What do you think?
Rate this book
賮鬲丕丞 丕賱賵卮丕丨 丕賱兀丨賲乇
乇賵丕賷丞 "賮鬲丕丞 丕賱賵卮丕丨 丕賱兀丨賲乇" 賲賳 匕丕賰乇丞 丕賱孬賵乇丞 丕賱孬賯丕賮賷丞 賮賷 丕賱氐賷賳 賰鬲亘鬲 亘丕賱丕賳賰賱賷夭賷丞 毓賳 丕賱賮鬲丕丞 噩賷 賱賷 賷丕賳噩 丕賱鬲賷 賰丕賳鬲 毓丕賲 1966 賮賷 丕賱孬丕賳賷丞 毓卮乇丞 賲賳 毓賲乇賴丕 賵胤丕賱亘丞 賲鬲賲賷夭丞貙 賵賱丿賷賴丕 賰賱 賲丕 鬲氐亘賵 廿賱賷賴: 丕賱匕賰丕亍 賵丕賱賲賯丿乇丞 賵廿毓噩丕亘 丕賯乇兀賳賴丕 賵賲爻鬲賯亘賱 亘丕賴乇 賮賷 氐賷賳 丕賱夭毓賷賲 賲丕賵 丕賱噩丿賷丿丞. 賱賰賳 賴匕丕 丕賱賵囟毓 鬲睾賷乇 賲毓 亘丿兀 丕賱孬賵乇丞 丕賱孬賯丕賮賷丞 丨賷賳 氐丕乇 丕賱匕賰丕亍 噩乇賷賲丞貙 賵丨賷賳 兀賲爻賷 丕賱乇賮丕賴 丕賱賲丕丿賷 賱毓丕卅賱丞 賲丕 賮賷 丕賱爻丕亘賯貙 賲丿毓丕丞 賱賱丕囟胤賴丕丿 賵爻賱亘 丕賱賰乇丕賲丞 賵丕賱賲乇丕賯亘丞 賵賰賷賱 丕賱鬲賴賲 丕賱賲賱賮賯丞 賵賲氐丕丿乇丞 兀孬丕孬 丕賱亘賷鬲.
賰匕賱賰 兀賴賷賳鬲 噩賷 賱賷 賷丕賳噩 賵毓丕卅賱鬲賴丕 胤賵丕賱 丕賱爻賳賷賳 丕賱孬賱丕孬 丕賱鬲賷 鬲爻乇丿 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵賯丕卅毓賴丕 亘賱睾丞 賲亘爻胤丞 賵賰兀賳賴丕 卮丕賴丿丞 兀賰孬乇 賲賲丕 鬲賲丕乇爻 丿賵乇 丕賱廿賷丨丕亍 賵丕賱賱毓亘 毓賱賷 賲丿賷丕鬲 丕賱賱睾丞.
毓丕卮鬲 毓丕卅賱丞 丕賱賮鬲丕丞 賮賷 馗賱 禺賵賮 丿丕卅賲 賵鬲禺賱賷 兀氐丕丨亘賴賲 賵噩賷乇丕賳賴賲 賵夭賲賱丕卅賴賲 毓賳賴賲 賱賲噩乇丿 兀賳 賮賱爻賮丞 丕賱夭毓賷賲 賲丕賵 丕賱孬賯丕賮賷丞 鬲氐丕丿乇 賰賱 賲丕 賱賴 毓賱丕賯丞 亘丕賱賯丿賷賲丕鬲 丕賱兀乇亘毓 賵賲丨丕爻亘丞 丕賱兀卮禺丕氐 毓賱賷 孬乇丕亍 兀亘丕卅賴賲 賵鬲氐賳賷賮 丕賱毓賵丕卅賱 丨爻亘 賵囟毓賴丕 丕賱胤亘賯賷 廿賱賷 爻賵丿丕亍 毓賳丿賲丕 鬲鬲賲鬲毓 亘卮賷亍 賲賳 丕賱乇禺丕亍 兀賵 賰丕賳鬲 賰匕賱賰 賮賷賲丕 賲囟賷貙 賵賮鬲丨 丕賱亘丕亘 兀賲丕賲 丕賱胤亘賯丕鬲 丕賱賴丕賲卮賷丞 賵丕賱賮賯乇丕亍 賱賱丕爻鬲丨賵丕匕 毓賱賷 賲賲鬲賱賰丕鬲賴丕 丕賱卮禺氐賷丞!
Azzaman International Newspaper - issue 3632 Date 29/6/2010
賰匕賱賰 兀賴賷賳鬲 噩賷 賱賷 賷丕賳噩 賵毓丕卅賱鬲賴丕 胤賵丕賱 丕賱爻賳賷賳 丕賱孬賱丕孬 丕賱鬲賷 鬲爻乇丿 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賵賯丕卅毓賴丕 亘賱睾丞 賲亘爻胤丞 賵賰兀賳賴丕 卮丕賴丿丞 兀賰孬乇 賲賲丕 鬲賲丕乇爻 丿賵乇 丕賱廿賷丨丕亍 賵丕賱賱毓亘 毓賱賷 賲丿賷丕鬲 丕賱賱睾丞.
毓丕卮鬲 毓丕卅賱丞 丕賱賮鬲丕丞 賮賷 馗賱 禺賵賮 丿丕卅賲 賵鬲禺賱賷 兀氐丕丨亘賴賲 賵噩賷乇丕賳賴賲 賵夭賲賱丕卅賴賲 毓賳賴賲 賱賲噩乇丿 兀賳 賮賱爻賮丞 丕賱夭毓賷賲 賲丕賵 丕賱孬賯丕賮賷丞 鬲氐丕丿乇 賰賱 賲丕 賱賴 毓賱丕賯丞 亘丕賱賯丿賷賲丕鬲 丕賱兀乇亘毓 賵賲丨丕爻亘丞 丕賱兀卮禺丕氐 毓賱賷 孬乇丕亍 兀亘丕卅賴賲 賵鬲氐賳賷賮 丕賱毓賵丕卅賱 丨爻亘 賵囟毓賴丕 丕賱胤亘賯賷 廿賱賷 爻賵丿丕亍 毓賳丿賲丕 鬲鬲賲鬲毓 亘卮賷亍 賲賳 丕賱乇禺丕亍 兀賵 賰丕賳鬲 賰匕賱賰 賮賷賲丕 賲囟賷貙 賵賮鬲丨 丕賱亘丕亘 兀賲丕賲 丕賱胤亘賯丕鬲 丕賱賴丕賲卮賷丞 賵丕賱賮賯乇丕亍 賱賱丕爻鬲丨賵丕匕 毓賱賷 賲賲鬲賱賰丕鬲賴丕 丕賱卮禺氐賷丞!
