The Life of a Chinese Scholar in 1989: The Crazed by Ha Jin

Book Review
The Crazed by Ha Jin
Published in 2002 by Pantheon Books

It is a small personal achievement to find an author with great talent--the kind where you want to pick up his or her next book right after reading the first one. Ha Jin is that type of author.

When the well-liked Professor Yang, a scholar at a provincial university in China suffers a stroke, it comes as a surprise to his students. One of them, Jian Wan, who is engaged to his daughter, makes daily visits to the hospital to console him. But the professor seems to be out of his mind, spouting philosophical and revolutionary songs, tirades against the Communist government, and personal love stories. Is there any sense to his seemingly random talk or has the professor truly gone mad?

In The Crazed, Ha Jin gives us a great picture of China around the time of the Tiananmen Square massacre. It is not a positive one. Even though economic and political conditions have drastically improved since the Cultural Revolution (which he frequently mentions in the book), there is still much poverty and it seems that in many instances one can only advance by being a member of the Communist Party and knowing the right people. Qualification at universities often comes secondary, and besides their hard work and accomplishments, both students and faculty do not seem very happy. In the words of The Crazed' Professor Yang, they're all clerks in a pickle vat (the narrator is Jian Wan).

"'Professor Yang, I'm here to see how you're doing. Do you feel better?'
'No, I'm getting worse,' Mr. Yang snorted without moving his head. His right hand was fingering the elastic waist of his new pajamas.
'Profesor Yang, may I report to you on the editorial plan for the next issue of the journal?'
'What journal?'
'The one you've been editing.'
'That's a pamphlet.'
'Okay, whatever you call it. So far we have picked eight papers for the next issue. Two of them are on the regulated verse, one on Ming fiction, one on ancient folk songs, two on--'
'Why are you talking to me about this propaganda stuff? I'm not a clerk anymore.'
Yuman Tan looked confused, then turned to me searchingly. I forced a smile while my forefinger was cranking my temple.
'Well,' he answered Mr. Yang, 'because you're the editor in chief, I'm just your assistant, and you have the final say.'
'I quit long ago so that I can take a trip.'
'A trip? Where to?' Yuman Tan closed the briefcase and put it on his lap.
'To Canada.'
'Why Canada? Isn't it very cold there?' He sucked his breath as if feeling a sensitive tooth.
'No. Every room is heated in Vancouver, warm inside.'
'Doesn't it snow a lot in winter?'
'Snow can clean the air and purify your spirit.'
'I don't get it, Professor Yang. Don't you get laryngitis when it's cold?'
'This country is a pickle vat and I don't want to be marinated in this filth anymore. Like the lotus flower, I came out of the mud but will not be soiled by it.'
That made me panic, because Yuman Tan might report Mr. Yang's twaddle to the leaders. He said unctuously, 'You can't desert us like this, Professor Yang. We need your guidance and leadership. Without you we'd be totally lost.'
'You should leave this place too. In such a pickle vat even a stone can be marinated and lose its original color and begin to stink. You should find a peaceful place that has clean water and fresh air, good for the health of your soul.'
Yuman Tan frowned, but immediately his face softened. He turned to me and said under his breath, 'Maybe I shouldn't bother him with this trifle for the time being.'
I replied, 'Yes. He can't think clearly now.'
'Don't badmouth me!' Mr. Yang snapped.
'All right,' said Yuman Tan, 'Professor Yang, you're very tired today. We'll talk about the editorial stuff another time. Take good care of yourself.' He stood up, stepped forward, and patted the back of Mr. Yang's hand. Then he turned to me and said, 'I'd better get going.'
Mr. Yang said crossly, apropos of nothing, 'I shall forgive none of you. You all hate me, but I don't care. I shall leave this mousetrap soon, for good.'
Shocked, Yuman Tan furrowed his forehead, but he didn't say a word. I followed him out of the room. In the corridor I begged him, 'Please don't take Mr. Yang at his word. He's beside himself today. You know he loves his country.'
'No doubt about it. Don't worry.' He put on a smile that showed some smugness.