Records of Today

The History Of Chinese Author Wang lili

By Author WangLili

In 197--:

Born in rural Henan Province, educated in literature by Henan Local Drama;

In 1994:

In April;

Left Home for Shenzhen, The first job: a migrant worker in a Taiwanese owned umbrella factory in Bao An District in Shenzhen at around 100 Yuan salary per month (work more than 12 hours per day and one day or no day off per month). After that, Work as a migrant worker in various types of production lines to earn few hundred Yuan per month hard working.

In 1998:

End of the year, Author WangLili quits her job to write, and starts to write about herself as a migrant worker which is entitled My Tears Wont Fall—Memoir Of A Chinese Migrant Worker. It was then followed with a novel about spinsters, sex traders which is entitled You Are Far Away ;

In 2000:

In April;

A feature story about Author WangLili entitled Wanglili: Investing 20,000 Yuan In Her Writing Career is published in People Daily;

In 2001:

In March;

Chinese Literature critic BaiYe recommended Author WangLili’s novel —-You Are Far Way to Huang Shan Arts And Literature Publishing House for publication while Bai Ye gave Wang the contacts of ZhouBaiYi–President of ChangJiang Literature and Arts Publishing House and suggested her to take her first story entitled My Tears Wont Fall—Memoir Of A Chinese Migrant Worker to Zhou with the following recommendation —-BaiYe has read My Tears Wont Fall—Memoir Of A Chinese Migrant Worker already and he thinks it is good!;

In Aug;

My Tears Wont Fall—Memoir Of A Chinese Migrant Worker is published by ChangJiang Literature and Arts Publishing House after unsuccessful publication attempts by many other publishing houses. After its publication, the memoir attracts many important Chinese literature critics including: HeXiLai, BaiYe, and YuKeXun… Professor YuKeXun organizes his PhD candidates to review My Tears Wont Fall—Memoir Of A Chinese Migrant Worker in Wuhan University;

In 2002:

In Jan;

The novel—You are Far Away is published by HuaShan Arts and Literature Publishing House;

Left Shenzhen for Shanghai, HK Orient Daily announces her move to Shanghai. An Uproar ensues with Shenzhen local media. And two famous Shenzhen companies gives author WangLili job offers to stay in Shenzhen;

Begin to write the second novel about Mother Merry ’ sexual harassment life in Human Being world—-entitled Mother Merry Single Life, Then the third novel about lost souls— entitled Sunshine on the Body;

In March;

Gives presentation entitled From Working In The Production Line To Writing In The Rented Room at ShangHai PE University in Chinese;

In Aug;

The review on You Are Far Away by the literature critic–Professor GeHongBing from Shanghai University, is published in YangChengEveningNews;

The 25mins dialogue program with Author WangLili, named City’s Cinderella Story is broadcasted by ShangHai TV Channel Young;

The 30mins dialogue program with Author WangLili entitled WangLili’s story is broadcasted by ShangHai TV Education Channel and other TV station in China;

In Oct;

South China Morning Post publishes feature story about Author Wanglili, written by William Kazer, the following is quoted:

FOR A STUDY in determination, look no further than Wang Lili. The one-time migrant worker has escaped the factory floor and realised her dream of becoming an author. She has two books to her credit and more on the way.

“I wanted to be a writer and do something worthwhile,” she said recently in Shanghai, which she now calls home. Wang’s personal journey from the assembly line to the world of publishing is an unusual one. She spent her childhood in the farming village of Shenqiu in Henan province, eventually attending a technical school where she studied accounting.

The village was poor by Chinese standards. When Wang was a youngster, there was no electricity or running water. Her father taught mathematics at the local middle school but all her classmates were the children of farmers. In 1994, aged about 20, Wang left the limited prospects of the hinterland and headed for the bright lights of Shenzhen. “I had to leave my village to be free,” she said.

