Dogs are usually raised as pets to keep people company. But as I remember, in the village where I grew up, dogs had another identity—doorkeeper. Some dogs were chained in front of the house so that they could function at their best as doorkeepers. However, most of the people chose to release their dogs, as they believed dogs were as much in need of freedom as human. Dogs have their own spirits and lives.

Born in 1962 in a small village at the border of Gurbantunggut Desert in Xin Jiang Province, the very west province in China, Liang-Cheng Liu lived a pastoral life during his childhood and adolescence. After he grew up, he farmed, raised livestock, and had operated farming machines e for more than ten years. His writing is always distinguished from other people’s writings about rural life today because he is writing about his own village, the village in his eye, the village in his heart, the village where he is born and he is going to die.

In his prose, “Dog’s This Life,” Liang-Cheng Liu exquisitely and genuinely depicts a dog’s life in his village. I strongly sympathize with his narrative of the dog’s life. Therefore, I have translated the following paragraphs, which I deem most fascinating, and that I hope you would will enjoy.

In the village, dogs can be seen in front of all the houses. The purpose of people doing so is very clear, to have a doorkeeper. Dogs stand guard in front of people’s doors as if the doors are their own homes. Whoever comes to the house, although not coming for the dogs, has to confront with them first. Being disturbed in this way, the comer usually has forgotten his original mood and prepared words, when he finally gets to see the owner. During the meeting, haunted by the shadow of the dog, hearing the dog bark sporadically outside, the comer is left no chance to settle down his frightened soul. At the same time, the owner can stay cool, perusing the comer’s intention. This is called “struggle with dogs before you see owners.”

Experienced owners know to crack their doors a little bit and peek outward before coming out when they hear dogs bark. If the comer looks unfriendly—like coming to borrow or dun for money, to seek revenge—he would simply pretend having heard nothing. Then the dogs, encouraged by their master’s silence, would bark more vigorously. Aware of the fact dogs have much louder voices, the intruder tries yelling several times and then has no choice but to regress to silence, give the gate a violent kick, and leave a curse. Then away he goes.

——

In a night reverberating with dogs’ barking, there must lie a voiceless old dog; he is a part of the night. Having wandered within the village all his life, he is a part of the village. He can bite nobody anymore; therefore, he is also a part of humanity. This is a dog that can finally have a sound sleep. Along the remote path which people have long forgotten, in the deserted house which people have long abandoned, this dog walks back and forth, his eyes reflecting the shades of past stories.