I loved this novella about gentle Wang Wei, an old eunuch, retired from service and living out the rest of his years in the Imperial palace of the SonI loved this novella about gentle Wang Wei, an old eunuch, retired from service and living out the rest of his years in the Imperial palace of the Song dynasty in 1120 Dongjang, where he has his own cubbyhole, a few books, and some simple “treasures.” Told in first person Wang Wei tells us that he was sold into service and castrated at age 6, along with his younger brother who did not survive the procedure. After a lifetime of quiet service, keeping his thoughts, not to himself, but from even himself, he dared not think about things that were not his to think about or that would make him unhappy, he is now thinking, “thinking about thinking is a pastime,” he tells us. He thinks, he reminisces, and he ponders as he walks or sits and watches birds.
Wang Wei shares his memories of life at court, all that he’s seen and heard, the people he has met and that have had an impact on his life. He gives free reign to his thoughts and questions about love, friendship, relationships between men and women, what it is to be a man or woman, about power, loneliness, solitude, aging and death. He worries about his best friend. He plays cards and drinks wine with his fellow eunuchs. He is happy and content, but he knows eunuchs who are not and he knows why they are bitter and angry.
This is a lovely little book, deeper than it appears at first, and I will be thinking about dear Wang Wei for some time.
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