Trevor Hay Books

Black Ice tells the story of Mo Bing, from her underground work in Shanghai as a Communist Party cadre during the Civic War, through denunciation in the Cultural Revolution to rehabilitation and retirement in the 1990s.This fictionalised account of the life of a Communist revolutionary explores the themes of contending loyalties, unrealised relationships, and bitter political ironies experienced during the turbulent years of Mao's China.This work is not a translation. Nor is it a memoir or biography. This is a novel conceived and written in English, rediscovering for English literature authentic Chinese cultural and linguistic forms, reminiscent of the works of Lin Yutang and Pearl S. Buck.

Reclusive antiquarian bookseller Alan Redgrave meets Fei Yun, a beautiful and beguiling Chinese artist, at a gallery in the summer of 2018. She takes him to the ancient oasis town of Dunhuang, gateway to the Southern Silk Road. Her deep involvement with Taoist philosophy and ritual, including talismans, and her fascination with an eighteenth-century portrait lead him to wonder if there is something haunting her — or him.

Focusing on the dramatic texts produced during the Cultural Revolution, this book explores the intricate ties between ideology, mass education, and art. It examines how these polished works of revolutionary modern drama and ballet serve as storytelling mediums rooted in world mythology and traditional Chinese art. The author analyzes the aesthetic principles and narrative structures that shaped these performances, highlighting their role in conveying a Maoist revolutionary narrative during a tumultuous period in Chinese history. This study appeals to scholars of China, world literature, and drama.