While modern Chinese fiction does not necessarily constitute a reliable portrait of Chinese life, it can reveal fascinating insights into Chinese writers and their audiences. This book examines poetry, drama, film, and the visual arts, revealing their political and social context. Surveying the major trends in fiction at the end of the century, the book shows how some writers reinvented themselves as hooligans or pop stars while others reaffirmed their old alliance with the remnants of the cultural establishment.