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Reviews and Commentary on Mr. China's Son----A Villager's Life |
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Major Points From Current Reviews
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 I read Mr. China’s
Son, A Villager's Life. It was heart wrenching, but this son of China is a
man of courage.
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Current Reviews From Publications
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From The China Journal: Among the many autobiographies by Chinese individuals published in English, this book stands out as unique, compelling, and arguably the most readable testimony of a personal experience in socialist China. With every page the originality of He's book becomes more apparent. The most authentic account of private life in rural China thus far.
From Journal of Asian Studies: "In an original and captivating style, He Liyi has recounted China's tumultuous national struggle as seen from the village level: a peasant's persistence against pain, a minority man's coming to terms with his own identity, a father's hope for a better future for himself and his family. Mr. China's Son will prove to be a classic, one hopes the first in a long line of country narratives to come."
From China Review International: "A delightful autobiography. Through the seemingly never-ending miseries encountered by He Liyi's life, Mr. China's Son allows us to follow the history of China and gain insight into the effect of Chinese government and politics on remote Yunnan."
From Asiaweek: The book is simple, charming, and by turns funny and sadness. In his agonizing over the right path to take in a life fraught with perils, there is a touch of Dostoevsky, but never does he become pretentious or boring.
From Library Journal: When one recalls how many tens of millions of lives Mao Zedong's revolution destroyed, He Liyi must be considered lucky. Born in 1930 into a poor Bai minority family in rural Yunnan, he studied English in college but ran afoul of political zealots. After five years in a labor camp, he settled into the harsh life of a rural worker. This is the searing story of an extraordinary man who triumphed over unimaginable adversities to resume his calling as an English teacher in a remote mountain school in 1979. His own story is also an invaluable entree into the customs, joys, and travails of his rural neighbors. That he wrote this story himself in simple but often lyrical and exquisite English is a gift to us all that is almost beyond belief. This book belongs in all libraries. --Steven I. Levine, Boulder Run Research, Hillsborough, N.C.
From R.H. Detrick - Choice: In the last two decades several autobiographies written by people who survived the Chinese political maelstrom of the past 40 years have appeared in English. The patterns of these authors' lives are often similar, but occasionally a book presents a unique perspective on the period. He's book is in this category. This is an autobiography by "an English-speaking college graduate and a Bai, a minority group in Jianchuan county in {China's} northwestern Yunan province. . . . He recounts how minorities coped with the Chinese Communist party and the central government--which he calls 'Mr. China'--from the mid-1950s to the late 1980s. During this time, He married and divorced a peasant girl from his village (she later became a physician), endured reeducation through farmlabor, remarried, fathered two sons, and finally achieved a position as an English teacher in a rural middle school. Even though some literary license must have been used in reconstructing conversations, Mr. China's Son remains an excellent account of a remarkable man who survived a difficult period in Chinese history.
By Richard Madsen, coauthor of Habits of the Heart: This book is a gently insistent, haunting testimony to the human capacity for resilience and creativity in the face of the chaos and oppression of twentieth-century China. Pulled along by this engaging narrative, we learn many important lessons about Chinese society and history. But most important of all, we get a subtle sense of the bittersweet flavor of Chinese life. The ironies and paradoxes of modern Chinese culture is conveyed in Mr. He's unforgettable literary voice.
From Publisher's Weekly: This surprising book--written in slightly quaint but effective English by a man long removed from his college study of the language--is truly history from the bottom up. He Liyi's (The Spring of Butterflies) story is set mainly in a remote area of northwestern Yunnan, but it shows how changes in the world's largest country filtered through the life of one village and of an observant but never bitter patriot. Son of a Kuomintang policeman who was executed, He endured five years of socialist reeducation in a labor camp before returning home in 1962. Trying to create a new life, he accepts his lot as a peasant and marries a virtuous local woman who does not fear poverty. While village festivals are joyous, He is denounced by his work group during the Cultural Revolution and he steals “night soil” to contribute his share to fertilizing the fields. With little irony, He recounts family meetings concerning division of labor and their own five-year plan. He's determination to tell his story suggests that the government—“Mr. China”--has not ground out his individuality. Claire Chik, who taught English in China, helped He get a typewriter and edited his manuscript. |
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Current Reviews From Readers-friends
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****************** From:
Robert R. Holmes <rrholmes@erols.com> To:
dalihely@public.km.yn.cn <dalihely@public.km.yn.cn> Date:
2000年2月15日
23:27 Subject:
Mr China's Son Book Dear
Mr. He I
am a retired scientist, living in Virginia.
