Living Beings

Jiaolei is a novel by Singaporean writer Yu Zhongliang, published in 2020 by World United Press. The work approaches Singapore's social transformation from a distinctive angle, using multi-stranded narration to show how the fates of characters from different classes intertwine. The title Jiaolei comes from the Book of Han and originally meant "the living"; the author uses it to evoke those in contemporary society who are alive yet existentially stranded. The novel avoids grand historical narrative and focuses instead on the daily struggles of ordinary people—from coffee-shop assistants to middle-class white-collar workers, from the decline of traditional trades to the rise of the new economy—each character bearing the strain of an era in transition. Yu Zhongliang's prose is cool and restrained, yet capable of deep feeling in the details; this stance of "cold eye, warm heart" keeps the work from becoming mere social critique and makes it instead a depiction of states of existence. Particularly notable is the novel's handling of Singapore's local linguistic environment: the interplay of Chinese, English, and dialect not only heightens verisimilitude but also suggests the complexity of cultural identity. A work with a strong local flavor that nonetheless carries universal resonance, Jiaolei refuses to define "Singaporeanness" neatly; through individual lives, it invites readers to consider where spiritual belonging lies in the modern city.