Azzaman International Newspaper - issue 3632 Date 29/6/2010
266 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1997
940 people are currently reading
10.2k people want to read
About the author
Ji-li Jiang
7听books95听followersComing from Shanghai, China, in 1984, where she used to be a science teacher, author Ji-li Jiang studied in Hawaii then worked as a corporate Operations Analyst and Budgeting Director for several years. In 1992, she co-founded East West Exchange, Inc., a company created to promote and facilitate cultural and business exchanges between China and the western countries.
Ji-li's first book, Red Scarf Girl fulfilled a long cherished wish to tell her story about what happened to her, her family, her neighborhood, and to her school during the 1960s Cultural Revolution in China. Red Scarf Girl won an ALA 1998 Best Book for Young Adults award, ALA Notable Book award, was cited by Publishers Weekly 1997 as one of the Best Nonfiction Books for Children, as well as a Parenting magazine Magic Awards鈥�1997 Most Wonderful Children's Books. To reach so many children with her own story has been very meaningful to Ms. Jiang.
Today, Ji-li lives in the San Francisco area. Besides writing, she devotes her time to various cultural exchange programs; organizing groups to study alternative medicine in China; bringing Chinese art troupes to perform in the States; sending students to summer camps in China to understand the Chinese culture, etc.
She says, "If there is one goal I'd like to achieve in my life it is to bridge the gap between China and the western countries. I strongly believe that a better understanding around the world is the basis of world peace."
Ji-li's first book, Red Scarf Girl fulfilled a long cherished wish to tell her story about what happened to her, her family, her neighborhood, and to her school during the 1960s Cultural Revolution in China. Red Scarf Girl won an ALA 1998 Best Book for Young Adults award, ALA Notable Book award, was cited by Publishers Weekly 1997 as one of the Best Nonfiction Books for Children, as well as a Parenting magazine Magic Awards鈥�1997 Most Wonderful Children's Books. To reach so many children with her own story has been very meaningful to Ms. Jiang.
Today, Ji-li lives in the San Francisco area. Besides writing, she devotes her time to various cultural exchange programs; organizing groups to study alternative medicine in China; bringing Chinese art troupes to perform in the States; sending students to summer camps in China to understand the Chinese culture, etc.
She says, "If there is one goal I'd like to achieve in my life it is to bridge the gap between China and the western countries. I strongly believe that a better understanding around the world is the basis of world peace."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,146 reviews
April 8, 2018
Terror seen through the eyes of a twelve year-old girl, this is a memoir of the Cultural Revolution as much as a truly harrowing horror story where relatives & friends betray each other for no reason. The zombification of the Chinese under Mao's rule is distinctively awful, a mindset and time that must never be repeated (but under Trump's potential presidency, possibly might*).
*Oracle time!-- wow do I feel dumb now.
*Oracle time!-- wow do I feel dumb now.
September 12, 2008
A revealing tale of how people will gradually allow more and more of their freedoms to be taken away when they are pitted one against another. That was Mao's genius--keep the masses in constant revolt between classes.
Mao was so revered that, as a youth, the author questioned her parents rather than the establishment. Her response to the difficult choice forced upon her (to choose her family or the party) is a powerful lesson. A well written book for her intended audience (youth).
My daughter really connected with the author and could be heard roaming the house saying things like, "I'm so glad I live in America," and "I can keep a stamp collection without anyone trying to take it away from me." All along our journey through this book, I kept pointing out to my children the subtle things that were alienating neighbors and family from each other and how it resulted in less freedom. All youth should learn how to recognize these techniques to keep our freedoms strong.
Mao was so revered that, as a youth, the author questioned her parents rather than the establishment. Her response to the difficult choice forced upon her (to choose her family or the party) is a powerful lesson. A well written book for her intended audience (youth).
My daughter really connected with the author and could be heard roaming the house saying things like, "I'm so glad I live in America," and "I can keep a stamp collection without anyone trying to take it away from me." All along our journey through this book, I kept pointing out to my children the subtle things that were alienating neighbors and family from each other and how it resulted in less freedom. All youth should learn how to recognize these techniques to keep our freedoms strong.
July 27, 2008
What to say about this...sometimes I have to resist the urge to review every book that I read. Then I think about the fact that I didn't review it, and I think, "Oh, just review it. Say something. Say anything." Not that people are just waiting to read what I and everyone else thought of it, but I feel that I should at least say something about it. After all, people do search for books to read and all the reviews pop up underneath them, so if they are interested enough to click on this book, they are likely interested enough to read what people said about it.
The reason that I picked up this book in the first place was because I wanted to read more about the Chinese Cultural Revolution, and it was suggested to me by a friend of a friend. She knew I was looking for more general information rather than one person鈥檚 account, but she suggested it because there is not much literature out there about that period of China鈥檚 history.
Here are some random thoughts:
The book was very YA, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it wasn鈥檛 quite what I was looking for.
The intensity with which the people in Shanghai, where Jiang lived, jumped on the bandwagon of abolishing the 鈥淔our Olds鈥� was terrifying. With a few well-turned phrases, it was very easy for people to argue that something was 鈥淔our Olds鈥�. As a consequence, almost anything could, and was, considered as such. In particular, the kids Jiang鈥檚 age were frenzied in their judgments both in school and around town.
In school, families such as Jiang鈥檚 that were unlucky enough to be considered 鈥渂lack鈥� rather than 鈥渞ed鈥� had it the worst. They were ridiculed, they got into fights, and their belongings were taken by other children. They were denied many opportunities, which included admission to schools they might have otherwise attended.