My wife and I love to travel.
The things you learn in a foreign place cannot be matched by books,
movies, or TV. We visited
Dali in November 1999 and had the pleasure to meet you in your Cafe.
We bought both of your books.
My wife has read both and I just finished your biography. I
found your story extremely compelling. It shows how much a human being can
accomplish if he never accepts defeat.
It is a lesson that could benefit many in my country. We
enjoyed our visit to Yunnan. The
people all seemed to show a spirit of self-reliance. The economy is
growing. However, only after
reading your book could I understand how deep the tradition of hard work
is among the Chinese people. If
only your country could have had the benefits of the 1949 revolution
without the horrible problems of the great leap forward and the cultural
revolution. How
are you and your family? How
is your health? I send you my
very best wishes for a long and happy life for all of you. Sincerely
yours Robert
R. Holmes, Ph.D. 708
W. Washington St Highland
Springs, VA 23075 USA rrholmes@erols.com ***************** From:
laurenp@mailexcite.com To:
davisjen@erols.com, JOBUZZ@aol.com, JOBUZZ@aol.com Subject:
He Liyi Date:
Sun, 22 Nov 1998 12:57:06 PST Dear
Friends of He Liyi, My
name is Lauren Prince. I am a junior at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. I
am an International Studies major with an Asian Studies concentration. My
focus lies on China. I just read _Mr. China's Son_ as part of an
independent study on modern Chinese history. I have read quite a number of
books regarding China's culture and history, but never have I come across
a more poignant, honest and down-to-earth account as Mr. He's. I find it
all the more amazing (and inspiring) that he wrote the entire book in his
own unique English. I
suppose now I should get to the purpose of my letter. I will be traveling
to Yunnan Province in February for a college semester abroad program based
in Kunming. My faculty advisor at Kenyon and I were talking when, rather
offhandedly, she remarked, "Wouldn't it be great if you could get in
touch with He?" I agreed that indeed it would. Neither one of us,
however, knew where to begin. Then I remembered Amazon.com. I looked up
his book and there were your reviews. I was overjoyed when I read that Mr.
He has a house in Kunming and a restaurant in Dali. Would it be possible
for me to obtain his address so that I might write him before I get to
China? It would mean so much to me to get a chance to speak with him, even
if only through letters. I am extremely interested in all aspects of
Chinese culture and history, particularly the experiences of China's
minority peoples. Mr. He. seems like such an amiable, genuine person. It
would be a pleasure to meet him. If you could give me his address, I would
be very appreciative. Thank you so much for your help!
Sincerely,
Lauren Prince *************************************** From:
David Armstrong <david.armstrong@philosophy.usyd.edu.au> To:
He Li-Yi <dalihely@public.km.yn.cn> Dear
Mr He, My
wife and I are friends of your Australian friend Claire Bundey. Recently
she lent us her copy of your autobiography to read. She said "It is
better than Wild Swans". We
decided to read it aloud, as we quite often do with books that we think
will be particularly interesting. We do this at morning coffee time. Each
morning I read out one chapter. From
the first chapter of your book, we could not wait to hear the next
chapter, and on days when business took us out in the morning
we found ourselves impatient to get back to the readings. Now we
have finished it, and Claire has given us your email address. We
do congratulate you on a wonderful book. It has left us full of admiration
for the way in which you and your 'two wives' have lived lives of hardship
almost unimaginable for people in a soft and prosperous country such as
Australia. Yet the hardship has not made you bitter, despite much
injustice, and after dreadful struggles you have finally made a better
life by making a successful war on ABC. We have never before read anything
that gives such a clear and vivid account of village life in China during
our lifetime. I
am a philosopher and my wife is a social worker, I am a little older than
you, she is a little younger, and now we are half-retired. But you are
much, much, older that either of us in your experience of life! By
a coincidence, your publisher, Westview Press, has also published a book
of mine, and is about to publish another. But these are works of technical
philosophy, which I do not think would interest you very much. In
'philosophy of life' you are far ahead! Thank
you again for all the insights of your book, and for giving us such a
clear picture of yourself that we feel that we have actually met you,
which perhaps we can do one day. With
all best wishes to you and your family David
and Jenny Armstrong *********************** From:
meissner@csd.uwm.edu To:
dalihely@public.km.yn.cn Subject:
Mr. China's Son Date:
Thu, 19 Nov 1998 15:52:37 -0800 Hello
Mr. He, How
are you these days? How is
the restaurant business? Is
the tourist season slowing down or picking up?
