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Empire of the Sun

Semi-autobiographical account of a young boy interred by the Japanese in China during World War II. Young Jim Ballard is separated from his parents in Shanghai, and survives the war in an civilian camp using a combination of wits and innocence.

"Empire of the Sun describes my experiences in Shanghai, China, during the Second World War, and in Lunghua C.A.C (Civilian Assembly Centre), where I was interned from 1942 to 1945. For the most part this novel is an eye-witness account of events I observed during the Japanese occupation of Shanghai and within the camp at Lunghua.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor took place on Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, but as a result of time differences across the Pacific Date Line it was then already the morning of Monday, December 8, in Shanghai. During the war, as I have recounted, the great pagoda at Lunghua was equipped with antiaircraft guns and served as a flak tower. The military airfield at Hungjao is now the site of Shanghai International Airport."

  • J.G. Ballard in foreward to 1985 Washington Square Press printing
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video

Empire of The Sun - movie

Director: Steven Spielberg. Starring Christian Bale, John Malkovitch, Ben Stiller

Spielberg's adaptation of Ballard's semi-autobiographical account as a boy of his experiences in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. This film also bears the distinction of being the first Western film to be allowed to film in mainland China.

Ballard did take part in filming, making a cameo appearance in a Christmas party scene, however he is not visible in the finished film. In an article he wrote about it, he described the unreality of the scene, how it was more real than the moment it was depicting with all the exact details of the time period on the set.

Empire of the Sun - soundtrack
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soundtrack
Ballard's Futures Imperfect
j.g. ballard

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j.g. ballard