Wang, like hundreds of thousands of other young women from the mainland’s countryside, came in search of a better job, a better lifestyle or maybe just a change from the routine of life on the farm.

Since the city was declared the country’s first special economic zone in 1980, the number of factories has multiplied. The population has swelled to 4.3 million officially, with at least another million living there without documents.

Wang started out at a Taiwan-owned umbrella factory where a friend was also employed. But she soon discovered it was demanding work – and she lasted only seven days.

“I wasn’t treated like a human being,” she said. “You had to sit on a tiny bench and work in a very cramped position. You couldn’t look up – if you did they would yell at you.”

She fled without collecting her pay and was lucky to get back her identity card, which had been held as security by the factory management.

Over the course of seven years, Wang worked in numerous Shenzhen factories, making everything from toys to clothes and electronics.

At one plant, she had been ill and the factory management decided to let her go. She was unceremoniously taken from her bed in the factory dormitory. “They carried me in my nightgown down from the fifth floor,” she said. “If you lose your job, you have no place to stay.”

But while she was tasting the bitterness of a factory worker’s lot, she noticed others were able to put their experiences on paper. “I saw others describing their conditions and I thought I could do that too,” she said.

She eventually decided to leave factory work, taking her savings to buy a computer. The subject she came to know best was life at the bottom of the social heap. The people she became acquainted with included prostitutes, petty thieves and drug addicts. And with some of them, she developed a deep bond of friendship. She now speaks fondly of one of her roommates who worked in the sex trade.

“At first, I was really unhappy that one of my roommates was a prostitute,” she said. “I complained to the landlady and had a big row with the roommate . But soon the ice in my heart melted.” Her more worldly roommate eventually became something of a protector. “She was a bit like a mother hen with her chicks,” she said.

And how does she view her experience in the factories? “You really have to be psychologically ready for that. There are so many pitfalls.” Asked if she would advise others to take the same path, she said pointedly: “If I had a daughter, I wouldn’t let her do it.”

Despite Wang’s admonishments, the lack of development in China’s hinterland means more young women are likely to follow in her footsteps.

In Nov;

Gives presentation entitled Life, Creation, Writing— The Double Life As Both Migrant And Writer in Fudan University in Chinese;

In 2004:

Works as a migrant worker in shanghai;

In 2005:

In Feb;

Encountered Professor Jia ZhiFang of Fudan University, Later, Jia ZhiFang and his student–another young Fudan Professor Wang HongTu joined the academic group of Famous Scholars, Notable editors, marketing professionals organized by Shanghai People’s Publishing House met to decide if Author Wanglili’s novel entitled Sunshine On The Body can be published by Shanghai People Publishing House. Jia and Wang voted to support two important agreements for publication;

In Nov;

The 40 mins documentary named Stylish Girl WangLili is broadcasted in Shanghai TV Channel Documentary;

Publishes a feature story entitled Fish Named Wang Lili In The Sea Named Shanghai—-A Henan Country Girl’S Comfortable Life In Shanghai in YangChengEveningNews.

In Dec;

Publishes feature story entitled Fudan Babies—a portrait of celebrity professors Jia ZhiFang, Hu ShouJun,and Shen DingLi, in YangChengEveningNews;

In 2006:

In Jan;

Encountered Ms.Michelle Garnaut from M On The Bund Group. Madame Michelle Garnaut invites Author WangLili to speak at the Third Shanghai International Literature Festival hosted by her Glamour Bar. She also sponsors Author Wang Lili’s third book—-Sunshine on the Body press conference.

Sunshine On The Body is published by Shanghai Peoples Publishing House. Press conference is held in Glamour Bar in the Bund which is attended by media home and abroad such as Washington Post, AFP, Xinhua News, SMG, Liberation Daily Group Media, Wen Xin Group Media, web media such as http://sina.com.cn/ …and Professors such as Jia ZhiFang and Wang HongTu, together with the General Editor—Mr. Li WeiGuo to ShangHai People Publishing House.

