Travels in China
The Eden Mills Writers’ Festival, in partnership with the University of Guelph College of Arts and College of Biological Science, hosted writer and documentarian Alexandre Trudeau on Sept. 17, 2016 to celebrate the release of his debut book, Barbarian Lost: Travels in New China.
The afternoon started with a welcome speech by University President Franco Vaccarino, followed by a moderated discussion with Trudeau and acclaimed author of Do Not Say We Have Nothing, Madeleine Thien. The focus of the discussion was on the themes of connecting with communities and personal identity in modern-day China.
“…Discovering China was discovering part of ourselves…”
After Trudeau was introduced, he read a chapter from Barbarian Lost, published on Sept. 13, 2016, to give everyone a taste of the book and to get the audience into the proper headspace for the oncoming discussion.
Both authors have an intimate relation to China. Thien’s parents were originally from China before moving to Vancouver, and Trudeau’s father, former Canadian prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, had a deep history with the country, culminating in his own book, Two Innocents in Red China.
Trudeau addressed this connection by saying, “Discovering China was discovering part of ourselves,” a point which both authors emphasized numerous times during their conversation. Thien and Trudeau sprinkled their conversation with both insight and humour, easing the audience into a discussion that felt more akin to two friends conversing, allowing for a greater connection with the crowd.
“‘My father had an energy that I find in China,’ Trudeau said…”
Trudeau is primarily a documentarian, funneling his creativity through film rather than the written word.
“The way to get to people is through when they are in their pajamas and in bed,” he explained while discussing the differences between being a filmmaker and a writer. He then went on to tell an anecdote from a section in Barbarian Lost that would not have had the same effect if captured on film. Instead of being able to chronicle an interview, as was his original intention, he had to chronicle his inability to have the event take place, which led him to the discovery that, “By writing well, failure becomes the success.”
Thien and Trudeau covered a myriad of topics during their discussion, ranging from the commodification of bodies in the Chinese labour market, to the prevalence of Confucianism in 21st century China, and how these ideas allow for visitors to construct their own experiences in the country. For Trudeau, the legacy left by his father greatly inspires both his work and his ability to relate to China.
“My father had an energy that I find in China,” Trudeau said as the discussion shifted to his own fascination with the country. Barbarian Lost chronicles Trudeau’s first solo trip to China, since travelling to the country as a young man with his brother and father, and his journey through the nation. While Barbarian Lost acted as the catalyst for the conversation, the discussion itself was not hinged on an audience member’s knowledge of the book.
“Trudeau used the archetypes of the emperor and the scholar […] to explore the difference between himself and his family.”
Thien’s experiences with China were similarly influenced by her relationship with her mother, whom she described as a very practical woman, and recounted the story of how her mother used Thien’s debut novel to fix their kitchen table.
Both writers were candid in their conversation, discussing subjects that are difficult to navigate, like China under the rule of Mao, and an unwillingness in China to discuss the past. Trudeau’s famous older brother and father were often mentioned over the course of the afternoon, but neither figure overshadowed the author’s own life and experiences.
Trudeau used the archetypes of the emperor and the scholar, two figures that feature predominantly in classical Chinese culture, to explore the difference between himself and his family.
“’I pity my brother—he has a hard job,’ Trudeau jested…”
Once the conversation between Thien and Trudeau concluded, the floor was opened to questions from the audience. The majority of audience questions centred around the ever-evolving relations between Canada and China. While answering an audience member’s concerns about the growing trade relations between Canada and China, despite large differences in human rights policies, Trudeau highlighted that he is “not a politician.” He explained that there are difficulties in passing judgement on another country’s practices while, at the same time, not condoning actions that other countries are carrying out.
“I pity my brother—he has a hard job,” Trudeau jested, before proposing that, “The soft approach, the complicated and subtle approach is the way to go,” while navigating difficult issues between cultures.
The afternoon concluded with a look towards the future for China, with both authors optimistic for the long-term future of the country, while concerned about the upcoming challenges that must be faced before stability can be reached. Following the conversation, many audience members lined up to have their copies of Barbarian Lost and Do Not Say We Have Nothing signed by the authors.
Photo by Mido Melebari.