A Question for Wellington

A Question for Wellington

Author	Gao Wenzhong
Original title	維鈞的一个问题 (Huajiangite）
Translator	Liu Bei
Country	Huajiang
Language	Huajiangite
Genre	Moralist Fiction
Publisher	Gao'an Literary Company
Publication date	January 5, 1915
Published in English	August 12, 1928
Media type	Print
Pages	228

A Question for Wellington (Huajiangite: 維鈞的一个问题; Alphabetized Huajiangite: Wéijūn de yīgè wèntí) is a dystopian social-science novel written by Gao Wenzhong and published by Gao'an Literary Company in January 1915. A Question for Wellington is centered on questioning authority, both secular and religious, as well as scientific nature and the idea of the individual within a society. It also touches on the behaviors of those that are within a secular authority and those of a religious authority to exterme degrees and the difference of what exactly the individual has become within this kind of world.

The novel takes place in Huajiang (Renamed the Holy Kingdom in the novel; 圣王国 (Shèng wángguó)) with the lead character being a man Wellington. Wellington is a common civilian who had recently applied as a detective at a local police precinct. Within the book his thought process as a citizen of the Holy Kingdom is taken into consideration, as once he becomes a detective, he is then allowed to see the outside world. Wellington soon is introduced to the Western Republic (西共和国 (Xī gònghéguó)) from modern-day Guakok. From here he discovers the extreme differences between the two countries and becomes disillusioned with the two ideologies, with the Holy Kingdom focused on extreme theocracy and the Western Republic focused on extreme secularism. He quits his job as a detective, which to the Holy Kingdom was seen as treason and Wellington retreated to the border, where he lived in relative seclusion. The remainder of the book talks about his thoughts about both the Holy Government and the Western Republic, before fraternizing with rebels that wished to take down both authorities. The book ends with Wellington meeting his fate in a firefight in Kaiyang, which is a battle between the Holy Kingdom and the Western Republic to destroy the rebels.

Unlike other novels that Gao had published before, he had put his full name in the title as opposed to putting his pen-name, Wellington.

Plot Summary

A Question for Wellington is divided into four sections, which are then subdivided between twelve chapters, three chapters for each section. The sections are named and annotated while the chapters are simply numbered. The sections are named in order: "The Holy Kingdom", "Wellington's Thoughts", "The Foreigner from Cukobai", and "A Time in Kaiyang"

The Holy Kingdom

Wellington is a citizen of the Holy Kingdom who recently graduated from an unnamed police academy in Gao'an. He is soon scouted by the Holy Kingdom's police, as he graduated as summe cum larde from his class. He meets a woman who he dubs, "Mimi", after the Huajiangite profanity Mimi (咪咪 (mīmī)). He takes Mimi as his lover and as an object of affection, having non-marital relations with her, something that is prohibited in the Holy Kingdom. He applies and is accepted as a detective in the Gao'an Holy Police Force, and continues seeing Mimi. His actions with Mimi are found out by his co-worker, Li Xi, who then proceeds to arrest Mimi but not Wellington out of pity. It is at this point that Wellington begins questioning his actions and his holiness, as well as his faith and belief in the Holy Kingdom. Wellington then meets his young neighbor in his apartment complex named Yu Yan (语嫣 (Yǔ yān)). Wellington meets Yu Yan's name, who are only referred to as her mother and father. It is clear that what Yu's father discusses with Yu's mother in front of Yu Yan is considered both sedition and apostasy. They begin talking about the secularist government of the Western Republic, and discuss books that are deemed heretical by the Holy Kingdom.

Wellington, instead of reporting them, begins to question his freedom and what there is outside of the Holy Kingdom. It becomes no secret as Wellington takes a book from Yu Yan's household, The Divide between the Western Republic and Holy Kingdom. Wellington begins to question the Holy Kingdom and his thinking, however does not stray from his main train of thought and still holds everything in regard of the law of the Holy Kingdom. Snapping out of it, he considered that Yu Yan's parents allowing him to borrow the book was seditious, near treasonous. He later reports to Li Xi and then his superior, Lou Ma (娄马 (Lóu mǎ)). After he finishes up researching a separate case about a missing female in North Gao'an, he completely forgets of his actions of reporting Yu Yan's parents. Once he returns home, he appears jolly, ready to discuss the book with Yu's parents. However his apartment is barred from him as a double pronged homicide took place. He is able to make it to the floor with his police identification, and sees Yu's parents shot in the apartment, Yu Yan herself missing.

Wellington's entire night is narrated, as he is unable to sleep due to the police continually investigating