Wild Swans

Three Pagodas

As we explore the three pagodas and their successive Buddhist temples on the hillside overlooking Erthai Lake in Dali, I ask Mei, “Have you read the book, ‘Wild Swans’ by Jung Chang?” “No, I haven’t. Other tourists have told me about the book, so I’ve looked for it at the library and the bookstore, but haven’t been able to find it”. Later in town, I notice a bookstore. “Maybe they have the ‘Wild Swans’?” “Yes, maybe, that bookstore is mostly for tourists.” Mei asks the clerk. She takes us to the second floor where they keep a fairly large selection of English language books and goes straight to the book and pulls it from the shelf. As Mei translates, I ask the clerk, “Do many people buy this book?” “Yes, it’s our best selling book.” “Who buys it?” “Tourists.” “How about Chinese?” “No. Never.” “Is it available in Chinese?” “No, only English.” “Do you want to buy it, Mei?” “No, it costs too much. Now that I know that it’s available, I know where to get it.” “Ask the clerk if they have the ‘Rape of Nanking’ by Iris Chang?” Mei translates, “No, they don’t, not in English or Chinese.” As we leave the bookstore, Mei comments, “I’ve heard about this book. I want to read it. The Japanese did terrible things and still don’t admit to it. The Japanese children are taught lies about what happened. I participate in an online chat forum where we talk about the Japanese problem and everybody hates them. But we’re no longer afraid of them. They say Diaoyu islands belong to them. They belong to us. Everyone on the forum thinks we’re going to war with Japan. Nobody thinks the United States will help the Japanese. They are our worst enemies. We shouldn’t do business with them at all.