The book "I don't want to be Chinese again" 来生不做中国人

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Based on a research on www.163.com in September 2006, titled "If there is next life, would you want to be a Chinese again?"  and in just 12 days, 65.1% of 11271 voters said no to being Chinese again.  The poll was terminated and the web page was deleted 26 days before the end date of the poll two editors of the website were sacked on the same day.

This incidence inspired the writer of this book, Joe Chung (a journalist, born & bred in HK, currently resides in Norway), to write this book named "I don't want to be born a Chinese again" 来生不做中国人

This book is banned in China because it is too "aggressive".  I couldn't find it in Malaysia so I asked Adrian to buy it when he went to HK. 


I got to know this book based on a critic by Ni Kuang (the famous Chinese/HK novelist and screenwriter) published in one of his books.  This is a book that reveals the truth about China... from a Chinese point of view.  Being a Malaysian Chinese, I guess I'm luckier... However, with China growing by the minute, it is very difficult to avoid being affected by the irresponsible actions of her people.  And the impact is ginormous, but some may not notice... Also, it kinda explains why I feel different from most of my HK/Macau friends.  I didn't know what it was but now I have a better picture.  It's sad and the truth is very cruel, the writer has been very blunt.

I have written to the writer to express my appreciation.  He replied and this is what he said (I have translated them into English, not very well translated though):


我寫這些文章，是因為我們必須誠實的面對人生。能發聲的，

必須為弱者呼喊。至于這會得罪多少人，是毫不重要的。

中國文化本身已是百孔千瘡，「虛假」二字，是其精髓所在。人誰無過，最壞的還不是百孔千瘡，而是不肯面對百孔千瘡這個事實。

希望你能向親友推介此書，讓更多人了解中國。

"I have written these articles because we have to be true to ourselves.  If we can speak, we must speak for the weak and helpless.  It does not matter how many people may have been offended during the process, it is simply not important.

The Chinese culture itself is already very badly damaged, FAKE is the word to describe it.  Everybody makes mistakes, the worst is not that it is badly damaged, the worst is not willing to admit to the fact that it has been badly damaged.

I hope you can introduce this book to your friends in order to let more people know China."

(please do not hesitate to comment/let me know if there's a better way of translating what he has written)

I am still searching for an English version of this particular book, I know some of my friends who cannot read Chinese might be interested.

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