Author: Chun Sue
Format: Paperback, 240 pages
Pub. Date: August 2004
Publisher: Riverhead Books

Meet Chun Sue. Teenage rebel and high school drop out. A parent’s worst nightmare. She is also a writer, a dreamer, a lover, and a rock ‘n’ roll fan who isn’t afraid to pursue her passions. In her autobiographical novel, Beijing Doll, Chun Sue reveals to readers her youthful struggles to find the meaning of love and her comfort zone as a part of the new emerging generation clashing with traditional society in modern China.

Set in Beijing with the underground rock ‘n’ roll subculture as a backdrop, Chun Sue’s journey of self discovery begins at the age of fourteen when she decided to take control of her life. No longer content with adhering to strict school rules or to social norms, her love for rock music was an act of defiance in the eyes of her parents and teachers. She sported a punk rock image adorned with color dyed hair and partied with the latest rock bands at the hottest nightclubs. For many teenagers like Chun Sue, the underground rock scene was an expression of their individuality and uncompromising will to conform.

She awakened to a world of sex, love and heartbreak when she engaged in several relationships with older men. First there was Li Qi who introduced Chun Sue to her first sexual experience. Then there was Zhao Ping who was always broke and never appreciated her love for him until it was too late. It was G and T who finally made her realize the true meaning of love. “I wanted to have what I felt I deserved. A love without passion wasn’t my kind of love,” she wrote. Her relationships helped her grow but she was still young and naïve with a raw sense of confidence.

When Chun Sue dropped out of high school and wrote for music magazines, she met many people who showed her the harsh reality of life. She saw the struggles of her friends as they sacrificed everything for success in the music world but their lack of money made it almost impossible. Their hopes and dreams were challenged everyday by economical strife. Nothing came easy and Chun Sue learned this the hard way. Her opportunities were limited and her fantasy of attending Beida, China’s most prestigious university, remained a fantasy. Although Chun Sue thought she could take on the entire world by herself, she was just a “lost little girl” as her tourist friend Janne put it. Her dreams were ideal; her ideals were her passion.

Written in a candid and lyrical style, Beijing Doll reflects a generation growing up in today’s fast paced society of urban China. Shortly after its publication, Beijing Doll was banned in mainland China for its expression of sexual freedom. However, it has already reached an audience who shares Chun Sue’s discovery of what it means to be young, ideal and free.

Jenny Chiu is a Contributor