Comments on: More on Han Han and post 80s isolationism http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637 Of China changing the World Thu, 17 May 2012 01:40:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: The Time of Han Han | CHINAYOUREN http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637/comment-page-1#comment-22346 The Time of Han Han | CHINAYOUREN Sat, 10 Apr 2010 06:55:35 +0000 http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637#comment-22346 [...] these people? What orders are they following from above, to cast Han in this light? The article by R. Zhou I commented last year was at least intelligent and had a point, but this clown writing on the ShD [...] [...] these people? What orders are they following from above, to cast Han in this light? The article by R. Zhou I commented last year was at least intelligent and had a point, but this clown writing on the ShD [...]

]]> By: FOARP http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637/comment-page-1#comment-18013 FOARP Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:33:48 +0000 http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637#comment-18013 Web novel, spamming China blogs in an effort to publicise his book. Web novel, spamming China blogs in an effort to publicise his book.

]]> By: John http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637/comment-page-1#comment-17895 John Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:13:16 +0000 http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637#comment-17895 I felt the need to share with you the story of Jason Bromby, a 28-year-old British diplomat. He came to China to discuss foreign policy. He has now gone missing. Please read more: www.maolovesyou.com Spread the word, something needs to be done!! I felt the need to share with you the story of Jason Bromby, a 28-year-old British diplomat. He came to China to discuss foreign policy. He has now gone missing. Please read more:

http://www.maolovesyou.com

Spread the word, something needs to be done!!

]]> By: Uln http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637/comment-page-1#comment-17881 Uln Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:26:14 +0000 http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637#comment-17881 ##comment-17874 @Robert Woo: Thanks for the link Robert, just finish watching now. I had never heard him so young, he sounds (and looks) weird! About the cars: I don't know if he is rational or not but many of his statements and actions suggest that he attaches more importance to racecars than to literature. ##comment-17874 @Robert Woo: Thanks for the link Robert, just finish watching now. I had never heard him so young, he sounds (and looks) weird!

About the cars: I don’t know if he is rational or not but many of his statements and actions suggest that he attaches more importance to racecars than to literature.

]]> By: Robert Woo http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637/comment-page-1#comment-17874 Robert Woo Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:31:00 +0000 http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637#comment-17874 why should he care about buying more racing cars? Why people should be a rational animal all the time? Han Han is a person who seldom wants to represent something. He does not need to pretend. I highly recommend this video for you. It was during the earlier years when Han Han first became famous, not as a warrior for justice, but a high school drop-out that perplexed many people. http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/IdrCWFF6ZRc/ why should he care about buying more racing cars? Why people should be a rational animal all the time?

Han Han is a person who seldom wants to represent something. He does not need to pretend. I highly recommend this video for you. It was during the earlier years when Han Han first became famous, not as a warrior for justice, but a high school drop-out that perplexed many people.

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/IdrCWFF6ZRc/

]]> By: FOARP http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637/comment-page-1#comment-17345 FOARP Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:47:17 +0000 http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637#comment-17345 <blockquote>"I am glad to hear it didnt corrupt your soul or push you to a life of sin and depravity."</blockquote> . . . . well, I did move to mainland China shortly after finishing it, so don't be so sure!

“I am glad to hear it didnt corrupt your soul or push you to a life of sin and depravity.”

. . . . well, I did move to mainland China shortly after finishing it, so don’t be so sure!

]]> By: spandrell http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637/comment-page-1#comment-17311 spandrell Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:04:43 +0000 http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637#comment-17311 and Time is a lame magazine anyway. Give the guy a break, he has a magazine to sell too. and Time is a lame magazine anyway.
Give the guy a break, he has a magazine to sell too.

]]> By: Uln http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637/comment-page-1#comment-17261 Uln Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:32:05 +0000 http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637#comment-17261 I've seen the guy speak on TV, and he never struck me as a peasant, on the contrary I thought he was a product of Shanghai, way too cool for my taste (but then perhaps I am a peasant myself :)) I agree that he's not a great writer today, but dont forget that Han Han got famous because of the books, not because of the blog. Many saw in him more than a funny writer at the time. Today he is clearly overrated and the only reason we are sepaking so much of him is: 1- China literature watchers are desperate for new Chinese world class writer. 2- China is such a big population that any phenomenon is always magnified x1000. 3- As far as I know there are no translations of HH in English so 99%* of the foreign commentators, including many serious critics, have NEVER read one of his books. (*This is a universal constant and it goes down to 90% for books that are actually available in English) I’ve seen the guy speak on TV, and he never struck me as a peasant, on the contrary I thought he was a product of Shanghai, way too cool for my taste (but then perhaps I am a peasant myself :) )

I agree that he’s not a great writer today, but dont forget that Han Han got famous because of the books, not because of the blog. Many saw in him more than a funny writer at the time. Today he is clearly overrated and the only reason we are sepaking so much of him is:

1- China literature watchers are desperate for new Chinese world class writer.

2- China is such a big population that any phenomenon is always magnified x1000.

3- As far as I know there are no translations of HH in English so 99%* of the foreign commentators, including many serious critics, have NEVER read one of his books.

