The Passion and Energy of Youth
October 2009
Banner photo: [Sanna Lindberg/Getty Images]
New Perspectives
Tian Yuan, born in 1985, is a Chinese novelist, singer (previously lead singer and lyricist for the group Hopscotch), and award-winning actress (Butterfly, Gao Xing) living in Beijing. She spoke to the SGI Quarterly about the inspiration for her writing and how a new generation of Chinese youth are defining themselves.
Beijing at sunset [WKA/Uniphoto Press] Our generation--born in the 1980s--is quite different from other generations. From the time we were in primary school we were under a lot of pressure to study. Our lives were very limited, between school and home. Your view, your knowledge, everything was very limited. You lived in your small, isolated world. We'd get up at 6 in the morning, go to school at 7, and go back home at 8 or 9 p.m. It's like doing a very stressful, demanding office job. You're always worried about examinations, which is like a constant fear of being fired.
That time was very dark and very important to me, so when I graduated from high school, I decided to write about it. At the time, it felt to me like being underwater. I wanted to see the world but I could not. I just saw a very vague image of the world. But when I graduated and went to Beijing, it was like coming out of the water and climbing up a hill. I could see more and more, and became more and more open and happy. I guess a lot of young people had that kind of experience. You look at yourself and ask yourself what happened during that time, and think about what to do in the future.
China's developing very quickly--maybe too fast. There may be a lot of problems now, but, on the other hand, I feel confident that China can change very quickly. The speed is astonishing.
When I was 10 or 11, I didn't even know what a computer was, but two years later it felt like we were living in the Internet. Everything in our lives was connected to the Internet and computers.
Our generation grew up in a multimedia environment, so I think we have more passion and more ways to express ourselves. There are a lot of other young people like me who write, or act, or sing or do art. There are more and more young people doing different things. You see a lot of independent labels and music, and independent brands, and there are virtual communities developing around people's interests. It's not like 10 years ago when most people liked one thing; the choice was very limited. Music, culture, writing is more and more private and personal now.
Our generation is increasingly active. Little by little, we're shaping the way society is developing.
Tian Yuan's second and most recent novel, Double Mono, was published in 2007. Her Chinese languange blog is at http://blog.sina.com.cn/m/tianyuan
