Yan Zhen's novel Once in World's End has a unique value in the century old history of literature which describes Chinese students pursuing studies abroad, for it has successfully created Gao Liwei, an intellectual who studies overseas in the period. The surface narrative of the novel is Gao Liwei's adherence to his native culture which contrasts with that of the western; and the deep narrative is Gao Liwei's anxiety about his cultural identity, which has something to do with his oriental self-consciousness. From a specific aspect the character Gao Liwei reflects what a spiritual plight the contemporary Chinese intellectuals are in while society is being transformed.