Gifts to the Sad Country

Focusing on an ethnic-Chinese family in Malaysia, this study explores their experiences amidst significant historical upheavals in China, such as the Land Reform and the Great Leap Forward. Through fieldwork in both Malaysia and Southern China, the narrative illustrates the family's dual existence across two nations and political systems. Emigration emerges as both enriching and challenging, while the book reinterprets the Chinese diaspora's story, emphasizing cultural identity, personal freedom, and emotional ties to their homeland despite the adversities of communist rule.