| China's urbanization has led to new urban identities and urban fiction. Amidst these trends, Chairwoman of the Chinese Writers' Association Tie Ning has developed a body of fiction that paints a rich portrait of Beijing and the women who live there. However, little English-language scholarship on her works exists; this study is a first step towards filling that gap. It focuses on How Long Is Forever and "Night of the Spring Breeze," in which the city of Beijing becomes a character in itself. These stories span from the 1970s to today and include female characters in various socioeconomic positions, acting as a microcosm of Beijing society. In these works, the geography, architecture, aesthetic, and culture of Beijing contribute to the development of female characters' identities. Through analyzing these interactions, this paper seeks to understand Tie Ning's Beijing and how it has changed over the past forty years. |
