‘Cocoon’ by Zhang Yueran, translated by Jeremy Tiang, is a story that explores the complexities of memory and history and how the Cultural Revolution continues to haunt Chinese culture today. One of its central themes is the concept of memory and how it shapes and twists our perception of the past and of who we are now. Zhang Yueran succeeds in telling a tale that is both personal recall and shared cultural history masterfully, showing how history is remembered, misremembered, and even altered by those who experience it. The novel ‘Cocoon’ is one of the stories featuring memory as a key theme, used as a central plot and as a source of conflict among other things. The plot starts with Cheng Gong and Li Jiaqi who are friends from childhood but they live quite different lives but there are some ties that they are linked by a common past and a few family secrets. Thus, the two siblings begin a journey of remembering together which brings back a long-forgotten truth. This process of remembering is particularly poignant or laden with pain as they remember how their family’s pasts have dealt with them in the present.

            Zhang Yueran has structured her story in a dual narrative when Cheng Gong and Li Jiaqi take turns narrating their side of the story. This strategy focuses not only on their differing recall but also on the inherently subjective nature of recollection. It is therefore easy to see how all these different characters can be seeing the same events differently due to their personal experiences and emotions hence portraying that memory is often subjective and malleable. What the audience learns from Zhang is that memory is a living process rather than a fixed and prewritten script. The question of memory plays an important role in the novel and is closely connected to its historical setting. The Cultural Revolution also marked a period of pain for China and hence; the individuals’ family histories are told against this background. Cheng Gong and Li Jiaqi are both from families that were materially and emotionally affected by this era. The Cultural Revolution led to generations of physical and psychological scars. Zhang narratives this inter-generational suffering with great sensitivity; and the book explains how struggles and tragedies from one generation affect the next.

            Memory in ‘Cocoon’ is depicted as a process that is both private and collective. Cheng Gong and Li Jiaqi’s encounters are juxtaposed against the greater historical exploration of China’s past. Zhang Yueran can easily explain how personal memories shape collective identity and how the latter shapes individual identity. This interaction is illustrated by the manner by which various government narratives and social perceptions of the Cultural Revolution impact the individual recollections by the protagonists. Cheng Gong’s grandfather and Li Jiaqi’s grandmother are contrasting perspectives during this chaotic period with the former being a former Red Guard and the latter being the victim of the previous persecution. Children in their grandchildren reflect a miniature of Chinese society in the Cultural Revolution. The characters in Zhang Yueran are a forceful commentary on the issues of memory and history. Indeed, the story portrays that comprehending history is not an easy mission; it demands the process of uncovering the layers of stories some of which provoke traumatic or uncomfortable feelings. 

            Jeremy Tiang does a wonderful job translating Zhang Yueran’s prose to reflect this intricate interplay. Tiang’s translation of Zhang’s work still retains certain poetic elements while being easy to read for English-speaking readers. The language is specific and imagery as the novel navigates the fragile balance between remembering and forgetting. Readers can deeply engage in the lives of the characters due to Tiang’s translation that reflects the sentiments of Zhang’s original story while still conveying its cultural context. One of the great strengths of the novel is its description of the emotional weight of memory. Yueran’s depiction of the characters’ struggle with their memories is very delicate throughout the story as he illustrates how difficult it is for people to recall traumatic events and be at peace with them. Cheng Gong and Li Jiaqi are struggling with their grandparents’ legacies, and their efforts to reconstruct their own family history are extremely mournful and thought-provoking. Zhang demonstrates the true ugliness of the Cultural Revolution without being afraid to show it, but she also reveals the potential of overcoming the greatest adversity that a person can face.

            Details of the surrounding environments in ‘Cocoon’ are described vividly thus enhancing another level of exploring the theme of memory. The physical locations such as the physical conditions of the family houses and the development of the city serves a part of the psychological states of the characters. These are the spaces that become vessels or memory containers that carry the echoes of past events and the ghosts of those who were involved in them. Zhang Yueran employed these settings to create the feeling of a past longing and that of absence and hence reinforce the recurring theme of memories and the past in the novel. Zhang Yueran is one of the most respected writers in China who presents some unique insights into the books’ ideas about memory and history. Zhang was born in 1982 and belongs to a generation that had never lived under the reign of the Cultural Revolution but was raised in the shadows of the Massacre. The manner in which this historical era still influences the current Chinese society is also elucidated by her writing. Zhang’s knowledge of literature and philosophy gives a subtle and subtle touch to these subjects; she is able to create a plot that is both intellectually powerful and evocative and emotionally moving at the same time.

            Jeremy Tiang is a well-experienced translator and author who has demonstrated consistency in bringing Chinese literature to the world. His depiction of ‘Cocoon’ is evidence of his ability to navigate cultural nuance through language. Tiang’s translation ensures that all the details in Zhang Yueran’s book are conveyed exactly as they are correctly without losing their intended meaning or effect on the readers. This novel by Zhang Yueran offers an in-depth discussion of memories and histories and how they shape the contours of identity and vice versa. The idea presented in the novel states that memory is at once a blessing and a curse as it helps in keeping the past alive while also being a source of pain. Zhang explicitly tells the story of Cheng Gong and Li Jiaqi in order to understand the ways in which we are connected with the past and suggest the way towards forgiveness and understanding.

The title of the novel, ‘Cocoon’ reflects the nature of the journey the female protagonist goes through gathering memories and recovering. The process of remembering thus becomes a cocoon that encompasses a cocoon within which a caterpillar or an insect can transform into a butterfly. It helps the person to challenge his or her past experiences, heal people’s emotional pain and move beyond it with a renewed sense of self. One might say that Zhang Yueran’s novel represents this process clearly and powerfully as a reflection on the role of memory and individual coping. Overall, I find ‘Cocoon’ one of the most intellectually stimulating films I have watched and a very interesting tale of memory and history. A rounded portrayal of Zhang Yueran’s characters wrestling with their past coupled with Jeremy Tiang’s ability to make you feel it creates a memorable reading experience. The film not only explains the reasons why the Cultural Revolution has played such a significant role in contemporary Chinese life but also portrays the person’s struggle with the remembrance and identification. ‘Cocoon’ illustrates the power of story and the way that it can help us to illuminate even the darkest corners of human history and improve our understanding and outlook on this part of our history.

By Shashimali De Silva