Dongguan, Dongguan: The Blossoming '90s

Name: Dongguan, Dongguan: The Blossoming '90s
Author: Old Jiu's Records of History

东莞，东莞，90繁花年代

by Old Jiu's Records of History (老九史记)

Status: Completed
Length: 501k Words
Genre: Urban
Subgenre: Urban Everyday
Updated: 1y ago
English: Request a translation

Read on Fanqie

Synopsis

This story is based on real life. One day, Er Gou said mysteriously to Li Minghui, “Ah Hui, did you know? I heard a new Taizi Bathhouse opened nearby. They say it offers a service imported from Thailand.” The story follows a protagonist who turns his fortunes around in the electronics business of the Pearl River Delta. In 1990s Dongguan, KTVs, nightclubs, and bathhouses offered a different kind of splendor. There were also pure-hearted romances between migrant workers over beef brisket rice noodles costing just 1.5 yuan, and, more than anything, stories of ordinary workers making it big.

A young man from the countryside, with no connections and no education, works his way up to become a successful technical entrepreneur. The story vividly explores love for family and brotherhood on the road to success. Wages may have been low in those days, but everyone could look forward to the future. There was no workplace anxiety about turning thirty-five, no financial anxiety about getting married and raising children. Opportunities were everywhere. Anyone who dared to dream and was willing to work could make money and succeed, even without connections, as long as they had the grit.

With hard work, someone like A Ling, a girl from Ningxiang in Hunan, could be the “factory flower” on the assembly line by day, teach herself accounting at night, save her money, and buy a bankrupt electronics factory. Or someone like A Guang, a young man from Guangxi, could escape the cudgels of the neighborhood patrol and earn his first fortune by reselling secondhand pagers.

Dongguan offered the best opportunities for starting a business, but also the worst neighborhood patrols and temporary-residence permits. There were pure-hearted migrant girls, and there was the glittering world of nightclubs and bathhouses.

Stats

224Chapters

883Reads · 30 days

118.1kReads · all time

102Shelf adds, last 14 days

8.2Score

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Reader comments 30

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It's very realistic. In the 1980s and 90s, it was very difficult for people from rural areas to go out to work. Moreover, society was very chaotic at that time, and there were many thieves. The author's writing is good in all aspects. I hope he continues to work hard and becomes a literary master.
11 likes1y ago
It's well-written, with the story unfolding gradually. It depicts the historical background of the time and how the local security officers were like bandits, aiming to rob people. Later, they committed a serious and important murder case, which led to the authorities cracking down on the problem and gradually easing the situation.
8 likes1y ago
The most ingenious aspect of this book is its use of a narrative style similar to Forrest Gump, which connects all the major events that occurred between 1990 and the beginning of the new millennium to the protagonist. Combined with the author's or the protagonist's personal experiences, the book tells the story of Dongguan's transformation over the past decade and the protagonist's triumphant…
7 likes1y ago
This is a technically sound and authentic account of a young man with no connections who succeeded in starting a business in the 1990s. I remember the first time I went to Beijing for school in 1996, I was almost robbed at the Guangzhou train station. The security guards saw me but pretended not to see it.
7 likes1y ago
Although life was tough in the 1990s, everyone had hope for the future. In that era, success was possible even without connections, as long as you worked hard. There was no anxiety about turning 35. I envied the pure love of that time; two people could be happy even eating a one-yuan rice noodle roll. For most men, youth is like this: the life of an emperor surrounded by beautiful women in his harem can only be a fleeting dream.
6 likes1y ago
The plot is so tightly woven, you won't be able to stop watching once you've finished it! A five-star recommendation! The characters are so well-developed; each one feels real, creating a truly immersive experience! The writing is delicate and vivid, making the reader feel as if they are there, and the aftertaste is really powerful!
5 likes1y ago
A very realistic book, the rating is too low, but it's worth reading.
5 likes1y ago
It perfectly reflects a microcosm of an era.
5 likes1y ago
It's well-written, but I feel it should delve a bit deeper into the details. Those familiar with the subject will understand immediately, but for those unfamiliar, insufficient detail will hinder immersion. There's actually so much to write about that era.
5 likes1y ago
Very good! I can really relate to this, having worked in Dongguan before.
4 likes1y ago