(*This is a universal constant and it goes down to 90% for books that are actually available in English)

]]> By: spandrell http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637/comment-page-1#comment-17260 spandrell Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:20:34 +0000 http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637#comment-17260 " But this will not make him a great writer, IMO. " He´s not a great writer anyway, his books are pop fiction. Han Han has a following because he´s cool (extremely cool), not because of being a respected intellectual. You´ve seen the guy talk on TV? A friend of mine (a normal provincial guy who doesn´t speak a word of english) told me he speaks like a peasant. The guy blogs against corruption, which is what most people care about. Why should he sell a dissident image to a Western magazine? I believe he really doesn´t care, the last thing he wants is to be seen as some kind of political figure, and not as a cool and good looking racer who happens to write funny lovels and has his heart on the right place. His image inside China is unbeatable, why risk that for a good image on the West? Some people just don´t care about us guys, get used to it. ” But this will not make him a great writer, IMO. ”
He´s not a great writer anyway, his books are pop fiction. Han Han has a following because he´s cool (extremely cool), not because of being a respected intellectual. You´ve seen the guy talk on TV? A friend of mine (a normal provincial guy who doesn´t speak a word of english) told me he speaks like a peasant.

The guy blogs against corruption, which is what most people care about. Why should he sell a dissident image to a Western magazine?
I believe he really doesn´t care, the last thing he wants is to be seen as some kind of political figure, and not as a cool and good looking racer who happens to write funny lovels and has his heart on the right place. His image inside China is unbeatable, why risk that for a good image on the West? Some people just don´t care about us guys, get used to it.

]]> By: Uln http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637/comment-page-1#comment-17251 Uln Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:58:22 +0000 http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637#comment-17251 @spandrell - About Han Han, I am not sure he has enough money (racing is an expensive hobby when you are not F. Alonso). Yeah, he probably doesn't want to take too many risks, but I am sure he could project a better image of himself for Time magazine without entering risky territory. Just give them some polar bears and some general notions of World justice would have been enough. Journalists are human, and it is not so difficult to talk them into something when you got HH's charm. Han Han is a talented guy, but he is really closed on his generation of exclusively Chinese fans, and he doesn't seem to understand that the World is much more than that. As you say, it is his right to do that if he is confortable, sure. But this will not make him a great writer, IMO. @spandrell -

About Han Han, I am not sure he has enough money (racing is an expensive hobby when you are not F. Alonso). Yeah, he probably doesn’t want to take too many risks, but I am sure he could project a better image of himself for Time magazine without entering risky territory. Just give them some polar bears and some general notions of World justice would have been enough. Journalists are human, and it is not so difficult to talk them into something when you got HH’s charm.

Han Han is a talented guy, but he is really closed on his generation of exclusively Chinese fans, and he doesn’t seem to understand that the World is much more than that. As you say, it is his right to do that if he is confortable, sure. But this will not make him a great writer, IMO.

]]> By: spandrell http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637/comment-page-1#comment-17250 spandrell Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:30:33 +0000 http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637#comment-17250 Hecaitou is the worst passive-agressive annoying blogger on the whole internet. I can´t stand the guy. But that´s just me. Han Han doesn´t want to become a dissident, he has a good following, has enough money, gets to say what he wants on his blog. Why would be anti-system? He's having fun as it is. Why risk antagonizing the party and get exiled or worse? Hecaitou is the worst passive-agressive annoying blogger on the whole internet. I can´t stand the guy. But that´s just me.

Han Han doesn´t want to become a dissident, he has a good following, has enough money, gets to say what he wants on his blog. Why would be anti-system? He’s having fun as it is. Why risk antagonizing the party and get exiled or worse?

]]> By: Uln http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637/comment-page-1#comment-17228 Uln Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:41:29 +0000 http://chinayouren-free.com/2009/12/07/2637#comment-17228 @racer - But I did find the article funny. And I do think Han Han can and should take some criticism, he behaves too often like an arrogant twat, he was not clever enought to deal with Time, and what is much worse (in my eyes at least): he doesnt value literature. Sometimes it feels like he doesn't care a sht about it actually, his last book "tadeguo" was a joke, and it really felt like he tried to get done with it as soon as possible to go back to get money for a new race car. But nevertheless, still I think that: 1) The tone of R. Zhou is too much, and he is playing the snmartass as soon as he sees a vulnerable point in HanHan, that is low, especially as he writes in a newspaper for foreigners. 2) I do think that Western audience -and the Western Media as well- are manipulable. Precisely because of what you say: <em>the Western audience want to see is “good vs. evil,” “democracy good, dictatorship bad”</em> It is always possible to market oneself as good in this picture. I am not saying it is easy, but at least one should try. Please read again the interview in Time, HanHan responses were a joke! @racer – But I did find the article funny. And I do think Han Han can and should take some criticism, he behaves too often like an arrogant twat, he was not clever enought to deal with Time, and what is much worse (in my eyes at least): he doesnt value literature.

Sometimes it feels like he doesn’t care a sht about it actually, his last book “tadeguo” was a joke, and it really felt like he tried to get done with it as soon as possible to go back to get money for a new race car.

But nevertheless, still I think that:

1) The tone of R. Zhou is too much, and he is playing the snmartass as soon as he sees a vulnerable point in HanHan, that is low, especially as he writes in a newspaper for foreigners.

2) I do think that Western audience -and the Western Media as well- are manipulable. Precisely because of what you say:

the Western audience want to see is “good vs. evil,” “democracy good, dictatorship bad”

It is always possible to market oneself as good in this picture. I am not saying it is easy, but at least one should try. Please read again the interview in Time, HanHan responses were a joke!

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