Rewind the Red Wheel

For Russian intelligentsia, the modern state of China and that of Russia are inextricably linked. Even under immense political pressure, the writing that came out of Soviet-era Russia is notable for its boldness. Jin Yan explores their historical situation through the lens of then-emerging concepts like agoraphobia and claustrophobia as the perennial Russian condition. These concepts, according to Jin, are a recurring theme in their work and through comparison with contemporary China can become the key to unlocking Russia's history.