Category Archives: Existential Lit

Ep 90 – The Dream of the Red Chamber with Annie Qu

Let us call down from heaven’s lofty vapours a sad and beautiful tale, a story of a stone. Let us discuss its continuing relevance to all the frivolous imaginings we spend our brief lives upon.

Ep 89 – Zhang Yueran and Cocoon with Jeremy Tiang

We are enfolding ourselves within Cocoon, the dreamlike and sometimes upsetting dual-bildungsroman and return to realism by post-85 author Zhang Yueran. All time is one time, you poor thing; so join us, that we may unriddle the past together.

Ep 88 – Dorothy Tse and Quarantine with Natascha Bruce

Are you me? Am I you? Do I wish I were you? Do you wish you were me, talking to Natascha Bruce, the razor-sharp translator of Dorothy Tse, about time, desire, and bottomless holes – is that your magic wish?

Ep 84 – Han Song and Hospital with Michael Berry and Mingwei Song

We are lost deep inside some unknown level of Hospital, the first entry in an abyssal trilogy by show favourite Han Song. Armed with mere insight (and no discharge in sight) we have no option but to swallow down every shiny little black pill, one-by-one, until the end comes.

Ep 80 – Chiou Charng-Ting and Raining Zebra Finches with May Huang

In our discussion we’ll be testing the limits of our earthly knowledge and dreaming of other philosophies. When nature stops hiding and springs the inexplicable upon us, where else is there to turn?

Ep 79 – Mu Ming and Express to Beijing West Railway Station

We’re riding the Express to Beijing West Railway Station (开往西站的特别列车 / kāiwǎng xī zhàn de tèbié lièchē), and I’ll be buying my ticket from none other than the author herself, Mu Ming.