, but it was still a fun ride.

[lucy snow · Rating 3 out of 5]

really interesting bit of sci-fi i read for my evolution of popular literature module. explores class divides in the modern city, each section of society literally split, living separately in the same space over different hours of the day.

the protagonist was quite endearing. he hardly speaks but goes on this epic adventure through the different spaces! good stuff. i like the fact that his motivation is his adopted daughter.

[Derrick]

feels inevitable unfortunately

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a very interesting short story, sci-fi enthused with economic city planning. I am glad for the happy ending, I thought it was really clear that it was written by someone with a Ph.D in Economics and Management, “a near-future, economics based dystopia” (p.114 of Invisible Planets, ed. Ken Liu, 2016 - the translation I read). Based on economic planning, they build a folding city to give different people different existences, but the story asks ‘what is the meaning of life at the bottom?’ The powers that be would rather you didn’t exist, so you are relegated to a measly existence… So what is the point? “He didn’t know how long it would take Tangtang to learn to dance and sing and become an elegant young lady. He checked the time. It was time to go to work” (p. 151-152) - I found it refreshing, so many dystopian stories have a miserable ending, and while the story is generally not a great form of human existence, I loved the optimism of this final point, when things are meaningless we will always have dancing and singing, and that is really lovely…

[Joey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kai-fu Lee mentions this sci-fi novellete in his book AI Superpowers. Its English title is FOLDING BEIJING written by Hao Jingfang, a Chinese economy researcher.

It´s about futuristic Beijing in which economic castes are separated into different worlds: First Space, Second Space,and Third Space (for sanitation workers,food vendors,and menial laborers).The castes split time on the city´s surface.

Hao´s vision struck terror into me.😬

Read its English translation on Uncanny Magazine

3.5 / 5

[Jon Norimann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beijing Folding is excellent science fiction. It is about the city of Beijing, China in the future having two sets of houses that are in turn turned up and down each day and night. Obviously complications follow from such a scheme to make room for more people. The author in a concise and nice way also gets into issues like class differences and what makes labour valuable. And its all just an hours read!
Well done Hao Jingfang.

[Christina Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

unlike UBI, the communist society setting of technical advancement can lead to three folds of time and economic allocation of population. 24/12/12 and people got squeezed to night time working on “purposely left dirty job”. when GCP growth is dominant by asset inflation instead of consumer price inflation, we see a new level of inequality.

i wish someone can write a longer version of the story.

[Stacey T · Rating 2 out of 5]

When it comes to Hugo Awards winners, Three body problem is an amazing sci-fi, and Beijing folding is a good CHINESE sci-fi. Honestly, plot and metaphor is cliche and lame and nothing new, but it might be exotic for westerners.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

按科幻類別來說算是入門級吧，但很適合我。很短，一兩個小時就能看完。階級固化后的生活，沒有答案。

[ckm · Rating 4 out of 5]

我失眠時略讀了一次，後來又再細看一次。
一篇短篇科幻小說，類似Black Mirror那種背後帶有深層意義的作品，我對於這類的理解能力比較弱。
有些人的感受性比較強，而我則是知道它要向我表達深刻的意義，但並沒有太多地被觸動。

[Brenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

obsessed

[Daya Srinivas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imaginative and sweet - also a very good film idea

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I wish it was longer as I think there is a lot that could be explored with this topic, this was a fun and thought-provoking story I've definitely continued to think about.

[Megan]

yeahhh I do my #assignedreading 😎😎

[Mark Everglade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great concept but not fully realized. Many missed opportunities for meaningful plots amidst a pointless one. Reviewing English version.

[Hay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, not particularly new/different