At home, the Red Guard came in and destroyed where they lived while looking for items that were considered 鈥淔our Olds鈥�. Before they arrived, Jiang鈥檚 family burned photos and clothing, repainted furniture, but still the Red Guard 'found' and confiscated many of their belongings.
All in all, I enjoyed reading about Ji-Li Jiang鈥檚 transformation from a young woman blindly following Chairman Mao鈥檚 edicts, to first questioning the Revolution when her family was affected, and ultimately opposing it and leaving China to move to the United States.
叠耻迟鈥�
Yes, the havoc that the Chinese Cultural Revolution wrought on families was frightening. Yes, it was terrible what happened to Jiang and her family, but I wonder what kind of person she would have become had she been part of one of the lucky 鈥渞ed鈥� families. I wonder if there would have been a memoir at all.
The reason that I picked up this book in the first place was because I wanted to read more about the Chinese Cultural Revolution, and it was suggested to me by a friend of a friend. She knew I was looking for more general information rather than one person鈥檚 account, but she suggested it because there is not much literature out there about that period of China鈥檚 history.
Here are some random thoughts:
The book was very YA, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it wasn鈥檛 quite what I was looking for.
The intensity with which the people in Shanghai, where Jiang lived, jumped on the bandwagon of abolishing the 鈥淔our Olds鈥� was terrifying. With a few well-turned phrases, it was very easy for people to argue that something was 鈥淔our Olds鈥�. As a consequence, almost anything could, and was, considered as such. In particular, the kids Jiang鈥檚 age were frenzied in their judgments both in school and around town.
In school, families such as Jiang鈥檚 that were unlucky enough to be considered 鈥渂lack鈥� rather than 鈥渞ed鈥� had it the worst. They were ridiculed, they got into fights, and their belongings were taken by other children. They were denied many opportunities, which included admission to schools they might have otherwise attended.
At home, the Red Guard came in and destroyed where they lived while looking for items that were considered 鈥淔our Olds鈥�. Before they arrived, Jiang鈥檚 family burned photos and clothing, repainted furniture, but still the Red Guard 'found' and confiscated many of their belongings.
All in all, I enjoyed reading about Ji-Li Jiang鈥檚 transformation from a young woman blindly following Chairman Mao鈥檚 edicts, to first questioning the Revolution when her family was affected, and ultimately opposing it and leaving China to move to the United States.
叠耻迟鈥�
Yes, the havoc that the Chinese Cultural Revolution wrought on families was frightening. Yes, it was terrible what happened to Jiang and her family, but I wonder what kind of person she would have become had she been part of one of the lucky 鈥渞ed鈥� families. I wonder if there would have been a memoir at all.
November 28, 2021
Definitely recommended. Research is showing that people these days are already forgetting about super important things like World War Two and the Holocaust (some 50% of Europeans don't know that 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust) and the Cultural Revolution is also being forgotten, too. If we don't learn about these types of horrors, history is bound to repeat again...
December 16, 2018
鈥淟ife is stranger than fiction.鈥� Reading this unassuming-looking middle-grade book from 1999 really displays the truth of that statement. The Hunger Games, Divergent鈥搉one of these modern popular dystopian works come even close to the impact of Ji-li Jiang鈥檚 Red Scarf Girl. As Ji-li takes us through her life during the start of China鈥檚 Cultural Revolution, the fabric of Chinese society crumbles day by day. Heartbreak and destruction are constant, as homes are ransacked, the elderly are beaten in the streets, and children are coerced into denouncing their parents, all in the name of a poisonous left-wing ideology.
The parallels to the political issues the modern world faces are undeniable and scary. The struggle sessions, where the ideologically possessed pile insults and accusations on supposed counterrevolutionaries, are just a few ticks up from a Twitter mob. Readers watch on as poor Ji-li struggles to come to terms with her grandfather鈥檚 class status as a landlord, whom she never even met. Yet his status has left a black mark on her family background, meaning that Ji-li has unrenounceable privilege which haunts her at every turn. Does any of this sound eerily familiar?
This is not a book with lush descriptions; it reads as a bit older, though not dated, and the verbiage is very straightforward. Though the language used is pretty plain, I remember reading this book as a kid and not really getting it. Why was Ji-li being pressured to write ugly lies about her teachers and post them around the school? Why were the grown-ups always holding whispered meetings in the bathroom? If you read this book when you were younger, please give it another go, since I suspect hefty chunks of it will fly over the heads of the target audience. Read as an adult, the message of Ji-li鈥檚 memoir is impossible to miss: this is what happens when a government endorses equity and social justice, then elects extreme measures to achieve those impossible goals.
December 2, 2007
Many Americans, myself included, have an opinion about China, Communism, or most likely both. What most of us have neglected to do is explore how valid our opinions are. Ji-Li Jiang's memoir was written for children, and because she is a teacher her book is very accessible for most elementary school-age kids. It's no less interesting or valuable for adults, though, simply because we are not her intended audience. Red Scarf Girl brings us with Ji-Li as she grows up in the height of China's cultural revolution, not long after the beginning of Communism in that country. It's an unclouded, child's-eye view of both what it's like to grow up in these conditions, as well as how political atrocities can take root in a community of normal, well-intentioned citizens. It also has strong themes of the importance of family, and of understanding your beliefs and the costs of holding them. This book was touching, frightening, hopeful, and infuriating by turns, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone, especially in light of the upcoming Beijing Olympics.
January 26, 2015
I've only read a few books that center on the Cultural Revolution in China. This one is different in that it's a memoir and focusses very specifically on 2 years of young girl's life when she's 12-14 years old; very impressionable and insecure years for many girls, under normal situations.
Mao's Cultural Revolution was mayhem, from what I've gathered from the few books I've read. People denouncing neighbours, people being wary & afraid of speaking out, people being pronounced "black" (not with the "red" regime) for having family heirlooms or pictures showing past wealth or comforts.
It was an awful time of uncertainty and fear to have to live through.