In March;

Gives presentation entitled From Country To City—The Story Of A Migrant Worker at 2006 ShangHai International Literature Festival in English. In the brochure of the Shanghai International Literary Festival 2006, Author WangLili’s novels were introduced as providing a rare insight into the lives and minds of the millions of silent migrant workers that are building China’s cities;

Author WangLili ’s Talk show on http://qq.com Books Channel for one hour entitled “I Love Everybody” is broadcasted;

Interviewed by CBC TV and CBC Radio, then the CBC TV and CBC Radio separately broadcast the interview;

In May-Aug;

Author WangLili holds 11 reading events of her third book entitled Sunshine On The Body in Xin Tian Di. Author WangLili’s reading Show in Xin Tian Di ranked the Third in the list of the five most interesting events happening in July in Shanghai by City Weekend;

In June;

A story about Author WangLili entitled From Ashes To Lust—Wang Lili’s Cinderella Story is published in That’s ShangHai, Written by Mina Choi. In the story, the following is quoted—–

In the plush interior of the Glamour Bar, a self-proclaimed “simple country girl” from Henan, poured her heart out to the crowd at the Shanghai International Literary Festival. Speaking in mix of broken English and Chinese, Wang Lili read powerful passages from her book  My Tears Won’t Fall, detailing her life as a migrant worker in Shenzhen and the abuses she encountered. Though not revelatory, these scenes were chastening to the wine-sipping audience, who paid the equivalent of 2-days’ wages (for a migrant worker) for a seat at the talk.

The tannins in the wine were certainly enhanced by her bitter tales of woe. Wang spoke of a sleazy factory manager, who said she was lucky to be a virgin, or chuzi, because the boss preferred ‘innocent’ girls rather than deflowered dagongmei, or “migrant worker sisters”. In another instance, she related how her boss (laoban) held her identification card hostage, refusing to pay her back wages, which for many in the audience, Wang excepted, was a laughably small sum.

In Wang’s world, sexual harassment is everywhere and exploitation is rife. None of this is news, at least not for those who read the newspaper. Why is Wang so impressive? Her strength, and that of her first semi-autobiographical novel, lies in the small, visceral details, in the authenticity of her words, words that could only come from someone who has experienced real hardship …”

“As I counted, my heart would beat very quickly, afraid that the money would be eaten by rats, or that it  might be stolen someday … Counting money, worrying that it would be stolen and calculating how long it would take to accumulate a thousand dollars to remit home, was my homework everyday.”

That packet of money, tucked away under a pillow, was Wang’s only hope at the end of each grim and dehumanizing day, a day in the company of inhumane bosses, and thieving and abusive co-workers.

Of course, Wang triumphed in the end. She ran away from the factory; won assistance from the police, and eventually became a writer with a hip audience at M on the Bund.

As Wang herself points out, “I am not a successful migrant. I am something of a successful writer.” But her success, as well as her relentless self-promotion and self-confidence, has resulted in misunderstanding, and of course, envy.

there is still a huge gulf between the well-heeled urban residents of Shanghai and hard working migrants. Indeed, the latter, if given the choice, would likely pass on Wang’s books in favor of a Hollywood movie or fantasy novel.

In July;

China Daily publishes Author WangLili’s story entitled Search For Love In A Fictional World, written by Xu Jitao,in the story, the following is quoted:

Her first two years in Shenzhen were not easy, working in an umbrella factory and then a clothes factory.

In both of these small factories, she had to work shifts of over 14 hours. She slept in factory dormitories, where more than 20 people shared a room.

Yet the poor living and working conditions were not the worst things Wang had to deal with. Most of the workers were young girls, closely watched over by foremen and vulnerable to sexual harassment. The girls were predominantly from the Chinese hinterland, having left their families to make a living. Most had never been in a big city before. They made easy prey.

