In chapter 72 of this novel, the author declares, "This isn't a novel!"
The protagonist of this novel describes one woman he encounters as a "struggling wild animal" who "suddenly turns docile" upon his touch.  In chapter 72 of this novel, the author declares, "This isn't a novel!" because "A novel must have a complete story."  The protagonist encounters a troupe of falsetto singers working in a quarry who "take their frustration out on the rocks" because they have no women.  Images that affect the protagonist include "ponds with floating duckweed" and "arched stone bridges," which he sees on a journey to a place he heard about on a train.  The women the protagonist encounters are all referred to as "she," and the perspective of the protagonist oscillates between "I" and "You." Thinking he has cancer, the protagonist sets out to find the possibly mythical titular locale, starting in Beijing.  For 10 points name this novel by Gao Xinjian.
The protagonist of this novel describes one woman he encounters as a "struggling wild animal" who "suddenly turns docile" upon his touch.  
Soul Mountain