Jia Xiang II: Jia Zhangke’s Film Notes, 2008–2016

This book collects Jia Zhangke’s articles, speeches, and conversations from 2008 to 2016. Written alongside his films, these pieces chronicle his life and reflections both on and off screen, his concern for and contemplation of sweeping historical and social change, and the broader, deeper foundations of his life. They also reveal the origins and destination of his films. In his movies, Jia Zhangke records individuals whose lives are disrupted by politics in an age of momentous change, along with the details of lives forgotten by time. He gazes at people cast to the margins by power and economic interests in times of upheaval, and tells of ordinary people’s joys and sorrows amid surreal economic transformations. Setting down his camera and picking up his pen, with smoke curling around him, Jia Zhangke bids farewell to his youth, yet finds himself overcome by sorrow time and again. His thoughts drift back to the streets of Fenyang and the hutongs of Beijing. He remembers the boys of the county town and the aimless days of youth, pays tribute to the mentors who introduced him to literature, and reflects on his friendships and regrets with predecessors such as Hou Hsiao-hsien and Edward Yang. He also speaks plainly about his purpose in using film to salvage the details of history, resist forgetting, and reflect on the past.