Unlike most of the girls, however, Wang knew how to fight for her rights.

“I experienced all the sufferings of the girl workers,”she said. “I knew the tough jobs threatened our health and lives. We had sacrificed our dignity to earn meagre wages for our families. I wanted to record all these sufferings to arouse people to help.”

“I often think that I was born to write -to write different novels and record all I know about this world,” she said.

Her career decision made quite a stir in Shenzhen, where the idea of a migrant worker taking such a path was shockingly unusual.

Remembering the sight of a co-worker suffering the same fate, she said: “At that moment, I felt I was that poor, shivering girl. My heart was filled with anger.”

After eight months at the company, Wang met with the greatest insult in her life. The company told her she was fired and asked her to leave the dormitory where she was living. Wang was ill at the time and couldn’t even stand, so employees of the company went to the dormitory and threw her out in her pajamas, locking her in a small house.

Wang’s mother, who was in the dormitory at the time, was pushed over and fell down the staircase, collapsing into a coma. Wang was able to call the police and get her mother taken to hospital.

“I have always talked about insulted dignity, death and desperation in my novels and in my life, but in fact I warm myself with thoughts of the good side of humanity,” she said.

When in Shenzhen, Wang had a deep understanding of people living at the margins of society -many of her neighbors were prostitutes and drug-addicts.

Wang gradually became a celebrity in shanghai. At many parties, whether at M on the Bund or in Xintiandi, people can see her surrounded by fans —-a reward for her dedicated work.

In Aug;

Three pages story about Author WangLili named Bring Literature To The Streets is published on Publisher;

Gives presentation entitled Sunshine On The Body at 2006 ShangHai Book Fair in Chinese;

In Sep;

Gives presentation entitled The Most Luxurious Love at Di San Ji Book Store in BeiJing in Chinese;

A review on My Tears Wont Fall—Memoir Of A Chinese Migrant Worker is published on Danwei.org by American translator (from Chinese into English) Bruce Hume —-Migrant Worker Blues: Who Cares? In the review, the following is quoted:

But along the way she experiences life on a production line a la Shenzhen: Her employer confiscates her identity card, making a job switch almost impossible; She announces her intent to resign but is ordered to return to her workstation, pronto; Her last month of pay is docked when she leaves anyway; And a senior male manager, initially a sympathetic character who commands her respect, makes a pass at her.

“Some factories in S City are simply prisons. They’re hell,” says one factory director. Indeed, so it would seem.

It bears reminding that this is a novel, not a worker’s diary. So where does reality end and fiction begin? Author Wang Lili isn’t fond of this topic, perhaps because journalists in Shanghai where she is now comfortably ensconced like to classify her as a dagong mei writer. She resents this stereotype, because she sees herself first and foremost as a novelist who experienced factory life first-hand, put it down passionately in black and white, and then moved on to publish several other imaginative works unrelated to the struggles of the lumpen proletariat.

Her description of the systematic exploitation of factory workers—though nasty and engaging—strikes me as politely understated. The recent severe shortage of migrant workers applying for work in Shenzhen’s factories testifies to how hard life there can be.

Armed with a fierce dedication to justice and fighting for respect in a Special Economic Zone world dominated by unfeeling managers, themselves manipulated by greedy and lawless Hong Kong and Taiwanese capitalists. “All you know how to do is to sit there, surveying us,” she scolds her production line manager. “You curse us out as if we weren’t human beings. Think about it: You are workers too, you are human beings. We are human beings too. Why don’t you treat us workers as human beings?”

Encountered German book distribution company export manager — Mr. Harald Gläser, Mr. Harald Gläser introduces My Tears Wont Fall—Memoir Of A Chinese Migrant Worker to German publishers while He sponsors some funds for Author WangLili’s writing career.

In Nov;

Encountered the American distinguished professor Emory Elliott of Californian University, later receives a visiting scholar fellowship from Mr. Emory Elliott at California University to study with him.

