“The basic tone of the novel is oppressive, with vivid descriptions of the patients’ mentality facing the threat of death,” Bi claimed. For that reason, the novel has been dubbed the first “psychotherapy novel” in China.
Bi calmly interprets the theme of “life” and “death” and the great humanistic care in a calm and unhurried tones, and spans the single sociological perspective and rises to the level to question closely the value of life and to think about the meaning of life by her evermore mature works. She expresses her literary gist to reveal, criticize and redevelop the shortcomings of human nature. She explores the functional relationships between doctors and patients, and that of disease and therapy, which are the most basic ones in the complicated medical system. She clothes medical science with a literary coat and moulds characters’ natures with the “coldness” of medical science and the “heat” of literature. She makes the gloomy medical topics and abstruse and obscure medical terms relaxing, humorous and easy to understand.
About China’s Contemporary Literature
Bi thinks real literature is not very highly appreciated these days; this is simply a reality. Considering China’s present state, with development moving at high speed, people are bound to pay more attention to practical things. Part of it, fromBi’s point of view, is because of readers’ tastes, and the practical considerations of their lives, but another part is that modern Chinese literature — literature that can really shake people and that grasps the essence of society — cannot leave a truly deep impression. But once a person’s basic needs are satisfied, and once their lives are stable, Bi believes that the appreciation for art will return.
Save the Breast
Bi Shumin’s latest book, Save the Breast , focuses on the psychological trauma of breast cancer patients. It is the first novel written and published in China to take psychological therapy as its theme. Inspired by the mental failure of Beijingers she encountered during the SARS outbreak, the author’s intention was to “give a true portrayal of humanity’s instinctive love of life and dread of death.”
“In the recess of everyone’s heart exists an instinctive love of life and dread of death,” the author said. In the book, Bi Shumin felt compelled to address the trauma faced by countless women suffering from breast cancer: that of a real threat removed. “The mental state of such women merits acknowledgement and empathy from the whole community.”
Save the Breast is a serious work with a somewhat deviant title. The book’s title is considered to be flirting with readers and luring people to buy it by suggesting sexual overtones. However, Bi denies the charge. “It is not an all-sided view to judge a book merely by its title,” explained Bi. According to Bi, the title was picked by the publisher, People’s Literature Publishing House, after careful and cautious consideration. Publishing house director Liu Yushan argued that by using thetitle, the house was not catering to prurient interstes of some readers. Save the Breast does not intend to use sex as its selling point. Save the Breast deals with the stories of a group of breast cancer patients.
“As an established writer, it is unnecessary for Bi to do so,” Liu said. “Those who have not read the novel might bear ‘certain thoughts’,” he conceded. “But after reading it, they will agree that this is the most suitable title.”
The book’s first printing ran 120,000 copies, a very large number since the ordinary first print amount for novels sits between 5,000 to 50,000 copies. Bi originally entitled the novel Cancer Patients Group (Aizheng Xiaozu ), but it was given up after publishing insiders warned that the word cancer might scare away readers.
（Source: chinaculture.org）