Mary Louise, I and our two daughters often think of you and wish we
could visit soon. I
just wanted to let you know that I am teaching a Modern China history
class at UW-M this term, and am using your book, Mr. China's Son, as a
required text. So far, the
students (about 40 in my class) have very much enjoyed it.
One woman read the first four chapters and said she cried often
about all the problems you encountered.
I'll let you know what their reactions to reading your book after
we have finished the term. Tomorrow,
I will give them a short writing assignment which will cover Part I of
your book. Do you have any questions you would like to ask them?
Do you have any comments about your book that you would like me to
tell the students? Is there one or two key points that you hope they will
remember after reading the book? I
think reading your book is a great opportunity for them to learn more
about you, your family, your life, the lives of Chinese farmers, and the
lives of Bai people. It is
also a great opportunity for me to connect my students with the author of
their text book. I would
appreciate any insights, questions, or suggestions you might offer. Again,
I hope all is well with you and your family.
Wishing you good health, prosperity and peace. Your
good friend, Dan
Meissner (and Mary Louise, Michelle and Lisa!) ********************************************* From:
Chris Box <chris@box-family.freeserve.co.uk> To:
dalihely@public.km.yn.cn Date:
1999/9/6 4:03 Subject:
Mr China's Son Dear
Sir, He Liyi, When
my wife and I visited your cafe In August your son He Lu-jiang and I
agreed that the Internet was a miracle. Truly it is. Today I have finished
reading Mr. China's Son. I did not want it to end! You say you are writing
a sequel to it. I cannot wait to read it! That means that I am really
looking forward to reading more of your remarkable life story, though I
think that you probably understand English colloquialisms better than me
so explanations are unnecessary. You
ask for comments on your book. I suspect that there are a great many
people in the UK who would wish to read it if it were more widely
available. Have you heard about the success of books like Wild Swans and
Falling Leaves. I'm sure you must have done. Have you tried to get "A
Villager's Life" published more widely? Tomorrow I'm going to start
reading it again from the beginning and I'll try to give you some more
critical insights into those parts of the book that are best in the hope
that it may help you in your quest for a best-selling sequel: many more
huge eggs for your family table! Please give our warm regards to your
eldest son and his family. Yours
sincerely Chris
and Liz Box ********************************* From:
Heidi Horsfall <heidih@intrepidtravel.com.au> To:
dalihely@public.km.yn.cn Date:
Mon, 9 Nov 1998 13:26:13 +1100 Subject:
Mr China Son!! Hello
from Intrepid in Melbourne Australia... I
recently met you in Dali on an Intrepid tour led by Tracey Uber. I was the
one who posted your mail in Australia. Remember me? I
have just finished reading your amazing life story and have passed it on
to my grandmother to read, as she is next in line!! I found your book
fascinating and my trip to China now means so much more to me after
reading your story. It seems so strange to me to think that these
incredibly difficult times have happenned so recently for you and yet I
knew nothing of the cultural revolution in China until I met you. I am now
reading Wild Swans, which I am enjoying also...How is your cafe? and what
are your children doing now? Many of my friends have asked to read your
book because I have talked about it often. My mother read Mr China Son
also and nearly left your book on an aeroplane in New Zealand in the seat
pocket! She ran back on to the aeroplane and rescued it - she said to my
father that she would be in big trouble if she lost the book!! (and she
would have been!) I better get back to work now, there is always a lot to
do.... Cheers
Heidi Horsfall _______________________________________ Heidi
Horsfall Intrepid
Travel Pty Ltd PO
Box 2781 Fitzroy DC 3065 PH:
(03)94162655 FAX:
(03)94194426 EMAIL:
heidih@intrepidtravel.com.au URL:
http://www.intrepidtravel.com.au ACN
007 172 456 _______________________________________
******************************************************* From:
"Laurel Bossen" <bossen@LEACOCK.Lan.McGill.CA> To:
dalihely@public.km.yn.cn Date:
Thu, 1 Oct 1998 12:49:59 EST Dear
Mr. He Liyi: I
am an anthropology professor at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and
have been using your book for several years now to teach university
classes about China. I have
made many trips to Yunnan for my own research in rural communities, and
have always found your book particularly interesting for that reason.