Gives presentation entitled Conflict, Symbiosis And Development—What Is Happening In China And My Personnel Writing in Fudan University in Chinese.

Gives presentation entitled Conflict, Symbiosis And Development—What Is Happening In China And My Personnel Writing in Shanghai University of Economic and Finance in Chinese;

In 2007:

In January;

Encountered music fellow Mr. Steven J Lindsay in Shanghai. Mr. Steven J Lindsay keeps persuading Author WangLili to spend some time in Melbourne to benefit her writing career. In a shrewd bargain, Author WangLili becomes a guest at the home of Mr. Lindsay in the city of Melbourne for one month in return for a copy of Sunshine On The Body.

In March;

Published My Condemnation To Chinese Rich in Blog while holds a press conference to announce release of the condemnation;

In April;

Lives in Melbourne for one month. Interviews the Chinese Lord Mayor of Melbourne, then publishes the feature story entitled The world’s Best Mayor to introduce Melbourne Multi-culture society to Chinese audience in YangChengEveningNews, then the article is republished by hundreds of other Chinese media outlets;

In July;

Publishes the feature story entitled WangLili Lives In A Slum In Fudan Campus, in YangChengEveningNews;

In Sep;

Gives presentation entitled The Dirty Secrets of Rising China and Peaceful Australia in Melbourne University in English.

Gives presentation entitled Why I Write About Migrants, Spinsters, Sex Traders And Mistress in Monash University in English;

Gives presentation entitled Peaceful Melbourne, Dirty Melbourne in St. Kilda Library in Melbourne in English;

Writes complaint letter to Australian Government entitled “Does Anyone Care bout The Sexual Harassment Of A Chinese Woman, Visiting From Overseas, At The Hands Of A Local White Man In Melbourne?”

In Oct;

Publishes feature story entitled Sexual Harassment Experience In Melbourne, in YangChengEveningNews;

In 2008:

In June:

Gives presentation entitled My Experience And My Writing in Shanghai Normal University in English.

In July:

Wang Youngyang(researcher from Melbourne University) Publishes her book entitled Read Chinese Literature Or China? in Guizhou University Press, in one chapter titled Chinese Modernization And New Emerged Migrate Writers?, she reviews Author Wang lili’s My Tears Wont Fall—Memoir Of A Chinese Migrant Worker and You Are Far Away, In her review, the following is quoted:

Wang Lili herself was a female migrant worker before she started to become a writer in 2001. As a writer, she has unique experiences and credibility to speak on behalf of the marginalized social groups that emerged after the Chinese economic reforms.

She writes about, and uses the idiom of, those on the fringes of contemporary Chinese society, such as prostitutes, migrant peasants, female migrant workers (dagong mei) and male migrant workers (dagong zai) and the modern ‘concubines’ (er nai) of the wealthy. Wang Lili is herself a member of the marginalized, and is in fact even marginalized as a writer, except outside China, where her status as a ‘fringe-dweller’ is a positive.

Wang, in contrast to traditional attitudes of contempt for prostitutes and concubines, sympathizes with the victims of China’s industrialization such as young country boys and girls who eke out a miserable living in exile and isolation in the cities. Wang is particularly sympathetic to the girls who are frequently forced into prostitution or a life of oppression as mistresses to wealthy men:

They want to take the short cut. Personally, I don’t criticize them. I used to discriminate against them very much. I thought that they were dirty. You know…, from my father’s influence. Since I quit my job and started to write my first novel. I gradually ran out of money. I had to rent a cheap place where I had the chance to live with prostitutes. God very kindly opened a window for me. I started to learn to be sympathetic and have mercy on those mistresses and prostitutes. Most of them come from the poor countryside. Life has not given them much choice. Being a mistress is better than being a prostitute because you earn more without having to please different clients, but you have to be beautiful and lucky enough to have a chance to meet those rich Hong Kong and Taiwan businessmen. Life is so hard for them. I understand them. People like you wouldn’t understand this. (Personal conversation with Wang Lili, University of Melbourne, 16th May 2007).