One thing this book shows is how a person who truly believed the goodness and leadership of Mao, was enthusiastic in all of Mao's initiatives and who tried so hard to be a good Red, slowly turned her way of thinking around because of how the Reds treated her and her family & friends. Fanaticism doesn't draw people into the fold but turns them away.
This is an interesting look at one families trials through a difficult time.
Mao's Cultural Revolution was mayhem, from what I've gathered from the few books I've read. People denouncing neighbours, people being wary & afraid of speaking out, people being pronounced "black" (not with the "red" regime) for having family heirlooms or pictures showing past wealth or comforts.
It was an awful time of uncertainty and fear to have to live through.
One thing this book shows is how a person who truly believed the goodness and leadership of Mao, was enthusiastic in all of Mao's initiatives and who tried so hard to be a good Red, slowly turned her way of thinking around because of how the Reds treated her and her family & friends. Fanaticism doesn't draw people into the fold but turns them away.
This is an interesting look at one families trials through a difficult time.
January 17, 2016
I read this years ago. I'd studied some about the Cultural Revolution in school, and this was a book we followed it up with. It was a fascinating read about what happened during the Communist takeover, even to one who had been a committed member of the Communist party. Chilling, too; especially since the time is largely forgotten now. And you know the famous quote about being doomed to repeat the history we forget....
May 4, 2018
A young adult memoir about growing up in Shanghai during the Cultural Revolution. In many ways, her background was similar to my wife's, so from this standpoint it was quite interesting.
One step at a time, opportunities, luxuries, friendships, and even family relationships are stripped from her. It's done in the name of advancing the revolutionary spirit. While this is happening, she sometimes questions the authority and motives of the people implementing the policies. But she never thinks to question the policies themselves, or their source in Mao.
The great irony in the policies is that the idea is to eliminate the "four olds." These are old, pre-revolutionary ways of thinking and behaving. But the biggest sign of guilt for the Red Guard is that someone's ancestor was a landlord. That's the black sin that taints the narrator's family. And what is more a sign of old thinking than the idea that a person is defined by his/her ancestry?
The writing is a bit overly simple, as the book seems deliberately aimed at a YA audience. This is too bad. I don't mind the simplicity, but I don't like it when I get the impression that things have been deliberately been dumbed down. It takes a special writer to put together a children's book that appeals to adults, and this one doesn't quite hit the mark. Having said that, it was an interesting book to read, and I'm by no means sorry that I did.
One step at a time, opportunities, luxuries, friendships, and even family relationships are stripped from her. It's done in the name of advancing the revolutionary spirit. While this is happening, she sometimes questions the authority and motives of the people implementing the policies. But she never thinks to question the policies themselves, or their source in Mao.
The great irony in the policies is that the idea is to eliminate the "four olds." These are old, pre-revolutionary ways of thinking and behaving. But the biggest sign of guilt for the Red Guard is that someone's ancestor was a landlord. That's the black sin that taints the narrator's family. And what is more a sign of old thinking than the idea that a person is defined by his/her ancestry?
The writing is a bit overly simple, as the book seems deliberately aimed at a YA audience. This is too bad. I don't mind the simplicity, but I don't like it when I get the impression that things have been deliberately been dumbed down. It takes a special writer to put together a children's book that appeals to adults, and this one doesn't quite hit the mark. Having said that, it was an interesting book to read, and I'm by no means sorry that I did.
March 24, 2015
This book is powerful for me because it happened to a girl my age who was born in China. I wonder if I could have been as strong as she was. Chairman Mao had them all fooled, and I wonder when (not if) it will happen again. I read "The Children's Story, " by James Michner to my class to start this book. It seems real to me and them. Who now would give up his or her summer to work for the country? Who would stay up all day and night to work on a project for shcool? Who would walk right by his grandmother on the sidwalk when she needed help? This powerful story shows us life in China during the Cultural Revolution.
My book group read this and of course I reread this book every year with my 7th grade students, so I've read it multiple times. My neighbor entered a history fair competition and won 5th in the nation. She presented her project at our book group. We had a great discussion and listened to the interview that she had with the author. Ji Li is down to earth and normal. She has fullfilled her goal in my mind. She has raised awareness and helped people here know about what happened in China. If you don't know about the Cultural Revolution or Chairman Mao, read this book. It's very worth your time.
My book group read this and of course I reread this book every year with my 7th grade students, so I've read it multiple times. My neighbor entered a history fair competition and won 5th in the nation. She presented her project at our book group. We had a great discussion and listened to the interview that she had with the author. Ji Li is down to earth and normal. She has fullfilled her goal in my mind. She has raised awareness and helped people here know about what happened in China. If you don't know about the Cultural Revolution or Chairman Mao, read this book. It's very worth your time.
November 16, 2008
Ji-li Jiang writes of a terrible time the history of China and in her life. Everyone was so enamored and "brainwashed" by Mao's greatness that the Chinese began to change the way they thought, dressed, acted and were educated----and if they didn't, they were seen as Four Olds to be humiliated in front of family and friends by teen guards that had become revolutionized to do Mao's good work. Her family went from a success story to being blamed for a grandfather being a landlord which was considered the worst, their furniture was taken, their clothes, their father and they were questioned as enemies. As soon as I finished I wanted to learn all I could about what would make a country change so much for Mao. It was a sobering and scary story by a wonderful, bright, intelligent teen who chose to stand by her family and not renounce them.
August 29, 2017
This was a really sad book for me, the author who is just a few years older then me, had to go through this while I grew up obliviously on the other side of the world watching Star Trek on TV and going to summer camp. The 13 year old girl was sent to a farm commune and worked close to death.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2008
Very informational. I have such a love and fascination for Chinese history, that I really enjoyed it. I kept thinking, wow, we are so close to this in the US! I hope I've prepared my children to stand up for their heritage!
July 29, 2021
Written for young people, this first person coming of age account of the cultural revolution might be better read by adults. Adults could more easily discern the subtle clues of how good became evil, how success became disaster, how the respect afforded elderly people became scorn, and the incredible destruction of lives and property. Mao is credited with something like 40-60 MILLION deaths, many of which occurred during this tumultuous time, and as the very personal story of one family in Shanghai, it makes for heavy material.
