This is a marvellous book of great originality. The dark side of China some time after the Cultural Revolution (banishment to the countryside, denunciations, oppression of minority groups) is accepted as being completely normal by the characters in these three novellas and the light hearted way in which such social distortions are discussed pokes fun at the worst abuses of the regime. "Wang in Love and Bondage" reminded me of satirical books like "The Good Soldier Schweik" and "The Tin Drum".