Ma Jian: 中国梦 (China Dream)

The latest addition to my website is Ma Jian‘s 中国梦 (China Dream). This is a satire of modern Chinese officialdom but, in particular, of President Xi’s China Dream project, which is a plan for Chinese domination, both internationally and domestically. Ma Daode, our hero, for want of a better word, is in charge of the China Dream project in Ziyang. His staff are developing a microchip to be implanted into everyone, which will replace their private dreams with the China Dream. His immediate problem is that his past life is now flooding back into his present life and he did some very unpleasant things in the Cultural Revolution (as did several of his colleagues). Indeed, these past dreams seem to be taking over and are more concern to him than his many mistresses and the continual bribes he receives. Gradually ,they get worse and he has to find a cure. Ma Jian has great fun mocking Chinese officialdom, hypocrisy, corruption and lasciviousness.

Leave a comment