Month: January 2024

INSIDE THE STORY: “Spring Silkworms” goes into the complex complexities of a rural family’s everyday lives, aspirations, and struggles. Poverty and Aspiration: The story begins with the Tong family working to make ends meet. Old Tong Bao is determined to break free from this cycle and feels that sericulture (growing silkworms) is the path to […]

INSIDE THE STORY: Setting in a Small village: The story takes place in a small village in China, which serves as a microcosm of the greater economic status crises that occurred during the Cultural Revolution.  Li Bo, the Committed Teacher: The main character, Li Bo, is a dedicated teacher who remains committed to education despite […]

INSIDE THE STORY: Family Dynamics: The story dives into the intricacies of family associations, showing the lead character’s relationship to his family members and discussing the problems and rewards of familial bonds.  Love and Sacrifice: A key theme is love in its different expressions. The plot goes into the sacrifices people make for their families, […]

INSIDE THE STORY: Reindeer herding with the Evenki Community: The Evenki people are a native people that is crucial to the narrative. The herding of reindeer is essential to their traditional way of life. Surviving Despite Adversity: The story highlights the Evenki people’s fortitude in the face of adversity. Their daily struggles are accompanied by […]

INSIDE THE STORY: Cultural Eccentricities: The story describes a part of China where eating and drinking customs, particularly with regard to wine and food, take on strange and extreme forms, involving the ingestion of banned foods like human flesh. Allegations and Investigation: Mo Yan, the writer and investigator, is dispatched to this region to look […]

INSIDE THE STORY: Historical Significance: Built during the Ming Dynasty and representing the division between the outer and inner courts, the gate is a fundamental component of Beijing’s Forbidden City.  Symbolism & Design: The gate, adorned with complex designs and symbolic elements, represents the might and heavenly ties connected to China’s imperial governance.  Boundary of […]

INSIDE THE STORY: Uncle Feng’s Leadership: Uncle Feng upends the status quo by coming to the village and taking charge of the boat crew. This causes both peace and struggle.  Power struggles and conflict: Ku, the former boat chief, and Feng’s leadership styles combine to generate tensions and power battles within the community.  Transformation of […]

INSDIE THE STORY Liven Village: Liven town is an isolated Chinese town where the people make money by selling their strange features to a businessman named Lao Lan, who then ships them to Europe.  Little Li: The main character, Little Li, has a growth on his back that resembles the face of Lenin’s face. He […]

INSDIE THE STORY: Sisterhood: Yan, Fei, and Chun, three sisters who travel from their small rural village to the city, are the main characters of the novel. Their friendship and cooperation act as a main topic for the rest of the story. Migration from Rural to Urban Areas: The book explores the difficulties that rural […]

INSIDE THE STORY: One-Child Policy: The novel centers on China’s harsh one-child policy, which forces the main characters, Kongzi and Meili, to leave their village in order to avoid being forced to go through surgery and facing harsh punishment from the government.  Family and Love: A major subject is Meili and Kongzi’s constant love for […]