Daughter of the River: An Autobiography

Hong Ying's autobiographical novel gives an in depth picture of `normal' life in China after World War II with its `hypocrite socialism' and its terrible famines. It is a story of a harsh struggle for survival: unabated hunger, nerve-racking promiscuity, lack of privacy, bitter loneliness, lies and denunciations. It is also a tale about growing up in a `strange' family, becoming an adult, discovering sexuality and about the search for one's own roots. This book shows poignantly the real and direct impact of governmental political and social decisions on people's daily life. It is not less than a `personal' historical sketch with a genuine human touch. This magisterial novel is bathed in a magical subdued atmosphere. It is written like most `Schubertian' music in a minor key-note. A must read, not only for Chinese scholars.

Daughter of The River is a story of a young woman dealing with the many adversities that she faced in the slums of China. Hong Ying writes this book from her perspective as an 18 year old although she was in her 30's when this was written. Her family was extremely unemotional and unattached to her throughout her childhood, and as young as she was she always wondered why. It wasn't until she turned 18 that she found out the "secret" as to why everyone in her family treated her as if she was invisible. Of course everything was about "face" and protecting the family name which only compounded her troubles.Ms. Ying has overcomed her many stuggles to become a successful writer, yet from her book you can feel how deep the scars truly are. My only complaint would be that she tends to jump around in telling her story, but overall it is a sad, yet delightful read knowing that with determination and a strong will she made it out of the slums.

The Western bookmarket has been inundated with 'memoirs books' by the Chinese, everyone of whom, it has been said, has a highly interesting book in their mind. This is possibly true, as the Chinese people have gone through extraordinarily hardship. The problem now is that how those books are written. If there is not much unique in his or her experience, it is by no means easy not to repeat what have already been said.That is where this book has made its unique contribution: this is the only book written by a girl who grew up from a working class family in a city slum. All the rest of the 'memoir books' are by authors from cadres' or intellectuals' family.It's by no means easy, since China has an elitist tradition.What is more, this book stands out in its attitude towards the ordeal that every Chinese had to suffer: the author shows us that poverty corrupts too. No one could hope to be perefect, even the victims, not even the author herself.Which is very different from the attitude shown in books like Wild Swans etc, where the author and her family members are almost like saints who suffered all the wrongs without making mistakes themselves.This attitude of self-inspection and self-criticism certainly marks the book out of the multitude. Anyone who wants to see the hitherto unseen side of China definitely should read the book.

This book held me every step of the way. I borrowed it from the library, but felt it must be a definite addition to my home library. What a wonderful testimony to the human spirit: for one to rise above such adverse circumstances, and then to be able to put it on paper in such beautiful prose. This is a China every informed person should know about.

A page-turner that left me feeling hollow with the numbing emotional emptiness that gripped the tender young life that was exposed in the book.The only solace during the read is the knowledge that the author had somehow transcended her apparent fate to be able to create the well-written biography. In the end, satisfied that the author has found her own place of peace (she has become a successful author, after all), I was left wondering the fate of her impossibly burdened family. Hong Ying, wherever you are, I hope you have found all of the emotional fulfillment you deserve. You have demonstrated a remarkable capacity not only for surviving, but for understanding and sharing feelings that are more painful and profound than most of us will ever have to experience. In a way, I feel reading this allowed me to grow emotionally.