Massage

Wang Daifu is blind and works as a practitioner of tuina, a traditional form of pressure-point massage, in the burgeoning metropolis of Shenzhen. His is a uniquely coveted skill, yet it is one of the few options open to the visually impaired in China. When he loses his life savings on the stock market he returns to his provincial hometown, fiancée in tow, to work for an old classmate. But the transition is not easy as Wang struggles to deal with his own career frustration, his brother’s gambling troubles, and the pressures of pleasing his wife-to-be.

His fellow workers have their own stories: Duhong is a former pianist whose striking beauty goes undetected by her blind colleagues; strong-headed Jin Yan travels cross-country in pursuit of a man she has never met; and Xiao Kong hides her relationship with Wang Daifu from her parents. Together these fiercely independent people are united by the challenges of their shared disability. Amid growing uncertainty, the members of this diverse community draw support from one another as they navigate their world of darkness.

This stunning portrayal of disability and the strength of human character is a rare glimpse into a small yet very real component of Chinese society, from one of China’s most acclaimed contemporary authors.