China in Ten Words

Yu Hua delves into the concept of “bamboozling” or “huyou,” tracing its evolution and pervasive influence in contemporary Chinese society. The term, which originally referred to the unsteady swaying of fishing boats or leaves shaking in the wind, has taken on a new meaning in recent years, particularly in northeast China. Now, it encompasses a broad spectrum of deceptive practices, from relatively harmless bragging and exaggeration to more serious forms of dishonesty, misrepresentation, and outright fraud. Yu Hua argues that the closest English equivalent to “huyou” is “bamboozled,” as both terms have risen to prominence in their respective languages, albeit through somewhat different paths.

Yu Hua begins by recounting how the famous comedian Zhao Benshan played a crucial role in popularizing the term “bamboozling” through a legendary skit. In the performance, he portrays a man selling crutches who uses a variety of deceptive techniques to convince a person with perfectly healthy legs to purchase them. The skit’s success, propelled by its airing on CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala, the most-watched television program in China, led to the widespread adoption of the term “bamboozle” and a surge in the very behaviors it describes, such as boasting, exaggeration, and various forms of trickery. Yu Hua notes that once these negative behaviors found shelter under the umbrella of “bamboozlement,” they gained a neutral status and became more socially acceptable.