The first person narrative does not illuminate any of these things for young readers, but rather seeks to simply recount the desperate situation in which the 12-14 year old authoress finds herself. Although this has tremendous historical value, the young woman is, quite bluntly, clueless as to what is going on around her. The adults, be they teachers or parents, do nothing to either help her navigate the storm or even understand what is going on.
Perhaps in the hands of a good teacher, the text could be suitably illuminated. The simple approach does make a well written and informative book, but sensitive students, students without a good understanding of world history, students who lack discernment, student who lack aptitude in social/ political interpretation and students who generally lean toward the positives of the world are going to have trouble digesting this distressing material without assistance.
I would recommend this for high school reading for the majority of students.
As a side note, I was confused by the reference on page 155 to praying to Allah. It was unclear to me whether the family was Muslim (something that was not mentioned) or the writer had made an odd choice in translation. Allah appears several other times in the text with a couple references to "God" and the family's Muslim faith is clarified in the end notes.
The other niggling thing for me was the ending in general. The text opens with an idyllic picture of her early childhood and quickly plummets into the Cultural Revolution. The conclusion resolves with the young woman's determined allegiance to her family two years into the Revolution after many personal, familial and communal trials. Yet the Cultural Revolution continued an ADDITIONAL 8 years and was only abandoned on the occasion of Mao's death. It remains a difficult topic in today's China where the Communist Party tries to connect itself with Mao's sovereignty while denying the catastrophic failure of his policies. How did they survive? What was her path to an education? Did the party accept the family? Was she a black whelp for the remainder of her time in China? The end notes tie some (but not all) these threads together in the big picture, but not with the detail of the account in the narrative, which to me was unsatisfying and abrupt.
Meanwhile the end note in which she asserts that everyone was "brainwashed" and "deceived" by Mao rang hollow to me and came too late to provide context for young people. This is NOT the first or only or even last (God help us!) time such atrocities have happened. More often than not, they are centered around a totalitarian will to power.
I think I would have preferred the end notes to be placed at the beginning of the book to help provide readers, particularly young adults, with the realization that mass deception is a central theme of the upcoming devastation. If it had been written toward adults, I think I would have given 4 stars, but as it is directed at kids, and needs to be handled with care, I am giving it 3.
For a different true story view of a young woman coming of age during the Cultural Revolution, see
Eighth Moon, Bao Lord, 1964
/review/show...
For other views of China, check out:
The Good Earth, Buck, 1931
/review/show...
Barbarians, Carter, 1998
/review/show...
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, See, 2009
/review/show...
I highly and unequivocally recommend the narrative non-fiction work:
Shanghai Faithful, Lin, 2017
/review/show...
For fiction, the selection that resonated is Bette Bao Lord's The Middle Heart. Fantastic characterization and historical plotting from the Communist take over through Deng XiaoPing.
/review/show...
The first person narrative does not illuminate any of these things for young readers, but rather seeks to simply recount the desperate situation in which the 12-14 year old authoress finds herself. Although this has tremendous historical value, the young woman is, quite bluntly, clueless as to what is going on around her. The adults, be they teachers or parents, do nothing to either help her navigate the storm or even understand what is going on.
Perhaps in the hands of a good teacher, the text could be suitably illuminated. The simple approach does make a well written and informative book, but sensitive students, students without a good understanding of world history, students who lack discernment, student who lack aptitude in social/ political interpretation and students who generally lean toward the positives of the world are going to have trouble digesting this distressing material without assistance.
I would recommend this for high school reading for the majority of students.
As a side note, I was confused by the reference on page 155 to praying to Allah. It was unclear to me whether the family was Muslim (something that was not mentioned) or the writer had made an odd choice in translation. Allah appears several other times in the text with a couple references to "God" and the family's Muslim faith is clarified in the end notes.
The other niggling thing for me was the ending in general. The text opens with an idyllic picture of her early childhood and quickly plummets into the Cultural Revolution. The conclusion resolves with the young woman's determined allegiance to her family two years into the Revolution after many personal, familial and communal trials. Yet the Cultural Revolution continued an ADDITIONAL 8 years and was only abandoned on the occasion of Mao's death. It remains a difficult topic in today's China where the Communist Party tries to connect itself with Mao's sovereignty while denying the catastrophic failure of his policies. How did they survive? What was her path to an education? Did the party accept the family? Was she a black whelp for the remainder of her time in China? The end notes tie some (but not all) these threads together in the big picture, but not with the detail of the account in the narrative, which to me was unsatisfying and abrupt.
Meanwhile the end note in which she asserts that everyone was "brainwashed" and "deceived" by Mao rang hollow to me and came too late to provide context for young people. This is NOT the first or only or even last (God help us!) time such atrocities have happened. More often than not, they are centered around a totalitarian will to power.
I think I would have preferred the end notes to be placed at the beginning of the book to help provide readers, particularly young adults, with the realization that mass deception is a central theme of the upcoming devastation. If it had been written toward adults, I think I would have given 4 stars, but as it is directed at kids, and needs to be handled with care, I am giving it 3.
For a different true story view of a young woman coming of age during the Cultural Revolution, see
Eighth Moon, Bao Lord, 1964
/review/show...
For other views of China, check out:
The Good Earth, Buck, 1931
/review/show...
Barbarians, Carter, 1998
/review/show...
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, See, 2009
/review/show...
I highly and unequivocally recommend the narrative non-fiction work:
Shanghai Faithful, Lin, 2017
/review/show...
For fiction, the selection that resonated is Bette Bao Lord's The Middle Heart. Fantastic characterization and historical plotting from the Communist take over through Deng XiaoPing.
/review/show...