My husband recently visited your restaurant-cafe in Dali, and he
brought back a copy of your book autographed by He Luzhong, and your email
address. I was delighted to
receive them. My
students have nearly finished reading your book, and I was wondering if
you would be willing to reply to their questions if I asked them to
prepare a list that I would email to you.
I did not give them your email address for fear you might be
inundated with requests. I,
too, would love to correspond with you if you are not already overburdened
with requests. I
look forward to hearing your answers to my questions, and to the idea of
sending you some of my students' questions in the near future.
I must thank you for writing a truly wonderful, special book which
I have not only shared with students, but also with family and friends,
including friends from China who have all enjoyed it. Sincerely, Laurel
Bossen Laurel
Bossen, Assoc. Prof.
Tel: 514-398-4289 Dept.
of Anthropology
Fax: 514-398-7476 McGill
University
e-mail: bossen@leacock.lan.mcgill.ca ************************************** Mr.
He Li-yi c/o
He Lu-jiang Dali
Medical College Yunnan
Peoples
Republic of China
15th October 1998 Dear
Mr. He Li-yi, I
have just finished reading "Mr. China's Son" and felt I really
wanted to write and say how much I had enjoyed it. I found the whole book
extremely moving and while reading it shed many tears especially for you
and your family but also China itself. I
read your book on the recommendation of my daughter Clare who in turn had
read it on the recommendation of her tutor at Cambridge University, from
where she graduated in June 1997. Clare
is now a student again. In February she began an intensive course in
Mandarin in Beijing University. The highlight of her summer vacation was a
visit to Yunnan an area of China in which she has a particular interest.
The friendliness of the people, the stunning scenery and discovering your
Cafe were highlights of this trip for her. She was very sorry indeed not
to have actually met you and also to hear from your son that you were
unwell. Clare and I both hope you are now fully recovered and wish you and
your family well in the future. Perhaps you are writing a sequel to Mr.
China's Son? That would be wonderful news. My
husband and I are greatly looking forward to a fortnight's holiday in
Beijing from the beginning of November. I know that all the insights I
have gained about China's recent history from your book will immeasurably
increase our understanding and thereby pleasure from our visit to see our
now Mandarin speaking daughter and your beautiful country. Yours
sincerely Mary
Roberts **************************** From:
"A. Barnard" <amylb@u.washington.edu> To:
dalihely@public.km.yn.cn Mr.
He Li-yi, Three
years ago I read your book, Mr. China's Son, for a Chinese history class
that I took at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
I thought that your book was wonderful!
It was so fun to read, and I liked learning all about your life and
your family. It was the best
book that I read in that class, and one of the best books that I have ever
read in school! I
am now a librarian and I am working for a company called Microsoft on
their computer encyclopedia, Encarta.
I am making "further reading lists" so that people can
learn more about a topic that they have read about in the encyclopedia.
Since I remember your book so fondly, and since I want others to
have the wonderful experience of reading it, I am going to place your book
on a further reading list about life in China under Chairman Mao!
