Why a Booktrail?
2008 and before: Sweeping between China past and present, THE INCARNATIONS illuminates the cyclical nature of history, and shows how man is condemned to repeat the same mistakes over and over again.
The Incarnations
What you need to know before your trail
Bejing 2008
The Olympics are due to start in the city of Bejing and most people are excited. However Taxi driver Wang drives around the congested city streets he feels about as unexcited as he can be – his daily grind is grinding him down into the ground. However one day he finds a letter in the sunshade of his cab. Someone is watching him and this someone is claiming to be his soulmate who has known him for over a thousand years.
More letters follow and with each one, Wang travels back in time during various periods of Chinese history as he tries to understand who is watching him and why. What will happen when the watcher catches up with him?
Travel Guide
With each letter, there is a story of reincarnation – as Wang travels back into his previous lives, living and experiencing China across the ages. A unique way of learning about and experiencing China’s history and culture!
Wang’s past lives and past experiences seem to mirror and represent the psyche of historical and modern China. China across such significant periods such as the Cultural Revolution, the Tang Dynasty; slavery during the Mongol invasion; a kidnapping in the Opium War…. the list in endless and equally as fascinating.
This is the story of China – Wang is just the vehicle for the story to flow – and apt that he drives a taxi around the meandering streets of the capital. Mirrors the meandering twists and turns of history.
Past and present collide –
“East of Tianammen Square a gigantic digital clock counts down the days, hours and minutes to the Olympic Games”
Throughout the historical backdrop is violent and grim. Each of the incarnations Wang goes through are colourful , vivid and evoked to dramatic effect- Wang’s life also is revealed as the historical threads weave and plait their course.
A rich tapestry of China and its history seen through the very varied eyes of a Taxi driver. Now this is what we call having the Knowledge!
Where Next?
