The Funeral of the Living and the Wedding of the Dead

<p>In this book I attempt to use a straightforward story to illustrate how people in China handle matters and their logic of survival: a high school student casually takes a few photos of a leaking school building and posts them online mocking the principal and venting his dissatisfaction with the school. However this action triggers a brutal retaliation. The principal displeased with the student's disrespect leads a group of teachers and the principal's brother to the student's home throwing him down the building and causing his death. During this incident the principal's mistress and other teachers discover valuable paintings and possessions in the student's home seizing the opportunity to steal them. In the end the police to prevent a public scandal and cover up the corruption involved in the school's construction process falsely declare the student's death a suicide hunt down those spreading unfavorable comments about the school and silence the deceased student's parents until the dust settles and everyone lives happily ever after.</p><p><br></p><p>I have divided this book into four parts: The Ripple The Ivory Pendant in the Painting Breaking Free and A Red Balloon. The first part primarily describes the subconscious of the student lying on the operating table on the verge of death. The second part is the principal's recollection. The third part details the transformation of the art teacher both in personality and behavior. The fourth part is the self-narration of the investigating officer. The titles of these four chapters are closely tied to the meanings I wish to convey: The Ripple is akin to human life-seen from an individual's perspective everyone has a grand journey full of turbulence but from a broader view it resembles a trivial ripple even when it involves matters of life and death. The Ivory Pendant in the Painting is a metaphor for the principal's behavior-people kill an elephant only for its tusks and the massive ivory eventually becomes nothing more than meaningless pendants; when these pendants are mere decorative elements in a painting their significance diminishes further. Breaking Free is an analogy for the art teacher's transformation-she begins as a restrained young teacher and through a series of events ultimately emerges in her final perfect form. The police officer in the last part is like a balloon-humble and fragile but once adorned in red he becomes an idol seemingly invincible. However he remains a balloon needing to proceed cautiously to ensure his own survival.</p>