May 8, 2011
At times it was hard to remember that this book is a memoir and the horrific acts I was reading about not only really happened, but they happened to a young girl. While I've read better writing, the story was so powerful it was able to transcend my feelings about the prose. When I started the book, I knew nothing about the Cultural Revolution in China, so I had no idea what to expect. Having finished the book, I can make comparisons to the Cultural Revolution in Iran, as in Persepolis, and the Holocaust (and you can name any book about the Holocaust here). If I were to have the freedom to design a unit of study for my class, one in which I could choose any texts I wanted, I would love to use this book, Persepolis, and The Diary of Anne Frank to have students compare the experiences of the young women who lived through challenging times in history. I also think discussion of this book would teach critical literacy as well as help students understand the rhetoric that plagues us even today.
May 4, 2021
The Cultural Revolution brings countless life-changing events into Jiang Ji-li's life, altering her knowledge about the things around her. However, despite that, the young girl still stays loyal to the government, doing what she hopes is the right thing.
But as time goes on, the development of the Revolution takes a drastic turn. Soon the horrors land in Ji-li's own neighborhood, and later, her own family. No longer a bystander viewing from the sidelines, Ji-li is faced with tough decisions along with cruel accusations and shaming from her former friends.
Jiang Ji-li grows up with every obstacle faced, and there is a drastic difference in her personality throughout the book. She learns and strengthens through troubles, and by the end of the book, she is no longer that little girl who cries in tough situations, instead, she is more responsible than ever before. Even though she is far from perfect, she truly matures during the story. Ji-li chooses to follow her heart during the almost impossible decision between family and government, choosing to stay with her loved ones.
This book explores the Cultural Revolution through the eyes of a young girl, I would recommend it to anyone interested in China's history.
But as time goes on, the development of the Revolution takes a drastic turn. Soon the horrors land in Ji-li's own neighborhood, and later, her own family. No longer a bystander viewing from the sidelines, Ji-li is faced with tough decisions along with cruel accusations and shaming from her former friends.
Jiang Ji-li grows up with every obstacle faced, and there is a drastic difference in her personality throughout the book. She learns and strengthens through troubles, and by the end of the book, she is no longer that little girl who cries in tough situations, instead, she is more responsible than ever before. Even though she is far from perfect, she truly matures during the story. Ji-li chooses to follow her heart during the almost impossible decision between family and government, choosing to stay with her loved ones.
This book explores the Cultural Revolution through the eyes of a young girl, I would recommend it to anyone interested in China's history.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2017
Es el primer libro de literatura china que leo y me ha encantado. La historia est谩 ambientada en la China de finales de los sesenta, en plena dictadura comunista y durante el per铆odo inicial de la llamada Revoluci贸n Cultural. En 茅l la autora Jiang Jili nos expone las duras vivencias que tuvieron que soportar tanto ella como su familia por pertenecer a una familia en la que el difunto abuelo era terrateniente (adem谩s de las falsas acusaciones de "derechista" que se vert铆an sobre el padre), lo cual los situaba a todos ellos dentro de la categor铆a "negra" o antirrevolucionaria, enemiga del Presidente Mao. M谩s all谩 de la represi贸n propia de todo Estado totalitario, en la obra se nos exponen las disyuntivas a las que muchas veces se enfrent贸 la autora durante sus 12-14 a帽os en tanto que trataban de forzarla a elegir entre seguir siendo leal a su familia y, por tanto, convertirse en una enemiga del pueblo, o romper todo v铆nculo con estos y pasar a ser una "ni帽a educable" con un futuro pr贸spero dentro del comunismo.
Otro aspecto que desatacar铆a de la lectura es el modo en que queda de manifiesto lo que siempre ocurre en estos momentos de convulsi贸n social o revolucionarios: muchas personas, totalmente carentes de ideolog铆a y con el 煤nico objetivo de empoderarse de forma enga帽osa, "se suben al barco" de la nueva era y se vengan de todos aquellos que durante la etapa previa tuvieron rivalidades con ellos o purgan a aquellas personas a las que envidiaban por motivos diversos vendiendo el problema como un conflicto pol铆tico para obtener la legitimaci贸n de sus acciones. Queda tambi茅n patente la figura de la "traici贸n" por parte de personas a las que consideraban cercanas, pero que al complicarse las cosas les dejaban de lado.
Otro aspecto que me ha gustado de la obra es la forma en que aparece narrado el hecho de que los reg铆menes totalitarios suprimen cualquier tipo de pensamiento, ideolog铆a o, incluso, superstici贸n para alcanzar una obediencia ciega de la poblaci贸n. La propia autora y protagonista explica en una sus conclusiones los muchos a帽os que le cost贸 advertir que una parte muy importante de lo acontecido en su China natal no se debi贸 m谩s que a una lucha de poderes dentro del Partido, lo cual no hace m谩s que frustrarla por la creencia ciega que ella y millones de personas pusieron en Mao durante su larga dictadura (r茅gimen antidemocr谩tico que todav铆a hoy contin煤a).
Recomiendo, en definitiva, la lectura de este libro y, sobre todo, a aquellos que quieran iniciarse en la literatura china. Creo que es un libro muy apropiado: f谩cil de leer, se empatiza con los personajes, se aprende historia y se lee el relato de una autora que vivi贸 estas atrocidades en primera persona. Un aut茅ntico acierto.
NOTA: 10/10
Otro aspecto que desatacar铆a de la lectura es el modo en que queda de manifiesto lo que siempre ocurre en estos momentos de convulsi贸n social o revolucionarios: muchas personas, totalmente carentes de ideolog铆a y con el 煤nico objetivo de empoderarse de forma enga帽osa, "se suben al barco" de la nueva era y se vengan de todos aquellos que durante la etapa previa tuvieron rivalidades con ellos o purgan a aquellas personas a las que envidiaban por motivos diversos vendiendo el problema como un conflicto pol铆tico para obtener la legitimaci贸n de sus acciones. Queda tambi茅n patente la figura de la "traici贸n" por parte de personas a las que consideraban cercanas, pero que al complicarse las cosas les dejaban de lado.
