As random acts of violence grip the country, netizens connect the events to an underclass venting rage on itself with antecedents in literary tradition.

By Alexander Boyd | China Digital Times

Summary

A recent surge of “revenge against society” attacks in China has left dozens dead and many more injured, prompting widespread speculation about the motives behind these violent rampages, known as “Xianzhong.”*

As the country grapples with the fallout, the underlying reasons for these attacks remain unclear. The Chinese government has tightened censorship, effectively erasing serious discussions about the origins of the violence from online platforms. In search of answers, some individuals are turning to China’s literary heritage.

On Weibo, users have begun sharing excerpts from Lu Xun’s 1933 essay about Zhang Xianzhong, a peasant rebel who brutally carved a path through Sichuan during the transition from the Ming to Qing dynasties. Lu Xun noted that Zhang’s actions, while seemingly motivated by a thirst for violence, were driven by desperation: “In a way reminiscent of ‘art for art’s sake,’ he seemed to ‘kill for killing’s sake,’ though in fact he had ulterior motives… He felt keenly that there was nothing left for him on this earth except to destroy what remained for others.”

Others have drawn parallels to classical literature, suggesting that the recent attacks may echo themes from iconic Chinese works such as “The Injustice to Dou E” and “Journey to the West.” A Weibo post, now deleted by censors, explored this connection, commenting on how the mass slaughter of innocents may reflect deep-seated grievances in the underclass.

The Weibo poster noted the character Dou E, who was wrongfully executed and made three vows in her final moments, symbolized a desire for vengeance that ultimately affected innocent bystanders. Similarly, in “Journey to the West,” the Jade Emperor punishes an entire realm with drought over a personal dispute, reflecting the arbitrary nature of power and its consequences for the broader population.

The Weibo post concluded with a stark commentary on societal indifference: “Society… has never been given its proper place or care. As for those who make up this society? Those in power don’t care, and the same goes for the amnesiac masses.”

As the nation seeks to understand these violent outbursts, the literary reflections on injustice and power dynamics continue to resonate amid the turmoil.

Read the original version of this article at the publisher’s website here.

* Zhang Xianzhong (张献忠, Zhāng Xiànzhōng), a Ming-era peasant rebel notorious for his mythical bloodlust.