William Collins Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China

I have never reviewed a book so far nor have recommended one to my friends. This book changed that. It is moving, empowering, encouraging and makes you full of hope, tears and happiness at the same time. Wasn't able to put it down. Indian women would find the book endearing. China no doubt is so different but feels so similar. You can actually relate the book to journey of women in your family through generations. There are times when I forget what my mother and grand mother have gone through and it is books like this which help me appreciate the freedom, count my blessings and aspire for more.

This author is fantastic. After reading her biography of Empress Cixi, I immediately ordered her other two books. Her writing is comprehensive yet accessible, making complex history easy to engage with. I highly recommend her work to anyone interested in history or learning more about China. Also if you can - catch her interview on you tube - compelling.

祖母、母、本人と三代に渡る中国人女性の壮大な物語。 三人とも、時代の波に翻弄されながらも、必死で自分の人生を生きようとする。 その姿は闘争と言っていいくらいのもので、同じ女であっても私ののほほんとした人生とはまるで違う。 特に本人は幼い頃から毛沢東の政策の中で生きてきて、文革の中で青春時代を過ごす。 歴史を知るためにも、女性たちの生きざまを知る意味でも、価値のある本だと思う。 オススメです。 英語は所々難しい単語はあるものの、言い回しが易しく、表現が分かりやすい。 私は他人の英語をどうこう言えるほど語学力がある訳ではないのだが、それでも、著者の英語は美しいと思う。

The author was born in 1952 to Chinese Communist revolutionary leaders. In this beautifully written and revealing 1991 biography she traces the lives of her grandmother, her mother and herself through the historical period of warlords, Japanese occupation, rightist armies of Chiang Kai-shek, rise of Communism, Cultural Revolution, and beginnings of modern China. This is a must-read book. I don’t know how I missed it earlier. It is good literature and it is important history. The author has created an intimate and loving portrait of a close-knit family of individuals with strong character and ideals living in a world often dominated by petty and vengeful characters – taken to an extreme of horror under Mao’s malevolent Cultural Revolution. Written in a straightforward, highly observant and detailed style, it creates a powerful history of that period. The theme of surviving in a petty and jealous environment shows up early on. The grandmother grew up with bound feet as her father schemed to marry her to a warlord general. As the warlord’s concubine “wife” she rarely saw him, but bore him a daughter, and was later hounded by jealous other wives and concubines. After his death she married the well-respected Dr. Xia. To escape his jealous family, they moved away with her daughter leaving all his property and money behind. Living simply, they sheltered others in the threatening climate of the Japanese occupation and then the Kuomintang and Chiang Kai-Shek. The mother grew up sensitive and outspoken. Chang carefully sets the stage for her parents’ engagement in Communism, and she delicately paints the picture of her well-educated father’s stubborn adherence to ideals and the difficulties experienced from it. They had five children (the author being second). As Communist values prevailed, the children were sent to live in nurseries, but eventually as elite revolutionary leaders they were allowed to live as a family and for a few years the children had schooling and relative security. But the mother’s past history of helping the wrong people and the father’s defiance brought downfall. Along with millions, they became victims of the Cultural Revolution. Chang provides a detailed account of this horrifying period in history and how the pettiness and jealousy of people was turned into a weapon. Mao’s programs had plunged the country into poverty and famine. Corrective measures taken by other Communist leaders helped end the famine, but then Mao took revenge and solidified his leadership by removing all former party members and arranging for their detention and torture. Gangs of youth (Red Guard) were formed to attack the enemies of the people and ran rampant through the streets. People were encouraged to inform on each other. Family histories were examined for any previous links contrary to Mao. Books were burned, schools were closed, and Mao propaganda was pushed through loudspeakers and reading material. Her parents were imprisoned, interrogated, and tortured. It was largely through her mother’s courage and resourcefulness that the family was held together and able to avoid the worst tortures, navigating through those who would turn on them and those who would help. This is also a story of Jung awakening. She describes herself as an unquestioning follower of Mao, as one of many who saw the leader as almost a god, while being distraught at the events around her. And then she relates how her eyes and mind began to open, to see and to question. To me this book has tremendous value in that it renders in intimate detail what it was like living in China under Mao, recording a history of how people of all classes suffered and died needlessly during his regime. And further, it has the literary value of relating delicate intricacies of living under such a regime and managing to maintain dignity and live one’s values.

Brilliant book, shines a light on recent Chinese history. A must-read!