Synopsis

A Taiwanese businessman is forced to serve as a pimp for a group of seven Japanese men in his home village of Chiao-hsi. The formerly well-respected Ah-Le and his wife bear the weight of shame that his impotence has brought upon them. A young man drives his sister and her friends along the treacherous Taipei-Yilan high-way, as they hunger for the ghost stories surrounding Muddy-Water River…

Taking us deep into Taiwan’s rural villages beyond the bustling cities of Kaohsiung and Taipei, Huang Chun-ming introduces us to a cast of characters, at once eccentric and familiar. With his trademark blend of cynicism and warmth, Huang’s stories combine national consciousness with humor and heart, offering a candid look into Taiwan’s rural lives. From portraits of ordinary people, to modern-day folk tales, to heartfelt contemplations on the Taiwanese identity, this collection showcases the astute compassion of one of Taiwan’s most celebrated literary minds.

Contents: Sayonara/Zaijian (1973), Bright Red Shrimps—An Anecdote about Limp Dick Le-zai (1974), Mr. Presently (1986), Blind Ah-mu (1986), Swatting Flies (1986), The Ghost-eater Is Here (1998), A Story of Nine Fingers (1998), The Last Phoenix (1999), Listen to Me, All You Deities (2002), Variations on a Canary’s Lament (2002), A Platform with No Timetable (2005), Dragon-eye Well (2005)