Spanning three generations, this novel of family and myth is told through a series of flashbacks that depict events of staggering horror set against a landscape of gemlike beauty, as the Chinese battle both Japanese invaders and each other in the turbulent 1930s.

A legend in China, where it won major literary awards and inspired an Oscar-nominated film, Red Sorghum is a book in which fable and history collide to produce fiction that is entirely new – and unforgettable.

In Mo Yan’s extensive literary vitae, one work easily stands out. Among his works cited by the Swedish Academy was his debut novel, Red Sorghum. It was initially published serially in various magazines in 1986 before it was collectively published as a single volume in 1987 with the title 红高粱家族 (Hóng Gāoliáng Jiāzú). The book earned Mo Yan widespread fame and was germane in catapulting him to global recognition. Red Sorghum is comprised of five novellas: Red Sorghum, Sorghum Wine, “Dog Ways, Sorghum Funeral, and Strange Death. It chronicled the story of three generations of the Shandong family from the 1920s to the 1970s. Serving as the novel’s spiritual guide across this landscape is an unnamed son of the fourth generation; he is the grandson of Commander Yu. The family’s story is set primarily in Northeast Gaomi Township which was inspired by Dalan Township, Gaomi County in Shandong, the author’s hometown.

The family’s story started in 1923 with Dai Fenglian, the narrator’s grandmother; she was familiarly referred to by the narrator as Grandma and Little Nine by her father before she got married. As tradition had it, the sixteen-year-old was arranged to be married to Shan Bianlang, the son of Shan Tingxiu, the richest man in the village. However, like most arranged marriages, Little Nine has not met her groom but she heard grim things about him, particularly that he was a leper. Aboard a sedan on the way to the Shan household for the marriage ceremony, Grandma was held up by a bandit. One of the sedan carriers, Yu Zhan’ao, managed to stake a claim on the bandit when the bandit was distracted. The convoy was able to make it through to the Shans and the union pushed through against Grandma’s fears. Post-ceremony, as tradition dictates, Grandma had to return to her village for three days.

While Little Nine was spending her final days with her family, disaster struck. In her absence, her husband and father-in-law were murdered. No one knew who the perpetrator was but it nevertheless left Little Nine a widow. Grandma was not an unhappy one as she was bequeathed a fortune, particularly her father-in-law’s successful sorghum wine–making business and distillery. Armed with an indomitable spirit, Grandma was undeterred by the death of her husband. She took charge of her destiny and capably took charge of the wine distillery. In taking charge of the business, she was assisted by one of the Shans’ loyal foremen, Uncle Arhat Liu, who would also play a germane role in the life of the Shans. One day, Yu walks in looking for work and is granted it. It was eventually revealed that Grandma was pregnant with the narrator’s father, Douguan. However, these are details that are revealed as the story moves forward.

One of the facets that distinguishes Red Sorghum is its nonchronological timeline. This nonlinear storytelling can be seen as either a challenging or interesting facet of the story. The story oscillates between different periods. When the novel starts, it is already 1939, on the battlefield where Grandfather, garbed in his battle regalia, is preparing the local army for the looming invasion of the Japanese army; on the battlefield, Grandfather is referred to as Commander Yu. China was on the brink of the Second Sino-Japanese War. Commander Yu who brought along with him his teenage son, was preparing for an ambush on a Japanese truck convoy. Commander Yu and his army preparing for the ambush is one of the two prominent plotlines in the novel; the other plotline captures the story of the narrator’s grandparents.

In a nutshell, Red Sorghum is a family saga. The unnamed narrator, with his unflinching gaze, painted the history of the Shandongs as they shifted from being sorghum winemakers to resistance soldiers during the Second Shino-Japanese War. Like most families, they have trials and tribulations, all of which are captured in the novel. Their story is also riddled with secrets and betrayals. Horrific events have also defined their story. Adding color to the novel are the members of the family who, individually, give the story interesting textures. They are complex characters who have despicable characteristics but also have redeeming qualities. They had flaws but it is their flaws that make them interesting and compelling characters. Commander Yu, for instance, is a sympathetic character. However, he can also be a cruel and violent tyrant. He has no qualms about resorting to violence to obtain what he wants. Grandma’s beauty belies a fierce and determined woman.

This strike of balance is also palpable in the other characters and their own destiny. The love shared by Grandfather and Grandma is contrasted by the turmoil of the time. Beauty is constantly contrasted by suffering; the story is brimming with violence. Bloodshed, death, and disputes between gangs and political rivals were prevalent. These were juxtaposed with the sorghum fields of the Chinese countryside; sorghum is the primary root crop of the area. It is from these fields that the Shandong family earned its fortune but it is also underneath these fields that their bodies and those who perished during the turmoil were buried. It can be surmised that the ripe redness of the sorghum field was from the blood that had watered and cultivated it. The sorghum then is a metaphor.

