Arquivo

Lan Yu is the name of the protagonist of Beijing Gushi (The History of Peking), the first Chinese gay novel to be shown on the Internet in 1996 and that drew a considerable audience throughout the country. The author signed under the pseudonym of Comrad Beijing (Peking Comrad - the word “comrad” being local contemporary slang for “gay”). In the course of ten chapters, the author tells the love story between Chen Handong, a rich entrepreneur, and Lan Yu, a student of architecture who, in 1988, arrives in Peking penniless. Determined to remain in the city, Lan Yu accepts a proposal from Liu Zheng, whom he has just met, to spend one night with the owner of a gay club. There, however, he meets Chen Handong who takes him home. A disturbing relationship begins that places the issue of the sexuality of both in question. “It is very difficult to assume being gay in China and much more difficult to discuss gay subjects in public. I hope the public will view my film as a realistic novel about two gay Chinese with different attitudes in relation to sexuality and towards themselves”, said Director Stanley Kwan before the film was shown in Cannes this year.