Otro aspecto que me ha gustado de la obra es la forma en que aparece narrado el hecho de que los reg铆menes totalitarios suprimen cualquier tipo de pensamiento, ideolog铆a o, incluso, superstici贸n para alcanzar una obediencia ciega de la poblaci贸n. La propia autora y protagonista explica en una sus conclusiones los muchos a帽os que le cost贸 advertir que una parte muy importante de lo acontecido en su China natal no se debi贸 m谩s que a una lucha de poderes dentro del Partido, lo cual no hace m谩s que frustrarla por la creencia ciega que ella y millones de personas pusieron en Mao durante su larga dictadura (r茅gimen antidemocr谩tico que todav铆a hoy contin煤a).
Recomiendo, en definitiva, la lectura de este libro y, sobre todo, a aquellos que quieran iniciarse en la literatura china. Creo que es un libro muy apropiado: f谩cil de leer, se empatiza con los personajes, se aprende historia y se lee el relato de una autora que vivi贸 estas atrocidades en primera persona. Un aut茅ntico acierto.
NOTA: 10/10
June 24, 2011
I would give this book three and a half stars if 欧宝娱乐 would allow it. I found this book to be very enlightening. I don't know very much about the so-called Cultural Revolution in China's not-so-distant past. Ji-Li Jiang gives the reader a heartrending insider view of the localized and very personal impact and hardship imposed on the people of China by the Great and Supreme Tyrant Mao Zedong and his collaborators. I cringed while reading the book to see how easily neighbors turned against each other based on meaningless labels and lost all sense of basic compassion for their fellow human beings. I read it and wondered how could the Chinese people have allowed this and was there a way for them to have avoided it? I ask the same question when reading about Nazi Germany or the current dictatorships in Myanmar and North Korea. The loss of all freedom is terrifying, but when your neighbors become the enforcing arm of a tyrannical government it becomes seemingly hopeless. We must be wary of polarization in our society and wary of developing factions that hate each other. We must not allow political party identification to define us and who we like or hate. And above all we must retain respect for rule of law, when those laws protect our freedoms. Books like this remind me how dear I hold the freedoms I have and I resent any encroachments on them. I resent any effort that smacks of cleansing the "other" view from society. This book, like other memoirs that record the rise and fall of dictatorships, is valuable cautionary reading for anyone who values freedom.
January 23, 2010
I gave Ji-li Jiang's memoir of her life, Red-Scarf Girl:A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution four stars (really liked it) because of the way her story was told. This book is intended for readers in grades 5-9, which is quite a span, but I would say it is most approriate for grades 7-9. Jiang lets readers in on her life, and allows them to experience how she changes from a girl that was proud to be a product of her country to a young woman who comes to question everything she believes. I found it very powerful in its tone because it changed so drastically but subtly too. The story begins when she is twelve years old and full of hope in Chairman Mao and her home, China. As the memoir continues, readers go through the numerous pitfalls with Jiang as she goes from a star student and leader to an ostracized and scared little girl (even though she is growing up). I found her story to be tremendously sad, and I do not believe students younger than 7th grade would be able to grasp the emotional rollercoaster Jiang goes through as a result of the life-experiences she faces under Mao's regime. The Red Scarf Girl would be an excellent addition to a classroom library, especially for use in a literature circle unit focusing on memoirs that tell of hardship and eventual resolution.
February 4, 2017
In this memoir Ji-li Jiang tells the story of the beginning years of the Cultural Revolution in China when she was between the ages of 12 to 14. Her grandparents had been "landowners", thus they were labeled as such and did not merit a good class status. The hardships they endured, the manipulations that were used, and the ways in which people took advantage of others during this time is shockingly sad. How Mao manipulated the people of China during this time period is widely known and accepted as a sad chapter in China's history, but this book also focuses on the smaller ways that individuals used the political atmosphere to promote themselves and to abuse others.
This quote was chilling to me given our current political climate.
"It was only after Mao's death that I knew I was deceived. It was after Mao's death in 1976 that people woke up. We finally learned that the whole Cultural Revolution had been part of a power struggle at the highest levels of the party. Our leader had taken advantage of our trust and loyalty to manipulate the whole country. This is the most frightening lesson of the whole Cultural Revolution. Without a sound legal system a small group or even a single person can take control of an entire country. This is as true now as it was then."
This quote was chilling to me given our current political climate.
"It was only after Mao's death that I knew I was deceived. It was after Mao's death in 1976 that people woke up. We finally learned that the whole Cultural Revolution had been part of a power struggle at the highest levels of the party. Our leader had taken advantage of our trust and loyalty to manipulate the whole country. This is the most frightening lesson of the whole Cultural Revolution. Without a sound legal system a small group or even a single person can take control of an entire country. This is as true now as it was then."
July 29, 2014
賱賷爻鬲 乇賵丕賷丞 亘賲毓賳賶 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 亘賱 爻乇丿 賱賱兀丨丿丕孬 丕賱鬲賷 毓丕卮鬲賴丕 丕賱賰丕鬲亘丞 賮賷 兀賷丕賲 丕賱孬賵乇丞 丕賱孬賯丕賮賷丞 賮賷 丕賱氐賷賳 賵賲丕 賵賯毓 毓賱賷賴丕 賲賳 馗賱賲 賴賷 賵毓丕卅賱鬲賴丕 亘爻亘亘 賰賵賳 噩丿賴丕 賰丕賳 氐丕丨亘 兀賲賱丕賰.
丕賱爻乇丿 賱賱丨賰丕賷丞 賲賲鬲丕夭 賵賱賰賳賷 賵噩丿鬲 賲卮賰賱丞 賮賷 賲鬲丕亘毓丞 兀爻賲丕亍 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 賱賰賵賳賴丕 鬲鬲賰賵賳 賲賳 孬賱丕孬丞 兀噩夭丕亍 賲毓馗賲賴丕 賲鬲卮丕亘賴.