Of course, my editor will have the final decision about wheather or
not Mr. China's Son is ultimately included, but it is my strong hope that she
says yes (I believe that she will). I
am very happy that your life has been so good since you wrote your book,
and I am happy that your family is well!
Thank you for writing Mr. China's Son and for sharing your life
with students all over the world. You are a wonderful teacher! Sincerely, Ms.
Amy Barnard ************************* Letter
From Norway 16th
November 1998 Dear
Mr. He! How
are you? Do you remember me? I am the Norwegian girl who visited your
place on the 7th-9th of October, and had the pleasure of seeing you and
having my meals in your cafe. I must say that I enjoyed the warm and
friendly atmosphere created by you. I felt "at home" straight
away, you have a charisma and a genuine hospitality that I have met
nowhere else on my journey through China! This is straight from my heart!! I
have finished reading your autobiography and just had to write down my
thoughts right away. I experience a lot of different feelings after
reading your book. Firstly, I have really enjoyed it! It made me laugh,
smile and cry. I even felt angry, sad, and thoughtful! The book is
wonderful, and gave me much knowledge about your life, China's culture,
people and development. I have learned a lot. Your way of describing and
telling is rich and playful. I love the way you use your words. One thing
that hurts my heart is learning to know the difficulties of your people
compared to my childhood with all the material wealth, education, health
service and freedom that the people of my country take for granted. While
your headache was how to feed your family mine was I didn't like the food
my mother prepared for me!! While your people had to "fight" for
their basic education, the children of Norway "didn't want to go to
school because it was boring". I can continue with lots of other
example, but I am not to. It is not comparable, though, but it is
"healthy" to learn something about other peoples' lives and
cultures. It makes at least me appreciate things that I normally take for
granted, but also makes me aware of values that are not so well cared for
in our society compared to yours. How on earth did you manage to keep
faith in yourself and hope for a better future? I admire your attitude
strongly. Your positive "self-talk" is one of your strengths!! ...... I
wish you good luck and all the best!!! I'll
recommend your book to all my family and friends!!! Love
from your friend Froydis
Eriksen Froydis
Eriksen/5304 Hetlevik/Norway ************************* From:
"Sue Bishop" <bishop@public3.bta.net.cn> To:
"Li-yi He" <dalihely@public.km.yn.cn> Date:
Thu, 5 Nov 1998 22:17:01 +0800 Dear
Mr He I
have just finished reading your book “Mr China's Son”.
I wish I had read it before coming to Dali so I could have spent
many hours in your cafe listening to more stories about your life
experiences. I found it
fascinating and very moving - and could you have possibly imagined 20 or
30 years ago that you would be sitting at your computer reading email
messages from all around the world! I
have just noticed that you even have a web site - I must visit it!
But probably not quite the same as visiting Dali itself! I
hope you are in good health. Best
wishes Sue ************************* From:
ted fenna tedfenna@hotmail.com To:
Mr. China’s Son dalihely@public.km.yn.cn Date:
July 8th, 1999 Subject:
Mr. China’s Son By He Liyi ‘Lonely Planet” Dear Mr He, We were in
Dali, Yunnan, China a month ago in middle of June and naturally we arrived
at your cafe. We knew nothing about you but some people told us to visit
for the food and atmosphere so we did. My wife
Vivian is from Hong Kong and engaged you in conversation while I was
talking to a couple from Holland. Vivian bought two copies of your book,
one for her sister Liza in Michigan. I read
your book with growing interest and great pleasure all through my spare
time over a few days. You are to
be congratulated not just for the writing (in English) or the personal
story which is truly fascinating but also for your warmth and generosity
of spirit. There is an underlying sense of inevitable success based on
integrity, truth and honesty with yourself that will overcome every
obstacle. And there is your humour and the love. Thank you
for a wonderful book which I will ask all my friends to read and maybe
understand better that period of China's recent history that we all find
so baffling. Warm
wishes for your future happiness and I hope we meet again some day. Ted |
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Current Reviews From The Internet
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Reviewer: Debbie Lane from Australia This book conveys so many emotions, from all of this one is left almost numb. But having met the man, He LiYi, I can say that this book is a mirror of the man in real life. All that comes out in this book is so exact, in his mannerisms and gentle voice. He is so unassuming and modest, and does not appear to be capable of such strength and determination. This book lets you see that we are all capable of making a difference if only small. I had no knowledge of this book untill I visited his cafe in Dali, I purchased the book directly from him and now pass it to all who are interested. A truly powerful book full of what these people, the Bai, have had to endure at the hands of the ever present "Mr China".
