Saturday, January 7, 2012
Thoughts on "A Heart for Freedom"
1The first day I returned to work, Chai Ling's memoir "A Heart for Freedom" was waiting for me on the desk. It was among several packages from Amazon and educational publishers. Like before, she works hard to promote or sell if you like, something. But that's nothing wrong with that.
I'd like to hear her story.
2. . I knew Chai Ling from the past, almost feel like in another life.
She was a friend of my roomate from undergraduate years, and often came to our dorm to chat with her. I, with my roomate, visited her once at her
rented place in Haidian, just outside Beida. It was a crammed room in a typical overcrowded Siheyuan, but she must be vey contended then. She was giggling all the time--or maybe just the way she talks.
To move out of student dorm and have a place of one's own is a luxury few of us dare to dream in those days, not just for financial reason.
Still I remember her as an ordinary girl, later I had difficulty to associate this girl with the one at Tiananmen square.
3. Soon after she got famous because of the student movement, I had a chat with a guy who knew Chai Ling better than me. He commented: "She is like mercury, rolling at all directions and simply couldn't
settle down."
So she is metal, despite of the liquid appearance.
4. In the last two decades, whenever I came across a report --with a picture of her, I wondered what had made her changed so much, at least from appearance. I don't mean the "natural process" from a lively girl to a heavy middle-aged, but the tense look and the seriousness. Women like me are often "distracted" by those trival things, but we can tell a lot from those trival things.
She wasn't happy, lots of times, you almost can tell the restlessnes, the struggle, even the fear. It shows a soul not at peace with itself.
5. Finally Chai Ling's new book may offer some clues.
I have read some negative comments on this book, mostly in Chinese, by Chinese. Her confession on her abortions (4 in total) was ridiculed. It seems much of the sneer come from people who haven't really read the book!
So let's read the book first!(To be continued)
I'd like to hear her story.
2. . I knew Chai Ling from the past, almost feel like in another life.
She was a friend of my roomate from undergraduate years, and often came to our dorm to chat with her. I, with my roomate, visited her once at her
rented place in Haidian, just outside Beida. It was a crammed room in a typical overcrowded Siheyuan, but she must be vey contended then. She was giggling all the time--or maybe just the way she talks.
To move out of student dorm and have a place of one's own is a luxury few of us dare to dream in those days, not just for financial reason.
Still I remember her as an ordinary girl, later I had difficulty to associate this girl with the one at Tiananmen square.
3. Soon after she got famous because of the student movement, I had a chat with a guy who knew Chai Ling better than me. He commented: "She is like mercury, rolling at all directions and simply couldn't
settle down."
So she is metal, despite of the liquid appearance.
4. In the last two decades, whenever I came across a report --with a picture of her, I wondered what had made her changed so much, at least from appearance. I don't mean the "natural process" from a lively girl to a heavy middle-aged, but the tense look and the seriousness. Women like me are often "distracted" by those trival things, but we can tell a lot from those trival things.
She wasn't happy, lots of times, you almost can tell the restlessnes, the struggle, even the fear. It shows a soul not at peace with itself.
5. Finally Chai Ling's new book may offer some clues.
I have read some negative comments on this book, mostly in Chinese, by Chinese. Her confession on her abortions (4 in total) was ridiculed. It seems much of the sneer come from people who haven't really read the book!
So let's read the book first!(To be continued)
Labels: book review
Happy new year, both here and there!
It's such a wonderful feeling to be both here and there.
After 20 years--exactly, I finally enjoy the life in between!
After 20 years--exactly, I finally enjoy the life in between!
Labels: greetings
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