The destiny of the Shandong family is entangled with war, hence, the bloodshed; the story is riddled with historical contexts. Graphic details abound throughout the story but it is also these intense imageries that amplify the messages woven astutely into the novel’s lush tapestry. The looming Second Sino-Japanese War, which would eventually develop and snowball into the Pacific War, initially set the novel into motion. The Japanese invaders perpetrated atrocious acts. At the start of the novel, Uncle Arhat is flogged and then skinned alive by the Japanese. The Japanese forced the men of the village to work on a highway they started to build while the women were locked in a brothel to serve Japanese soldiers. In response to this, the villagers created groups to resist against the invaders. Commander Yu and his son play central roles in the resistance. Again, the Shandong winery would once again play a germane role as it was a refuge for the fighters. What was once a symbol of abundance has become a metaphor for resistance.

But the narrator’s dive into the past is more than a concerted effort to chronicle his family’s history. With the past eventually merging with the present, the narrator is figuring out how to make sense of these events that haunted his family: Then a deolate sound comes from the heart of the land. It is both familiar and strange, like my granddad’s voice, yet also like my father’s voice, and like Uncle Arhat’s voice, and like the resonant singing voices of Grandma, Second Grandma, and Third Grandma, the woman Liu. The ghosts of my family are sending me a message to point the way out of this labyrinth. It is his effort to make sense of how his family’s history translates into the present. This contributes to the detached quality of storytelling as memory can be muddled and distorted. Nevertheless, he is the product of his father’s heroic deeds and his grandmother’s resilience. Their stories were critical in his understanding of himself.

As the story progresses, clarity develops. The Shandong family and the village are a microcosm of Chinese society. The Shandongs are the epitome of Chinese families of their time. Their story provides a window into the traditions and social order of their time. Even before the arrival of the Japanese, life in the village was both terrible and magical. As tradition subtly reverberates in the story, various facets and details of Chinese culture are depicted, especially at the start of the novel when Little Nine is arranged for marriage against her wishes. As tradition dictates, she was carried to the house of her husband-to-be in a sedan; Yu Zhan’ao was among the sedan carriers. There is a lot to unpack in the story as myth and superstition are woven into the lush narrative. Rabid dogs abounded the story. This is deliberate as they are symbols for greedy warlords who lorded over the countryside.

Despite the horrors that permeate the story, what eventually emerges is the resilience of the characters and of the Chinese people. They were undaunted by the war. Rather than balking against the challenge, they displayed indomitable courage to survive the odds. And this spirit is displayed not just on the battlefield. In the winery, the workers and the women were resourceful in the face of suffering. All the while, time passes and change is inevitable. When the narrator returns to his homeland to visit the grave of his grandparents, he notices that the red sorghum of his Grandma’s time has slowly been replaced by different variants of sorghum. These new variants have choked the red sorghum. This perfectly encapsulates his family’s story. Meanwhile, the book refers to the Cultural Revolution.

All of these wonderful elements were woven into a lush tapestry by Mo Yan’s dexterous hands. The interesting characters melded with the lush historical contexts. The vividness of the story was further enriched by the integration of magical realist elements. Mo Yan’s brand of magical realism is reminiscent of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s brand of magical realism. Nevertheless, Mo Yan crafted his own brand of magical realism anchored on the epics and myths that have defined Chinese literature and culture. Allegories and motifs aldo riddled the story, providing it even more distinct textures. The biggest allegory, of course, was the titular red sorghum. It was a symbol of life and sustenance, not only for the Shandong family but also for the village.

Red Sorghum is a rich and multilayered novel. On the surface, it is the story of the Shandong family, from their days of being successful winemakers to their transformation as heroes and leaders during the Second Sino-Japanese War. They displayed courage and indomitable spirits in light of unimaginable adversities that pervade their life and the Chinese countryside. More importantly, the novel is a testament to the Chinese spirit, and, by extension, the human spirit. It is the story of courage and resilience. The novel is also a window into China’s contemporary history while underscoring the horrors of war. Nevertheless, Red Sorghum, a family saga, a coming-of-age novel, and a historical novel, is a testament to the enduring human spirit in the face of great misery and suffering. Red Sorghum is a brilliantly crafted novel that announced the emergence of a powerful literary voice.

https://thetorogichronicles.com/2025/05/11/book-review-583-red-sorghum/