As part of my own personal revolution to audio-books (yes, it did not end at one book), I revisited the Chinese sci-fi novel Three Body Problem, but this time in English audio. So fascinated by it, I have already given the paperback to a few people as a gift. Each time before I give it, I usually give it a little flick through. It is an odd translation in that it has re-ordered the sequence for the audience starting with what in the book is a historical flashback in the middle of the book. It's an interesting choice: a flashback does occur chronologically first so it doesn't really hurt, I guess, but the sequence is set in the late 60s in a very critical moment of Chinese history, the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, usually abbreviated to the Cultural Revolution, is in full swing. However, if you do not know much about the context of the time I can imagine many readers feeling removed from it.
What is the Cultural Revolution? I'll explain in my own gathered understanding because as the narrative again flooded into my ears via the audiobook I realised a very modern analogue.
Most people know Chairman Mao as a dictator, near de facto emperor over China. His early story is subject to a lot of contention but struggled successfully to become the leading Communist when the Red Army prevailed over the Nationalist Party (KMT) in 1949. After a brief honeymoon period, his poor economic understanding resulted in the ironically named Great Leap Forward, which starved millions to death. It and other setbacks relegated him to a figurehead with the actual controls of the country in the hands of other capable officials. Things picked back up almost immediately with more liberal policies. Whether it was the resentment of other people leading well or that they were liberal methods, he and his enablers in the government triggered massive demonstrations of support for him. His people in the media turned the tables on the more liberal leaders and the masses rose against them and any others who had supported them. Everyone with any connection to liberalness was a target and people meted out their own justice on university professors, artists, the former landlords and former officials. The whole system of the country effectively fell into anarchy. Similar to the killing fields of the Khmer Rouge, the youth were the biggest tools. They organised in groups called Red Guards. They were given weapons to carry out the revolution; but in a twist they also turned against each other to show the fervor of their passion for Mao.
The book begins in this twisted situation of militarised students fighting a battle, and then a "struggle session" with a professor. (Where they essentially torment an academic until they admit they are bourgeois and confess to all their sins.) It would seem to be another world that the leader of a country launches a revolution against itself to purge enemies and regain power, but Donald Trump ten days ago managed to trigger something similar to Mao. There are moments like this that you just have to laugh.
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