China Mysteries: Crime Novels from China’s Others

China from the mid-1990s to a few years ago felt more open to global trade, communication, travel, and cultural and educational exchanges, leading to the emergence of China mysteries as a new genre of popular fiction. These novels, written by multinational and multicultural writers, took place in contemporary China but were not written or published there. They highlighted the hopes and fears of the world after Tiananmen and depended on Western commercial publishing models shaped by cultural, national, political, and economic factors. The work examines over a hundred China mysteries to provide a brief history of the genre and analyze its formulaic and original elements, including its attention to matters of location, social content, characterization, history, and biography. It also highlights the role of information acquisition as a motivation for readers and authors of popular fiction.

Format: Hardback
Length: 277 pages
Publication date: 31 December 2023
Publisher: University of Hawai'i Press

The 1989 Beijing Massacre, which had faded from public memory in the West, ushered in a period of openness in China from the mid-1990s to a few years ago. This openness extended to global trade, communication, travel, and cultural and educational exchanges. There was even speculation in the mainstream press that China was moving towards a more democratic future. During this second Sino-Western honeymoon, authors from various countries, including the US, Canada, France, the UK, and elsewhere, began writing mystery fiction set in contemporary China in their regional languages. These China mysteries, which included crime, detective, and mystery thriller novels, took place in China but were not written or published there. They formed a new genre of popular fiction that captured the hopes and fears of the world following the Tiananmen Square protests.

The multinational and multicultural writers of China mysteries, including ex-PRC nationals like Qiu Xiaolong, Zhang Xinxin, and Diane Wei Liang, converged on the China Mainland to navigate political and cultural complexities through crime fiction plotlines. Their books drew from Western lineages of the modern novel and popular genre fiction, with Chinese contributions, and were shaped by Western commercial publishing models influenced by cultural, national, political, and economic factors.

This work examines over a hundred China mysteries, many of which describe and analyze social and economic changes at the heart of modern Chinese life. It provides a brief history of the genre and analyzes the formulaic and original elements of these mysteries, including their attention to location, social content, characterization, history, and biography. It also highlights the role of information acquisition as a motivation for readers and authors of popular fiction, which has become a topic of discussion in Chinese literature studies.

The China mysteries have played a significant role in shaping the perception of China in the West. They have helped to bridge the cultural gap between China and the rest of the world and have contributed to a greater understanding of Chinese society. They have also provided a platform for Chinese authors to showcase their talent and creativity to a global audience.

In conclusion, the China mysteries have emerged as a fascinating and dynamic genre of popular fiction that has captured the hopes and fears of the world following the Tiananmen Square protests. They have played a significant role in shaping the perception of China in the West and have contributed to a greater understanding of Chinese culture and society. The genre has also provided a platform for Chinese authors to showcase their talent and creativity to a global audience. As China continues to evolve and change, it will be interesting to see how the China mysteries continue to reflect and shape the country's social and cultural landscape.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780824895204