ABSTRACT
Much of the controversy over Defunct Capital is related to the sexual conduct of the major character Zhuang Zhidie. Interpretation of Zhuang Zhidie’s sexuality and sexual involvement is essential in a critical assessment of Defunct Capital, because the narrative devotes a fair amount of text to his sexual engagements, and much of his inner world is revealed through his sexual activities. The authorities claim that the novel contains pornographic content harmful to the minds of the young and have banned the book since 1994 (Zha, Jianying 1995: 163-4). Indeed, the sexual descriptions are bold and explicit to the extent that many critics question the author’s intent. Hence the focus of criticism and controversy over the novel is largely argument about whether the author uses sex as bait to seduce readers – indeed, the book is believed to have sold half a million copies within the first few months (Zha, Jianying 1995: 129). In addition, Zhuang Zhidie’s sexuality is rather problematic, for it is not clear how he is able to retain such powerful sexual attraction with his obviously unattractive physical appearance. His personality is even more problematic: temperamentally, he is unstable and irritable; morally he is a habitual polygamous adulterer; physically he suffers from periodic impotence; psychologically he is rather disturbed, torn between guilt and desire.
