Some of you may already be familiar with a new novel written by Lisa See called Peony in Love. I have wanted to read this novel, since it discusses women's role in ancient China. The story revolves around a 15-year-old girl whose parents arrange a marriage for her. Unfortunately, I have not read it yet, since it's always checked out.
That book description piqued my interest in what it would be like for a woman growing up in China. Most of my education in world history concentrated on Europe. Very little was on Asia.
When I saw Wild Swans by Jung Chang (951.05 CHA), I had to read it.
The book tells the story of three Chinese woman: Jung Chang, her mother, and her grandmother.
The story begins in the early 1900s with her grandmother. As a young child, Chang's great-grandparents bound her feet, causing her a tremendous amount of pain. Her feet were broken on purpose and bound to make them more dainty, lady like. That was a common practice at the time, resulting in woman taking very small steps and walking every so carefully. Regular sized feet were considered an embarrassment. At the age of fifteen, her grandmother was given to a warlord general as a concubine. (It was not unusual for rich people to have a wife and several concubines.) This gave Chang's great-grandparents more prestige and wealth. Her life was extremely lonely during that time, and she was despised by the wife of the general. Fortunately she was able to escape the cruelty of that household. While she was in her twenties (considered old for marriage), an elderly doctor fell in love with her and married her, providing some years of happiness.
Chang's mother was more of a free spirit, only wanting to get married when she was in love. During her childhood, the Japanese ruled Manchuria, where she lived. When the Japanese were defeated during WWII, political and economic unrest occurred. There were two opposing sides vying for power, practically destroying the town she lived in. As an adult, she joined the Communist party.
Jung Chang does a great job of incorporating a tremendous amount of personal material about her family history and at the same time writing about the dramatic changes in women's rights that have occurred during the last three generations.
c Waterloo Public Library 2007
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