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Lost Histories: Recovering the Lives of Japan's Colonial Peoples by Kirsten L. Ziomek (review)

Lost Histories: Recovering the Lives of Japan's Colonial Peoples by Kirsten L. Ziomek (review) Review Section 505 not a criticism of Lin’s work but something that deserves serious consider- ation for anyone interested in the question of colonial identity. Chapter 6, “The Lure of China: Zhong Lihe and Wu Zhuoliu,” traces the lives and careers of two writers who negotiate between China and Tai- wan. Zhong and Wu both saw in China a sanctuary from the malaise of co- lonial Taiwan, only to become disillusioned after spending some time on the mainland. Against the critics’ tendency to bifurcate and place these writers as belonging to either China or Taiwan, Lin sees humanism and the wish for social reform in Zhong’s fi ction and focuses on Wu’s autobiography to fi ll in the gaps in the offi cial historical narrative. Ultimately, Lin proposes a “contextual reading,” that of “‘rescuing’ literature from politics, the nation, and any fi xed single-layered identity” (p. 277). Lin is wary of how literary works have been appropriated and politicized by government offi cials and critics alike for their own agenda and interest. However, as mentioned in the beginning of this review, the issues of identity/identities in Taiwan, even to this day, are invariably political. Perhaps it is more important http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png The Journal of Japanese Studies Society for Japanese Studies

Lost Histories: Recovering the Lives of Japan's Colonial Peoples by Kirsten L. Ziomek (review)

Atkins, E. Taylor
The Journal of Japanese Studies , Volume 46 (2) – Aug 6, 2020
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Publisher
Society for Japanese Studies
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Japanese Studies.
ISSN
1549-4721

Abstract

Review Section 505 not a criticism of Lin’s work but something that deserves serious consider- ation for anyone interested in the question of colonial identity. Chapter 6, “The Lure of China: Zhong Lihe and Wu Zhuoliu,” traces the lives and careers of two writers who negotiate between China and Tai- wan. Zhong and Wu both saw in China a sanctuary from the malaise of co- lonial Taiwan, only to become disillusioned after spending some time on the mainland. Against the critics’ tendency to bifurcate and place these writers as belonging to either China or Taiwan, Lin sees humanism and the wish for social reform in Zhong’s fi ction and focuses on Wu’s autobiography to fi ll in the gaps in the offi cial historical narrative. Ultimately, Lin proposes a “contextual reading,” that of “‘rescuing’ literature from politics, the nation, and any fi xed single-layered identity” (p. 277). Lin is wary of how literary works have been appropriated and politicized by government offi cials and critics alike for their own agenda and interest. However, as mentioned in the beginning of this review, the issues of identity/identities in Taiwan, even to this day, are invariably political. Perhaps it is more important

Journal

The Journal of Japanese Studies – Society for Japanese Studies

Published: Aug 6, 2020

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