The Wedding Party

In this sprawling, award-winning novel, celebrated Chinese writer Liu Xinwu cordially invites you to an epic, riotous, and moving neighborhood feast. On a December morning in 1982, the courtyard of a Beijing siheyuan—a lively quadrangle of homes—begins to stir. Auntie Xue’s son Jiyue is getting married today, and she is determined to make the day a triumph. Despite Jiyue’s woeful ignorance in matters of the heart—and the body. Despite a chef in training tasked with the onerous responsibility of preparing the banquet. With a cross-generational multitude of guests, from anxious family members to a fretful bridal party—not to mention exasperating friends, interfering neighbors, and wedding crashers—what will the day ahead bring? Set at a pivotal point after the turmoil of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, Liu Xinwu’s tale weaves together a rich tapestry of characters, intertwined lives, and stories within stories. The Wedding Party is a touching, hilarious portrait of life in this singular city, all packed into a Beijing courtyard on a single day that manages to be both perfectly normal and utterly extraordinary at the same time.

About the Author :
Liu Xinwu was born on June 4, 1942, in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, and has lived in Beijing since 1950. His short story “The Class Teacher” appeared in People’s Literature magazine in November 1977 and is regarded as the first instance of China’s “scar literature” genre. Liu’s other stories include “I Love Every Green Leaf,” “Black Walls,” “White Teeth,” and “The Wish.” His novellas include Overpass and Little Dunzi. He is also the author of the novel The Wedding Party, winner of the Mao Dun Literature Prize. He has also written many essays and has been an architectural critic. His research into the classical Chinese novels The Golden Lotus and Dream of the Red Chamber has been very influential. From 1987 to 1989, he was the editor in chief of People’s Literature.

Review :
A New York Times Globetrotting Pick! “This novel introduces readers to the boisterous milieu of a siheyuan, one of Beijing’s traditional multifamily courtyard residences, via the story of the Xue family’s wedding banquet…A lovingly rendered portrait of a city and its inhabitants, the novel is also an act of preservation.” —The New Yorker “The novel’s heart lies with quiet, passionately competent chef Xichun, whose cooking never falters and who never loses sight of his and others’ humanity. A deep immersion in everyday life in Beijing after the Cultural Revolution.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Liu’s impressive U.S. debut centers on a day in December 1982 and the residents of a historical residence in Beijing…Visitors and wedding crashers stop by throughout the day, and the author does a fantastic job of unfurling each character’s inner life, as well as the backstories and motivations of other residents…This glimpse of the recent past is a treat.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Prominent Chinese writer Liu jumps between these quirky and hilarious individuals, at the same time depicting the lingering impacts of the Chinese Cultural Revolution and exploring the fusion of human history and destiny in a world of uncertainty.” —Booklist “Expertly translated by Singaporean writer and editor, Jeremy Tiang, The Wedding Party asserts itself as a deeply personal introspection into the state of human relationships and what it means to be Chinese in an era of rapid modernization.” —Asia Media International “There is something in the combination of social comment, the melding of sympathy and the satire, the gentle humor, the focus on and acceptance of human foibles that reminds one of Russian writers, perhaps Gogol. But any good writer needs a good translator and Liu Xinwu has been fortunate (as have we) to have one in Jeremy Tiang…The translated work has a distinctive and very appealing voice: observant, kind, wry, knowing, forgiving, optimistic—and yet rollicking and fun-loving. This translation was worth the wait.” —Asian Review of Books “The Wedding Party by Liu Xinwu opens a window into a time and place in modern Chinese history that is infinitely fascinating, and it does so with humanity and community at its core…The Wedding Party is a novel that succeeds at painting a picture of ordinary life—giving us a colorful cast of characters, all with detailed stories, motivations, and relationships. Liu writes, and Tiang translates, with humor and love and kindness, and it’s these elements that shine through the many satisfying narrative threads of The Wedding Party.” —Book Browse