Will the Boat Sink the Water?

This book about the life of China's peasants is remarkable. Although the Middle Kingdom pundits have seized upon it to justify their own political views, often at polar opposites, it's richness lies in its style rather than its statements. Written by Chen Guidi and Wu Chuntao, a husband and wife investigative journalist team, it fulfills and then transcends the reportage with a delightful, yet low-key, literary manner. Further, the book's translator, Zhu Hong, has retained the nuances of the original Chinese language edition.

And the subject? In a word, the plight of impoverished peasants who are often ruled in feudal manner by corrupt, self-serving, tyrannical and brutal officials, far from the bright lights of Shanghai and other burgeoning cities.

The title is drawn from a typical Chinese aphorism attributed to Emperor Taizong (Tang Dynasty 600-649). Writers Chen and Wu’s publishing experience illustrates the erratic loosening up of information control as China experiments with its entry onto the world stage. Publishing initiatives in China, as with other media, are subject to approval by officials at various levels. The official edition sold over 250,000 copies prior to being banned. Following its withdrawal from shops, pirated copies were made and are estimated to have reached up to twelve million units.

This is not samizdat, handwritten or typed, and furtively passed around to trusted recipients! Which in itself speaks volumes (no pun intended) about the changing censorship situation in China!

But the real joy contained in these pages is to be found in the authors’ empathy with and understanding of the victims, and their commitment to shine the light on these horrors. The fact too, that despite official harassment, they continue to pursue their mission. Implicit in their experience is that the State is not monolithic. But diverse, and in many cases officials are very sympathetic. It is the system itself which is flawed. And the very fact that Will the Boat Sink the Water? was legally published indicates a positive trend.

Will the Boat Sink the Water? [ Zhongguo Nongmin Diaocha]

Written by Chen Guidi and Wu Chuntao

Published in English by Public Affairs, New York [2006]

ISBN-13: 978-1-58648-358-6