A Greater Self: A Guest Post by Zhang Yueran
Delving into social themes of class and privilege in modern China, where a woman’s life takes an unexpected turn, this is a gripping yet tender tale of power, betrayal and the quest for sovereignty. Read on for an exclusive essay from author Zhang Yueran on writing Women, Seated.
Hardcover $29.00
Women, Seated
Women, Seated
By
Zhang Yueran
Translator
Jeremy Tiang
In Stock Online
Hardcover $29.00
A riveting story of a powerful Chinese family’s fall from grace
A riveting story of a powerful Chinese family’s fall from grace
Growing up in a socialist country, we were taught from childhood to sacrifice our “small selves” for the sake of a “greater self.” Originally, a “greater self” gestured toward the idea that collectively we could create things that transcended the individual. Nowadays, this concept has taken on an entirely different meaning. A “greater self” seems to be an individual who owns the wealth brought about by countless “small selves.” It’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation, but people with such disproportionate wealth tend to wield larger-than-life power.
I have been curious about these “greater selves” in the lavishness and the vulnerabilities. In 2017, I heard a news story from my friend about a provincial head who was under investigation. The case implicated his entire family. My friend also mentioned that there was a little boy in the family. I couldn’t help but wonder what happened to that child and ended up writing a novella with this premise. In the novella, I created a middle-aged nanny character, who tries to keep the household running and takes care of the boy.
Two or three years ago, Han Zhang, an editor at Riverhead, reached out to me. She was impressed by this story, and together with my longtime friend and translator, Jeremy Tiang, we discussed the possibility of expanding it into a novel. I wanted a broader story for the nanny and to explore her aspirations beyond daily chores for a rich family and what this labor and devotion mean for her. The resulting novel “Women, Seated” unfolds as this nanny navigates the aftermath of a catastrophe for the family that employs her. Through her back story and changing perspective, I wanted to highlight the idea of women’s place in family and society.