Fang Fang - Wuhan Diary - Dispatches from a Quarantined City

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Yuan is sometimes referenced as RMB, which is short for renminbi, or as Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY). During the period that Fang Fang kept her diary, from January 25 to March 24, 2020, the approximate exchange rate was 1 USD=7 RMB. [ All notes are the translator’s. ]

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited Wuhan on January 27, 2020, to inspect the situation on the ground. During his visit, the Wuhan mayor, Zhou Xianwang, nimbly removed his cap and smoothly handed it off to one of his assistants just moments before the premier spoke in public. Videos of what was described as Mayor Zhou’s “disappearing hat performance” went viral on the Chinese internet.

This is a reference to a comic coronavirus song that became an online hit in China during the early outbreak. The full lyrics read: “On those sunny days when we till the crops, It’s hard to get a good night’s rest! We sleep all morning; We sleep all afternoon; We sleep today, we sleep tomorrow; and the day after tomorrow too; We sleep for our country and our family; carrying on with the cause no matter how difficult it may be; I’d rather sit home and gain weight, than go anywhere outside; Putting on some pounds is a luxury, going out leads to disaster; I beg you to follow the rules, and take care of yourself; Staying in bed every day is our pride, and it helps the nation save on face masks.”

Huoshenshan Hospital, literally “Fire God Mountain Hospital,” is an emergency hospital facility constructed in Wuhan between January 23 and February 2, 2020. The speedy construction was carried out to accommodate the rapidly rising cases of novel coronavirus in Wuhan. The construction of the hospital was live-streamed nationwide and served as a symbol of China’s aggressive response to fight the coronavirus outbreak. The hospital is run under the management of the People’s Liberation Army and staffed by 1,400 PLA medical personnel. The hospital was modeled after the Xiaotangshan Hospital, which was constructed in Beijing to deal with the SARS outbreak in 2003.

Jiang Zidan (b. 1954) is a Chinese writer who published her first essay in 1978. She has gone on to publish dozens of books, including short story collections, essays, and novels, including A Date with Time ( Suiyue zhi yue ) and When I Am Alone ( Yige ren de shihou ). She has also served as the editor for several leading literary journals, including Tianya.

The 7th CISM Military World Games was held in Wuhan, China, from October 18 to 27, 2019. It was a competitive sporting event in which military athletes from member countries of the International Military Sports Council competed.

Huanan Seafood Market is a live animal and seafood market located in the Jianghan District of Wuhan. During the initial outbreak of the novel coronavirus, some two-thirds of the first group of 41 patients were identified as having visited the market. Several specialists have pointed to evidence that the source of the virus may be tied to bats or pangolins (scaly anteaters) sold at the market. The market was closed on January 1, 2020, after the outbreak began.

Wang Guangfa (b. 1964) is a respiratory specialist at Peking University First Hospital. He is also a professor at Peking University and serves on numerous national health committees.

Zhong Nanshan (b. 1936) is a Chinese epidemiologist who came under the national spotlight in 2003 for his role in heading China’s response to the SARS epidemic. In 2020 he was appointed as a leading advisor for managing the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Chen Cun (b. 1954) is a Shanghai-based writer who serves as vice chair of the Shanghai Writers Association. He began publishing in 1973 and has written numerous short stories, essays, and novels, including The Blue Flag ( Lan qi ) and Chinese Youth ( Zhongguo qingnian ).

The City of Wuchang ( Wuchang cheng ) was originally published in 2011 by People’s Literature Publishing House. The novel portrays historical events that occurred in the city before and after 1927 through the story of Chen Mingwu and Ma Weifu, who are coming of age amid a backdrop of war and violence.

This is an inverted line from the poem “Encountering Sorrow” (“Li sao”) from Songs of the South ( Chu ci ) . Attributed to the poet Qu Yuan, “Encountering Sorrow” dates from the Warring States period and recounts the poet’s spiritual voyage to fantasy realms while lamenting his betrayal by various court factions.

In February 2020, after the novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, the China National Health Commission, in conjunction with local authorities, began building the Huoshenshan Hospital, the Leishenshan Hospital, and 11 other temporary hospitals across the area. These large, mobile hospital facilities were established to quickly expand the ability to care for the large influx of patients infected with COVID-19.

Yan Zhi (b. 1972) is the CEO of Zall Smart Commerce Group. He is also a member of the People’s Congress and a graduate of Wuhan University. Yan Zhi is listed on the Forbes List of the wealthiest people in the world and has also been recognized for his philanthropic activities. Besides his contributions to business and government, Yan Zhi is also a member of the China Writers Association and editor of Chinese Poetry ( Zhongguo shige ).

Li Wenliang (1986–2020) was an ophthalmologist at Wuhan Central Hospital. On December 30, 2019, he sent out a message on the social media platform WeChat, warning colleagues about a new virus similar to SARS. His messages were later shared online and on January 3, 2020, Dr. Li was accused by police of spreading false information over the internet and forced to sign a self-confession. After returning to work at Wuhan Central Hospital, Dr. Li contracted the disease and died on February 7, 2020. His death sparked a widespread response across Chinese social media, with the former “whistleblower” hailed by many as a national hero.

A Thousand Arrows Piercing the Heart ( Wanjian chuanxin ) is a popular novella by Fang Fang. The work was also adapted in 2012 into a feature-length film Feng Shui ( Wanjian chuanxin ) by Wang Jing, which won numerous awards in China.

Many of the doctors, nurses, and medical volunteers who traveled to Wuhan during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak shaved their heads as a means of reducing the risk of cross-contamination. Another safety method employed was the use of adult diapers so that medical workers would not need to risk infection when using the restroom.