Newspapers

Death, seldom spoken, visits in writing

Ralph Jennings is a journalist and long time resident of China. He currently lives in Taipei. From mid-2000 to 2006, he had an advice column in the 21st Century weekly newspaper in which he answered letters from thousands of students and young professionals. Below is a letter from the archive, with an introduction by Jennings.

huajia-baixue.jpg
Father, daughter, both very alive, form bonds

Death, a topic that Chinese often avoid discussing openly, shows up in one or two Q&A column letters per year. A few threaten suicide over bad grades followed by harsh family reaction. You can't tell whether a threat is real. Other letters ask how to get over a parent who had suddenly died of illness or from a workplace accident, reminders that despite China’s modernization, health and safety shortfalls often kill people well before old age. Here is a vivid example:

Student letters to a foreign agony uncle

Dear Ralph,
This weekend, as Fathers Day comes, many families enjoy themselves in parks or restaurants. However, it's this day that stimulates deep sorrow in my mind, sorrow that involves my father's death. My father was a good man for society. As many say, he wasn't able to wake up again when he was hit hard by a motorcycle driven by teenagers on Spring Festival eve. Every day since that accident, or major turn in my life, I have tried to get drunk, especially in school, where I don't want anyone to know my secret. Drinking really seems to be effective. I haven't been derailed from my normal studies. However, as Father's Day comes, I can hardly restrain myself from thinking of the beautiful past and I wonder if I committed suicide whether I would be able to see my great father once more. What else can I do about my love, my sorrow and my memory of him? Please advise me on how to continue my life.

-Pue Kai, Guangdong
June 2000

There are currently 0 Comments for Death, seldom spoken, visits in writing.

Post a comment

All comments are moderated and subject to review by Danwei contributors and editors, but well-grounded and articulate comments will be published regardless of which way they lean. Because comments published on any website ultimately contribute to the character of that website, we may decline to publish comments that are irrelevant, redundant, or that do not adhere to generally accepted standards of courtesy; if you are looking for a fight, there are plenty of other venues available online.


Some useful html: <b>bold</b>, <i>italic</i>,
<a href="http://www.danwei.org">link</a>

Media Partners
Visit these sites for the latest China news
090609guardian2.png 090609CNN3.png
China Media Timeline
Major media events over the last three decades
Danwei Model Workers
laomo2008fpA.jpg
Recommended blogs and new media
Books on China
AXL091030storiesforthcoming.jpg
Princess Der Ling: Two Years in the Forbidden City: Two years in the Forbidden City is largely a reminiscence of the minutiae of life for one of history's most powerful women, by one of her court attendants, a Manchu noble's daughter by the name of Der Ling.
Carl Crow's The Long Road Back to China: In 1939 Carl Crow - an American journalist, advertising executive and author who had lived in Shanghai for 25 years until forced out by the Japanese - travelled up the Burma Road from Rangoon to Chongqing on assignment for Liberty magazine - 'the most interesting assignment I have ever been given'.
Front Page of the Day
A different newspaper every weekday
From the Vault
Classic Danwei posts
+ The 'national' in National Day (2006.10): Xiao Feng writes about China's national flavor, national curse, national bird, national car, and so forth, Dongfang Yu writes on the true meaning of China's National Day in the age of angry youth.
+ Don't ask so laowai don't have to tell (2008.07): An essay was written by Geremie Barmé, scholar, filmmaker and author of the new book The Forbidden City.
+ Religion and government in an uneasy mix (2008.03): Phoenix Weekly (凤凰周刊) article from October, 2007, on government influence on religious practice in Tibet.
Danwei Archives
Danwei Feeds
Via Feedsky rsschiclet2.png (on the mainland)
or Feedburner rsschiclet.gif (blocked in China)
rsschiclet2.png rsschiclet.gif Main feed: Main posts (FB has top links)
rsschiclet2.png rsschiclet.gif Top Links: Links from the top bar
rsschiclet2.png rsschiclet.gif Danwei Jobs: Want ads
rsschiclet2.png rsschiclet.gif Danwei Digest: Updated daily, 19:30