Crystal Boys

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Crystal Boys (孽子, pinyin: Nièzǐ, "sons of sin") is a novel written by Pai Hsien-yung and first published in 1983 in Taiwan. In 1988, this novel went into circulation in Mainland China; its French and English translations were published in 1985 and 1989.

Nièzǐ means literally "sinful sons" or "sons of sin", but it may also be an allusion to a passage in Mencius in which "friendless officials and concubine's sons" (孤臣孽子) reach positions of power because they have learned to live with a dangerous status.

A movie called Outcasts was based on this novel in 1986. In 2003, the material was adapted by Taiwan Public Television Service Foundation into a miniseries, which has gained great attention.

[edit] Plot summary

The story takes place in Taipei in the 1960s (or, in the most recent film adaptation, in 1973), and follows a short period in the life of a young man called Li-Qing (李青, nicknamed A-Qing).

When A-Qing is expelled from his school because of "scandalous relations" with classmate Zhao Ying (趙英), his father kicks him out of the family home. A-Qing begins to hang out at a park called New Park, a gay cruising area and hangout for gay men, where he meets the novel's other primary characters.

The story focuses on A-Qing's struggle between himself, his family, and a society where homosexuality is taboo.

[edit] The TV series

The TV series Crystal Boys stars:

  • Fan Chi-wei (范植偉 as A-Qing)
  • Tony Yang (楊佑寧 as Zhao Ying)
  • Joseph Chang (張孝全 as Wu Min 吳敏)
  • Wu Huai Zhong (吴怀中 as Lao Shu 老鼠）

See also: List of television shows with gay characters, Queer culture, Homosexuality in China

[edit] External links

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