View source for Crystal Boys

{{Short description|Book by Pai Hsien-yung}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{one source|date=August 2018}}

{{Infobox book
| name              = Crystal Boys
| title_orig        = 孽子
| image             = Crystal Boys by Pai Hsien-yung Front Cover.jpg
| caption           = Paperback cover
| author            = [[Pai Hsien-yung]]
| illustrator       = 
| cover_artist      = 
| country           = Taiwan
| language          = Chinese
| series            = 
| genre             = Fiction
| publisher         = Yuan Jing
| pub_date          = 1983
| media_type        = Print
| pages             = 397 p.
| isbn              = 
| oclc              = 818956496
}}

'''''Crystal Boys''''' (孽子, [[pinyin]]: ''Nièzǐ'', "sons of sin") is a novel written by author [[Pai Hsien-yung]] and first published in 1983 in [[Taiwan]]. 

== Background ==
The story focuses on A-Qing's struggle between himself, his family, and a society where homosexuality is taboo.

''Nièzǐ'' means literally "sinful sons" or "sons of sin", but it may also be an allusion to a passage in [[Mencius]] in which "friendless officials and concubine's sons" (孤臣孽子) reach positions of power because they have learned to live with a dangerous status.

There is a reference to [[You Xian Ku]] in the chapter "Journey to the Goblin Cave".

== Summary ==
The story takes place in [[Taipei]] in 1971 (or, in the most recent film adaptation, in 1973), and follows a short period in the life of a young man called Li-Qing (李青, nicknamed ''A-Qing'').

When A-Qing is expelled from his school because of "scandalous relations" with classmate Zhao Ying (趙英), his father kicks him out of the family home. A-Qing begins to hang out at a park called [[228 Memorial Park|New Park]], a gay [[Cruising for sex|cruising]] area and hangout for gay men, where he meets the novel's other primary characters.

== Characters ==
* A-Qing 阿青: the main character, a strong character both emotionally and physically. 
* Di-wa 弟娃: A-Qing's younger brother.
* Xiao Yu 小玉: A somewhat flamboyant Japanese-Taiwanese. Dreams of going to Japan to find his father.
* Lao Shu (Mouse) 老鼠: A petty thief, a bit sloppy, a little silly. Lives with his abusive older brother in a house of gambling and crime.
* Wu Min 吴敏: Like A-Qing, was kicked from his home by his father. While physically strong, he is emotionally weak, attempting suicide after his lover breaks up with him.
* Master Yang, Shi Fu 師傅: Pimp of the above-mentioned characters, he helps give them jobs and protection, later opening a gay bar.
* Lao Guo 老郭: A retired photographer, who keeps a photo book of the various characters who flock to the park. First one to take A-Qing in.
* Long Zi (Dragon) 王夔龙， 龍子: Returns to Taipei after living in USA, where he went after murdering his lover A-Feng in a fit of rage. Their story has become legendary in the park.
* A-Feng (Phoenix) 阿鳳: The wild son of a mute woman, grew up an orphan. Was Long Zi's lover, but was killed by him.

== Translations ==

*In 1988, this novel went into circulation in China; its French and English translations were published in 1985 and 1989, respectively. A translation into German ("Treffpunkt Lotussee") appeared in 1995.
* An English translation of the novel by [[Howard Goldblatt]], titled ''Crystal Boys'', was published in 1990 by Gay Sunshine Press.

== Adaptations ==

=== Film ===
A film titled ''[[Outcasts (1986 film)|Outcasts]]'', based on the novel, was released in 1986. 

=== Television series ===
In 2003, the it was adapted by [[Taiwan Public Television Service Foundation]] into a television series of the same name.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yu |first1=Sen-lu |date=16 February 2003 |title=Nostalgia for the bad old days |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2003/02/16/194832 |work=Taipei Times}}</ref> It starred [[Fan Chi-wei]] (范植偉 as A-Qing), [[Tony Yang]] (楊佑寧 as Zhao Ying), [[Joseph Chang]] (張孝全 as Wu Min 吳敏), and [[Wu Huai Zhong]] (吴怀中 as Lao Shu 老鼠).

==See also==
* [[List of television shows with gay characters]]
*[[Queer culture]]
*[[Homosexuality in China]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.pts.org.tw/~web01/boys/# Official Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040405154617/http://www.pts.org.tw/~web01/boys/ |date=5 April 2004 }} (in Chinese)
{{Pai Hsien-yung}}
{{LGBT in Taiwan}}

[[Category:1983 novels]]
[[Category:20th-century Taiwanese novels]]
[[Category:Novels by Pai Hsien-yung]]
[[Category:Taiwanese LGBTQ-related television shows]]
[[Category:Taiwanese drama television series]]
[[Category:Fiction set in the 1960s]]
[[Category:1980s LGBTQ novels]]


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