The Good Women of China - Xinran
Translated by Esther Tyldesley.
When I started the Alphabet Soup challenge, I knew that some letters would have a few less options to choose from, and felt that X would probably be the hardest. As I approached this letter I did occasionally glance ahead, and would see one or two books at most on display at any one time. In the end, when I went to get a book out for X there was only one fiction book currently in the library by an X author. Skimming through it I was unimpressed, so I browsed through non-fiction for only the third time in this challenge.
The Good Women of China is a collection of biographical stories told by Xinran, who for eight years ran a radio programme in China called Words on the Night Breeze dedicated to telling the stories of Chinese women. Fifteen such stories, including Xinran's own upbringing, are presented here, including some so traumatic that she was never able to share them on air.
The first of these stories is very graphic, and I almost gave up on the book because of it. I'm glad I didn't though, as the horrendous things that so many women in that country have gone through - particularly during the Cultural Revolution - really left an impression on me. Multiple tales of rape, abuse and forced marriages abound. Without hope, without the love of Jesus, the world can be a dark and unforgiving place. This book really helped remind me of that.
One of the saddest stories (though not the most traumatic) is the doomed romance between Jingyi and her university sweetheart Gu Da. Separated by their service for the Communist Party, and then separated even longer as they faced 'training and reform' due to "problems in their family background", Jingyi never loses her love for Gu Da, nor her belief that they will one day reunite. After 45 years, during which time they have completely lost touch, Jingyi finally finds Gu Da again, only to learn that he had been told that she had died. Only after he believed that did he finally marry and start a family. His devotion to Jingyi is reflected in his daughter's names - Nianhua, Jinghua and Yihua - whose initial characters form the sentence "Nian Jing Yi", in remembrance of Jingyi (page 144). This realisation causes Jingyi to withdraw from society altogether; it is only by coincidence that Xinran comes across her, discovers who she is and is able to help her begin to heal. Most of the stories do not end even that happily.
Not an easy read. But a very moving one.
Completed 28 April 2022.
(Alphabet Soup Books)
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