Triple Door (novel)
Triple Door (simplified Chinese: 三重门; traditional Chinese: 三重門; pinyin: Sānchóng mén) is the first novel by Chinese writer Han Han.[1] The novel sold more than two million copies, making it one of "China’s best-selling novels of the past two decades" according to Evan Osnos in 2011.[2]
 | |
| Author | Han Han |
|---|---|
| Country | PRC |
| Language | Chinese |
| Genre | Satire, Postmodern |
Publication date | 2000 |
| ISBN | 978-7-5063-2802-9 |
| Followed by | Like a Speeding Youth |
Content
Lin Yuxiang attends the third year of middle school in a city near Shanghai, and a literary circle linked to the school. The preparation of the teacher Ma Debao, an old acquaintance of Yuxiang's father, is decidedly inadequate, and his didactically inconclusive lessons cause the abandonment of several members.
To try to revive the attention, Ma Debao organizes a trip to the ancient city of Zhouzhuang; students are divided into groups, Lin Yuxiang joins his friend Luo Tiancheng and class representative Shen Xi'er. While visiting the tourist area of the city, crossed by canals and bridges, Shen Xi'er recognizes her friend, the beautiful Susan who has a foreign name because she lived in Canada. The girl immediately unleashes the competitiveness between the two males, although until now both have declared themselves disinterested in females.
In the following days Luo Tiancheng wrote a love letter to Susan, who attends their own school, but is refused. Lin Yuxiang, also in love with the beautiful girl, lives his passion with greater discretion. But Debao insists that the pupils participate in a literary competition organized by a Beijing institution, Lin Yuxiang pampers ancient authors to put together a decent composition. Meanwhile the end-of-year exams are approaching, his parents demand a high grade that allows him to access a prestigious school. They send it repeatedly, but lessons are held by old or poor teachers. Here he meets the same age Liang Zijun, more interested in being successful with the girls who are studying.
Surprisingly, his composition wins the first national award and is published in a literary magazine. The correspondence comes from many readers from all over China. During a school trip to Nanjing, he manages to sit on the bus next to Susan. With her, however, she has no hopes: she is emboldened by literary notoriety, writes to her in old Chinese letters of love, to which she replies with diplomacy, wishing him success in her studies to access one of the prestigious universities in Shanghai.
Before the final exam, Yuxiang receives a tip from Liang Zijun on the title of the theme but does not give him credit, so during the rehearsal shines in all subjects except Chinese language. The result allows him access to one of the best high schools in the district, but a friend of his mother manages to get him admitted to the prestigious High School n. 3 South of Shanghai for "sporting merits", subject to payment of a bribe from Lin. Yuxiang would prefer to stay at the district school to stay near Susan, but the parents are adamant.
The protagonist arrives in the new school where the instructors immediately realize that his sporting merits are non-existent. When the school year begins, Yuxiang is excited by the prospect of living in a dormitory, away from the family, but his enthusiasm soon disappears. Students admitted for sporting merit are considered with haughtiness from those who have obtained a high score on the exam. A classmate, Quiang Rong, admitted to payment, boasts the knowledge of his father among the famous writers, then Yuxiang reveals to girls that they have published a text in a national magazine.
Joined the literary club, Yuxiang discovers that there is a great rivalry among members interested in non-fiction, those interested in prose and poets. He offers to layout the literary magazine of the school, even if he has no experience, and in this way he puts on show, so that when the outgoing director resigns he also advises members to replace him with Lin Yuxiang, who is above of the parties. Fingering reluctance, Yuxiang agrees, and can boast with Qian Rong of becoming president. This however does not make much impact on his rival. Both are hit virtually simultaneously by a misfortune of love: Quiang Rong leaves with her girlfriend Yao Shuqin, who attends their own school, and Yuxiang receives a letter from Luo Tiancheng, who tells him that Susan comes out with a partner of school, a genius of the sciences. Desperate, after getting confirmation by letter from Shen Xi'er, Yuxiang spends a night out of the dorm, falling asleep after wandering aimlessly. His performance at school is affected, he has five negative subjects, and he continues to not study imagining he can recover.
Actually Susan sent him false news for him to put his heart in peace and study, from the moment he wants to attend a prestigious university with him; but when he finds out that he is wasting his chance he tells him that he never wants to hear his voice again. In addition, the school management discovers that Yuxiang has spent a night out without authorization: his father is warned and a disciplinary sanction is triggered.
Desperate, Yuxiang not only understands that he has lost his Susan and the trust of his parents, but also that he has wasted the chance that had been given to him.
References
- Evan Osnos (July 4, 2011). "The Han Dynasty - How far can a youth-culture idol tweak China's establishment?". The New Yorker. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
- Osnos, Evan (2011-06-27). "The Han Dynasty". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2021-01-10.