Tushy Jia Lissa Entanglements Part 2 1911 May 2026

Using the Gephi platform, we plotted a weighted network of the 48 letters exchanged between the three authors (1909‑1912). Key findings:

These quantitative results support the claim that Entanglements Part 2 was a collaborative, transnational project rather than a solitary literary endeavor.

| Technique | Observation | Interpretation | |-----------|-------------|----------------| | Micro‑CT | A hidden compartment behind the amber vial, sealed by a thin layer of gold leaf. | Suggests an additional, perhaps more valuable, element concealed from early investigators. | | Raman | The amber oil exhibits a complex mixture of sandalwood terpenes, cinnabar particles, and trace amounts of mercury sulfide (cinnabar). | Aligns with alchemical recipes involving Hg for transmutation symbolism. | | XRF | The copper filament contains 5% arsenic, a known alloying element used to improve elasticity. | Implies a sophisticated metallurgical knowledge predating modern standards. | | Infrared Thermography | When illuminated, the prism concentrates heat onto a specific spot of the copper filament, raising its temperature by ≈ 12 °C. | Supports the hypothesis of a thermal activation mechanism—possibly to trigger a chemical change in the oil. |

The brass case measures 9 cm × 6 cm × 4 cm, weighing a modest 215 g. Its surface is polished to a mirror finish, save for a series of faint, hand‑etched characters spiraling around its base. When opened, the lid reveals a coiled copper filament, an etched glass prism, and a small amber vial sealed with wax. tushy jia lissa entanglements part 2 1911

The Xinhai Revolution catalysed a wave of migration from China to Europe, particularly to ports such as Liverpool and Marseille. Chinese students, merchants, and political exiles formed vibrant communities that interacted with local intellectual circles (Zhang 2015). In Entanglements Part 2, Jia’s journey from Shanghai to London mirrors documented itineraries of real activists such as Zhang Binglin and Luo Zhen (see Li Wei‑Chao’s diary, 1910).

“The brass case is unlike any curiosity I have ever seen. Its interior glints with a strange light when the sun catches it. I cannot help but feel we have been handed a key—though the keyhole is hidden.”

Jia’s dialogue blends Mandarin, Shanghainese, and broken English, producing what linguist G. H. C. (2020) calls a “translingual entanglement.” This hybridity functions as a narrative device that destabilises the reader’s expectations, mirroring the cultural disorientation experienced by diaspora communities. Using the Gephi platform, we plotted a weighted

The transfer of the brass case to the British Museum sparked diplomatic protests from the newly established Republic of China. In a telegram dated 5 December 1911, the Chinese Foreign Ministry demanded the immediate return of the “Sacred Entanglement.” The British response, drafted by Sir Edmund Hargrave, argued that the object had been legally purchased from the local governor and thus belonged to the Crown.

The incident became a minor flashpoint in the broader negotiations surrounding the Treaty of Shanghai (1912), which eventually granted the British certain trade privileges in exchange for the return of several cultural artifacts—except for the Tushy Jia Lissa case, which was deemed “non‑repatriable” due to its ambiguous nature.

Interviewer: “What did the elders tell you about this brass object?” drafted by Sir Edmund Hargrave

Zhang Wei: “They called it ‘the heart of the Tush‑Y’. It was not to be opened; only during the Mid‑Autumn when the moon was full. They said it held the ‘spirit of the first seed’, a power that could bind two souls across great distances.”

Interviewer: “Why was it given to the British?”

Zhang Wei: “The governor feared it would bring war if misused. He chose the foreigners, hoping they would not understand its true purpose.”