Article Per Year (5 Year)
p-Index From 2021 - 2026
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This Author published in this journals
All Journal MANDARINABLE: Journal of Chinese Studies Journal of Chinese Language and Culture Studies
Elizabeth Irene Hartanto
Minnan Normal University
Arts Humanities Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Social Sciences Other

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Tragedy, Memory, and Suffering : How Indonesian Readers on Goodreads Interpret Yu Hua’s Cries in the Drizzle Elizabeth Irene Hartanto
Journal of Chinese Language and Culture Studies Vol. 5 No. 1 (2026)
Publisher : Universitas Negeri Malang

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.17977/um073v5i12026p55-65

Abstract

This study investigates how Indonesian readers interpret tragedy, memory, and suffering in Yu Hua's novel Cries in the Drizzle (Indonesian translation: Tangis di Rinai Gerimis). While Yu Hua is widely read in Indonesia, no prior research has specifically examined Indonesian readers' spontaneous reception of this novel. The study employs a qualitative reader-response approach combined with thematic analysis. Data are collected from 16 self-identified Indonesian reader reviews on the Goodreads platform, selected through purposive sampling based on self-disclosed location or identity. Reviews are analyzed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-phase thematic coding framework to identify recurring interpretive themes. Three major findings emerge. First, Indonesian readers strongly connect the novel's depiction of family dysfunction and childhood trauma to their own cultural understanding of suffering, often expressing emotional catharsis through words like "cried," "heartbroken," and "sad." Second, readers demonstrate cultural bridging, interpreting the novel's tragedy through both Chinese cultural logic (filial piety, familial duty) and Indonesian local contexts. Third, readers express mixed evaluations, appreciating Yu Hua's literary craftsmanship while critiquing the slow pacing and, in some cases, the Indonesian translation quality. This study concludes that Indonesian readers receive Cries in the Drizzle not merely as a foreign literary work but as a text that resonates with universal human experiences of family, memory, and loss. The findings contribute to the limited body of research on the reception of contemporary Chinese literature in Southeast Asia and demonstrate the value of spontaneous online reviews as data for cross-cultural reader-response studies.
“Selling Blood, Reading Pain”: Indonesian Readers' Responses to Sacrifice and Black Humor in Yu Hua's Chronicle of a Blood Merchant Elizabeth Irene Hartanto
Mandarinable: Journal of Chinese Studies Vol. 5 No. 1 (2026): In Press April
Publisher : Published by Confucius Institute UNS

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.20961/mandarinable.v5i1.3525

Abstract

This study examines Indonesian readers' responses to sacrifice and black humor in Yu Hua's Chronicle of a Blood Merchant. The novel tells the story of Xu Sanguan, a poor peasant who sells his blood repeatedly to support his family. What makes this novel distinctive is its unique narrative tone: a blend of tragedy and dark humor, using qualitative thematic analysis of 35 reader reviews from Goodreads and online book blogs, this research focuses on two aspects: how Indonesian readers respond to Xu Sanguan's sacrifices; and how they experience the novel's black humor. The findings reveal three key patterns. First, Indonesian readers strongly empathize with Xu Sanguan's sacrifices, appreciating his transformation from a selfish young man to a devoted father. Second, readers consistently recognize and appreciate the novel's black humor, describing their experience as "laughing and crying at the same time," what critics call "humor under the gallows". Third, the combination of sacrifice and dark humor makes the novel's critique of China's revolutionary era more accessible to Indonesian readers, who understand the universal themes of suffering, resilience, and family love. This study contributes to the cross-cultural reception of contemporary Chinese literature in Indonesia and offers insights into how Indonesian readers navigate themes of sacrifice, resilience, and laughter across cultural boundaries.
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