Reviewer: A reader from Denver I thoroughly enjoy reading about Chinese life. I learn quite a bit about a life away from home! I prefer these types of books that whisk me to different parts of the world, chronologically, socially, and culturally. The lives that other people experience elsewhere are fascinating, and one can become engulfed in the stories. I feel as if the author sat down and TOLD me all about his life, something I didn't know about. Like I had an interesting friend over for lunch. This was a superb book to the end!
Better than Wild Swans! The book about the Cultural Revolution which is best known in the West is probably Wild Swans. If you enjoyed that, then this is a "must read". The events and story are just as interesting, if not more so, but in addition this book is far better written. One senses the enormous challenge and satisfaction that Mr He experienced in grappling with the English language and moulding it tell his own story - the experience of the revolutionary in the Chinese countryside. His marvellous style is unique. And his humour and lack of bitterness shine through the story. <B>
Eloquently written autobiography during a henious time. The most remarkable thing that struck me about this book was the forever positive outlook Mr. He continued to have through his many trials of being and intellectual during the Cultural Rev. And an English speaking one at that. He was ill suited to the farm life he was banished to endure but his peasant wife (arranged marriage) stood by him while his true love was lost through circumstances beyond anyones control. It a story of survival that anyman could be faced with and one wonders how we would have fared. Mr. He and I have been friends and correspondents for over l0 yrs. and I have been to his home in Dali and Kunming. He is ever the positive, smiling gentleman that comes across through his pages and a credit to cross cultural friendships. A must read!
I met the author in Dali China, he has a litte cafe there and is very friendly. His book is very interessant and shows the life of a "normal" Chinese. He learnt English by his own, and wrote this book in an easy English style, so that also people with poor english (like me) enjoy it.
A must if you are interested in recent Chinese history. Mr He's book gives an excellent insight of life on the chinese countryside and the way it was affected by the turbulant changes of pre-war Chinese history. What makes it even more interesting is the very direct, humorous and personal way mr He describes his experiences. A book that is hard to put aside once you start reading it !!!
Mr. China's Son: An excellent portrait of a villager's life. He Liyi's _Mr. China's Son_ is an incredible (and almost unbelievable) foray through nearly half a century of China's tremulous modern era through the eyes of an exceptional Bai villager. This book would be particularly attractive for those whose appetites were whetted by Anchee Min's _Red Azalea_. Though Ms. Min's book was more novelesqe, Mr. He's book is a panorama of daily life that makes more use of detail than Ms. Min's book. Very nice!
Moving account of survival during Cultural Revolution. Mr. China's Son is the very moving story of a remarkable man who was persecuted during the Cultural Revolution for the crime of having been educated to speak English. From his job in a labor reform camp tending water buffaloes, he eventually is released and becomes a peasant farmer. He later becomes a middle school English teacher in a remote mountain school in Yunnan province. Along the way he picks up a cadre of foreign friends and correspondents and wins a trip to England from the BBC. I have been corresponding with Mr. He since 1983, and was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to review his manuscript for this book (778 pages) prior to its publication. Even though we have never met in person, I consider him one of my closest friends and one of the most fascinating people I've ever known. His book is being used as a text in many colleges in history/Asian studies courses. He frequently is called to meet with visiting student groups or visiting college professors who have used his book in their studies. Mr. He's two sons are both college graduates. The younger son, He Lu-Zhong, won a trip to Germany some years ago and recently completed a year of study in Bangkok, Thailand. The older son, He Lu-Jiang, teaches English at Dali Medical College, has a young son of his own. Mr. He and Lu-Jiang are currently working on an English language book about tourist attractions in the Dali area. Mr. China's Son is definitely a must read!
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