Jan Wong returns to Beijing with a mission: to find Yin Luoyi, a young stranger she inadvertently harmed in 1973. As one of only two Westerners studying at Beijing University during the early 70s, Wong, then a fervent Maoist, reported Yin to the authorities when she sought help to reach the United States. Now, over three decades later and after her bestselling memoir, Wong revisits the city to seek forgiveness and learn if Yin survived. As she navigates the transformed landscape of Beijing, Wong reflects on her past during the Cultural Revolution, discovering that the city has evolved from its ancient roots to a modern metropolis filled with neon signs and trendy establishments. The places and faces of her memories have changed dramatically, some erased entirely. Through her search for old friends and acquaintances, Wong uncovers clues about Yin's fate, grappling with her long-held fears and regrets. Ultimately, Yin remains elusive until she unexpectedly reaches out to Wong. Emotionally charged and richly detailed, this narrative intertwines Wong's path from remorse to redemption, Yin's transformation from disgrace to respectability, and Beijing's remarkable shift from communism to capitalism.
Jan Wong Orden de los libros (cronológico)
Jan Wong es una aclamada periodista cuyo trabajo profundiza en el corazón de la transformación de China. Habiendo vivido en China durante la Revolución Cultural y regresando más tarde como corresponsal, su escritura ofrece una perspectiva interna sobre el complejo cambio de la nación hacia el capitalismo. Wong narra su viaje personal desde una juventud radical hasta una reportera experimentada que presenció eventos tumultuosos de primera mano. Sus narrativas brindan representaciones perspicaces de una China en constante cambio, navegando las corrientes de la modernidad con detalles inquebrantables.
Abschied von China
- 543 páginas
- 20 horas de lectura
Jan Wong, a Canadian of Chinese descent, arrived in China in 1972 as a devoted Maoist during the Cultural Revolution. As one of only two Westerners at Beijing University, her education included laboring at a factory, renouncing rock music, and even betraying a fellow student seeking asylum in the U.S. She married an American draft dodger from the Vietnam War seeking refuge in China. Wong's memoir recounts her tumultuous six-year relationship with Maoism, which unraveled as she confronted the brutal realities of Chinese communism. She provides a dramatic firsthand account of the Tiananmen Square uprising and offers an engaging portrayal of the individuals and events she reported on during the era of Deng Xiaoping's capitalist reforms. Through a candid and personal narrative, she shares the horrors that led to her disillusionment with the so-called "worker's paradise." The stories of various people—such as a young woman sold into marriage, a prominent dissident, and a doctor specializing in penile lengthening—unveil hidden aspects of China. Wong aims to enlighten Western readers about life in China and its significance, while reconciling with her past and the legacy of her ancestral homeland.