The Reconfiguration of Homosexuality in Beijing Comrades

Beijing Comrades (1998) by Beitong is among mainland China’s earliest, best known, and most influential contemporary gay novels. It narrates the intricate romance between two men, Chen Handong and Lan Yu, whose love for one another is constantly challenged by various biases against homosexuality in postsocialist China. In this paper, I argue that Beijing Comrades reconfigures homosexuality through the self-seeking narrative of Handong, who transforms from an elite cadre’s son, a successful businessman, and an adventurous conqueror into a man who loves another man. This paper demonstrates that Beijing Comrades challenges the institutionalized, biased knowledge of homosexuality in postsocialist China.

This paper addresses the following questions through a detailed textual analysis of Beijing Comrades, based on the novel’s English version translated by Scott E. Myers. What are the deep-seated biases against homosexuality in Beijing Comrades? How does the story challenge these biases? Realizing his love for Lan Yu, how does Handong’s view on homosexuality change? What kinds of struggles does he experience in his self-seeking process? Furthermore, what is the core message behind Handong’s self-seeking narrative?