The voice of the new oppressed social class has also emerged in various TV series and movies such as The Stick Army from Sichuan (Sichuan bangbang jun) and Countryside Girl (Xiangxia mei). However, as a member of this social group herself, Wang Lili’s social identity, as a writer is not highly recognized in the PRC. She is known as a migrant writer, which seems to her a rather derogatory title and her works are in no way included among the ‘outstanding exponents’ of Chinese literature. However, her novels provide a different image of China, a China that is not to be found among the ‘golden ages’ and hagiographic narratives.

Gives presentation entitled Why I Write About Migrants, Sex Workers, Spinsters, Lost Souls in English in xintiandi shanghai in 24 July;

Gives presentation entitled Can Boat Sink The Water— What Makes A Good Expat Employer In A Chinese Employee’S Perspective in English in xintiandi Shanghai in 31 July;

In Nov;

Starts to write about expats in series for local Chinese media; Later the following cover stories or feature stories are published in YangChengEveningNews from GuangZhou and Labor Daily from Shanghai:

1) Mr. Bob Moore from Australia —President to Grand China to Bluescope steel Company: Learning Art Of War From A Chinese Writer;

2) Ms.Crystyl Mo from USA— City Weekend food columnist: American Food Columnist Married A Shanghai Chief Happily;

3) Mr. Bengt Johansson from Sweden —Swedish Consul General Shanghai: To be Swedish Consul General Shanghai at the Second time;

4) Mr. John Web from UK—-GM to JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai : From Washing Dishes To GM In Five Star Hotel;

5) Mr. Peter Chester from Australia: From Self Employed In Australia To Be Working As A Professional Husband To A Big Boss In Shanghai;

6) Mr. Joseph Constanty from USA  — co-founder to Nextstep Entrepreneur Party: Turning Entrepreneur Party Into A Business;

7) Mr.Stephen Farquer from Australia— GM To China To Qantas Company: Dance Like A Chinese In China;

8)Ms. Mishi Sara from India—author : What Does An Indian Female Writer Do In China;

9) Mr. Reja Bakh from USA—Principal To Gensler Company: To Enjoy Is The Best;

10) Mr. Craig Kielburger from Canada—Founder of Free The Children:  To Be Nominated To Peace Nobel Winner At The Third Times At The Twenties;

11) Mr.Pierre Monie from France— Co-Founder of Enoteca Wine Bar: From Zero To Millionaire In Shanghai.

12)Ms. Amy  L. Sommers  — National Partner  to Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P.: The Best Solution Is To Love Chinese Culture First;

13) Quarrel, And Apologize —Two Brothers From The Family of National Partner To Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P. ,

14)Happiness And Loneliness —-two sisters from family of Hungarian Consul General SH ,

15)If “We” Are Mum Before Know What Is Poor— three sis and bro from family of GE executive SH ;

16)Ms.Freya Aitken-Turfffrom from London British: “Chinese Always Ask How Much Money I Earn”—To Work As Only One Expat In Chinese Family Owned Hotel;

17)Mr. Omeiza Omoluabi from Nigeria: To Be A “Darkness” Man In SH China;

18)Mr.Göran Johansson from Sweden: From Bottom Worker To World Best Mayor;

19)Ms. Anneli Hulthén from Sweden: It Is Like A Massage To Be A Female Mayor;

In 2009:

In April;

Rewrite My Tears Wont Fall— Memoir Of A Chinese Migrant Worker;

In Oct;

Attend Frankfurt Book Fair, becomes the first of four Journalists to ask questions in Frankfurt Book Fair Opening Press Conference;

In Nov;

Write to Frankfurt Mayor complain letter entitled Another Face of Frankfurt.: Tricky and Local Protectionism?

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