SOLVED. Short story (90s/early 2000s). White woman visits Beijing and a local man tells her about the Tiananmen Square massacre but she doesn't understand him. [s]

[Rachel]

I read this story in a collection around the early 2000s. Can't remember if all the stories were by the same author or if it was an anthology.

The story was about a young Western woman visiting Beijing. She is stopped by a local man who keeps saying to her "Yoon faw" and she doesn't understand him. Later she realises he was saying the date, June 4 - the day of the Tiananmen Square massacre. She feels silly for not being able to understand his accent. It's not a very eventful story, more of a psychological one.

I remembered it recently because of the 4th June anniversary, but I can't remember the author or book. I thought it might have been something by Alexei Sayle, but I can't seem to narrow it down from the descriptions of his books that I can find online. I wouldn't recognise it by story title alone.

Any help appreciated!

[Tab]

I found the "Yoon faw" line in one of the stories in The House of Breathing by Gail Jones

I think it's the story titled, "Touching Tiananmen."

[Rachel]

Thank you Tab - this must be it. I have no memory of reading this book, but it's definitely the right story - maybe I read it in a different anthology? Thank you for your help.