Murder House: Zhong Na on the Silicon Valley Tragedy That Exposed the Cracks in China's Meritocracy

In this episode of the Sinica Podcast, Kaiser Kuo interviews Zhong Na, a novelist and essayist, about her piece "The Silicon Valley Murder" in Equator magazine. The discussion revolves around the tragic murder-suicide of a Chinese couple, both Google engineers and Tsinghua graduates, and the broader implications of the case. They explore themes of class, education, meritocracy, gender dynamics, and the shifting perception of the American dream within Chinese society and its diaspora. Zhong Na shares her personal connection to the story, having attended the same high school as one of the victims, and discusses the moral and emotional complexities she grappled with while writing the piece. The conversation also touches on the impact of the pandemic and geopolitical tensions on Chinese views of America, as well as the gendered reactions to the tragedy online.