The Sound of Salt Forming

“It was 4pm when I emerged from the plant and looked at the bright, white salt flats spreading all around to the ends of the earth. I wanted to cry…”

Written by Wang Weilian and translated by Steven Day, this short story has been selected from the book The Sound of Salt Forming – Short Stories by the Post-'80s Generation in China, published by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press in 2016.

The author Wang Weilian was born in Qinghai Province in 1982. He graduated from Sun Yat-sen University in 2004. His major works include the novel The Rescued and short story Upside Down Life.

“Qiu Luo had always anticipated that she would have insomnia on the final night. This, however, was not the case…”

Set in 2008, Home tells the story of a confused, middle class young couple living in Beijing. The two partners deserted each other coincidentally on the same day, without notifying each other or anyone else of their departures, embarking on their respective journeys of self-exploration. They unknowingly left their home to their maid, a young woman from Sichuan, the Chinese province that was hit by a devastating earthquake later that year. It remains to be seen how this bewildering story of suspense and coincidence unfolds…

Home has been written by Zhang Yueran, one of the most famous Chinese writers born in 1980s. Translated by Geng Song, the short story has been selected from the book The Sound of Salt Forming – Short Stories by the Post-'80s Generation in China, published by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press in 2016.

Recipient of Best Short Science Fiction award by the World Chinese Science Fiction Association in 2012 Written by Chen Qiufan and translated by Thomas Moran, this awarding-winning sci-fi short story has been selected from the book The Sound of Salt Forming – Short Stories by the Post-'80s Generation in China, published by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press in 2016. Chen Qiufan was born in 1981 in China’s Guangdong Province. He is currently working in the IT industry. He mainly writes science fiction.

“The doorbell rang at 2:56. She was certainly a punctual guest. A white-skinned girl stood at the doorway…”

Written by Shu Qiao, who was born in 1980 in Shanghai, this short story has been selected from the book The Sound of Salt Forming – Short Stories by the Post-'80s Generation in China, published by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press in 2016.

Shu Qiao, a graduate of Fudan University, has published a number of novels and essays. Her short story “Deadly Delicious” has also been adapted as a film.

“When my father was the last man left in the entire world, she married him…”

Written by Fei Dao and translated by David N.C. Hull, this sci-fi short story has been selected from the book The Sound of Salt Forming – Short Stories by the Post-'80s Generation in China, published by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press in 2016.

Story of a young couple struggling to settle down in Beijing after graduation

Interwoven with simple, crisp, humorous, robust, and youthful expressions, the story draws an authentic picture of the life of a young Chinese couple in a big city. It is a journey full of financial struggle, love, tears, conflict, growth, and passion.

Roughcast Couple has been written by 1982-born Ma Xiaotao, who is a member of the Chinese Writers’ Association. Translated by Lilian Guth, this story has been selected from the book The Sound of Salt Forming – Short Stories by the Post-'80s Generation in China, published by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press in 2016.

Invisible Planets features a range of unique planets with their distinctive residents.

One of the planets in the story has exceptionally beautiful landscapes and happy people habitual of telling lies.

Meanwhile, another planet inhabits people who appear open to all sorts of new ideas but never really accept any. At the same time, another planet is ruled by two species that depend on each other but never get to know about each other’s existence. This story is full of insight, imagination, and metaphors of human society.

Born in 1984, Hao Jinfang, has degrees in both physics and economics from Tsinghua University. She works as a macroeconomics researcher at China Development Research Foundation. In 2016, she won the Hugo Award for Best Novelette for her science fiction Folding Beijing.