賷賲賰賳 乇亘胤 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賲毓 兀賷 鬲睾賷乇 孬賯丕賮賷 賷丨丿孬 賮賷 兀賷 賲噩鬲賲毓 亘丿毓賲 爻賷丕爻賷 (亘丕賱賯賵丞) 賮鬲馗賴乇 賲毓 鬲賱賰 丕賱賯賵丞 賮卅丞 鬲賮乇囟 孬賯丕賮鬲賴丕 毓賱賶 亘丕賯賷 丕賮乇丕丿 丕賱賲噩鬲賲毓 賵丕賱兀禺胤乇 賴賵 馗賴賵乇 賮卅丞 賱丕 賴賲 賱賴丕 丕賱丕 丕賱亘丨孬 毓賳 賲禺丕賱賮 賱賲囟丕賷賯鬲賴 亘丕賷 賵爻賷賱丞 賷賲賱賰賴丕 丨鬲賶 賷孬亘鬲 丕賳賴 丕賱賲丐賲賳 丕賱賵丨賷丿 亘丕賱賮賰乇 丕賱匕賷 鬲鬲亘賳丕賴 丕賱爻賱胤丞.
丨鬲賶 丕賱孬賯丕賮丞 鬲氐亘丨 賳鬲賳丞 廿匕丕 禺丕囟 賮賷賴丕 丕賱爻賷丕爻賷賵賳
丕賱爻乇丿 賱賱丨賰丕賷丞 賲賲鬲丕夭 賵賱賰賳賷 賵噩丿鬲 賲卮賰賱丞 賮賷 賲鬲丕亘毓丞 兀爻賲丕亍 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 賱賰賵賳賴丕 鬲鬲賰賵賳 賲賳 孬賱丕孬丞 兀噩夭丕亍 賲毓馗賲賴丕 賲鬲卮丕亘賴.
賷賲賰賳 乇亘胤 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬 賲毓 兀賷 鬲睾賷乇 孬賯丕賮賷 賷丨丿孬 賮賷 兀賷 賲噩鬲賲毓 亘丿毓賲 爻賷丕爻賷 (亘丕賱賯賵丞) 賮鬲馗賴乇 賲毓 鬲賱賰 丕賱賯賵丞 賮卅丞 鬲賮乇囟 孬賯丕賮鬲賴丕 毓賱賶 亘丕賯賷 丕賮乇丕丿 丕賱賲噩鬲賲毓 賵丕賱兀禺胤乇 賴賵 馗賴賵乇 賮卅丞 賱丕 賴賲 賱賴丕 丕賱丕 丕賱亘丨孬 毓賳 賲禺丕賱賮 賱賲囟丕賷賯鬲賴 亘丕賷 賵爻賷賱丞 賷賲賱賰賴丕 丨鬲賶 賷孬亘鬲 丕賳賴 丕賱賲丐賲賳 丕賱賵丨賷丿 亘丕賱賮賰乇 丕賱匕賷 鬲鬲亘賳丕賴 丕賱爻賱胤丞.
丨鬲賶 丕賱孬賯丕賮丞 鬲氐亘丨 賳鬲賳丞 廿匕丕 禺丕囟 賮賷賴丕 丕賱爻賷丕爻賷賵賳
July 11, 2015
What I like about this book is that it keeps us very tightly confined to the story of pre-teen Ji-li. This does not try to explain the larger context of the Cultural Revolution; it does not try to make us understand what was happening in Beijing. And that makes her story all the more terrifying. Just as history is difficult to understand when we are caught in its tides, following Ji-li we only know that the world is changing in ways big and small, that the world is growing colder and more frightening.
Truly, it's stranger than any dystopia.
Truly, it's stranger than any dystopia.
June 10, 2021
Very subpar writing, but the story is so shocking and surreal that it makes up for the choppy sentences and stop-and-go plot. It鈥檚 one thing to learn about the Cultural Revolution in a big-picture type of way, but it鈥檚 another thing altogether to see firsthand how it brainwashed and then betrayed a little girl.
And it鈥檚 banned in China, so you can feel extra cool while reading it :)
And it鈥檚 banned in China, so you can feel extra cool while reading it :)
August 12, 2020
鈥� r e v i e w 鈥�
.
"This is the most frightening lesson of the Cultural Revolution: Without a sound legal system, a small group or even a single person can take control of an entire country. This is as true now as it was then." - Ji-li jiang.
.
Although this memoir was written by keeping young adults in mind, there's clearly no age limit to sit back and learn about the Cultural Revolution from the POV of a teenager. What's horrifying was the fact that countless Chinese were brainwashed to believe that Chairman Mao's revolution was for the betterment of their lives. Back in the 1960s when the Cultural Revolution was just in its initial stages, people spent their days in fervour, counting on Mao to bring in positive changes. But a few months into the revolution, they began to realise how they now had to live in fear of being reprimanded for no fault of theirs. Intellectuals were mocked regularly and were even stripped of their titles. Children were turned against their parents, old people were treated brutally and students were encouraged to bully even their elders. Such was the horrors of the Cultural Revolution and Ji-li gives a firsthand account of what it felt like to witness Mao's growth.
.
Like any other teenager, Ji-li was anticipating the onset of the Cultural Revolution which believed in eradicating the four olds - old ideas, culture, customs and habits. Old signboards hanging on the shops were broken, cinema theatres were renamed, family heirlooms were destroyed. Ji-li dreamt of becoming a Red Successor who was entitled to take part in the activities carried out as approved by Mao. But trouble crept in when she realised that her grandfather was a landlord and as announced by Mao, they were then categorised under 'Black Family'. Rumours arose that her father was a rightist and was then imprisoned. Ji-li who was a brilliant student at school and led many events, faced her fellow students'wrath for being a black family. Many families like hers were stripped off their wealth, forcing elders to sweep the streets all the while publicly shaming them. Ji-li quickly realises how wrong the revolution's ideology was.
.
Ji-li recalls how she was pushed to denounce her parents and to show her support to Chairman Mao. While many families worshipped Mao, the Jiang's and others alike were struggling to survive in a cruel world. Many teachers were abused mentally and physically as flyers about them were pasted all over the cities. They were criticized and vile things were spoken about them. Ji-li finds one in her name and is traumatized by the accusations. It was only after Mao's decline that the citizens began to understand how inhumane and unfair the revolution actually was. Now living in The States, Ji-li mentions how she can't leave behind China. The Red Scarf girl turned out to be an eye opener, explaining the negative angle of what was considered as one of the biggest movement. Reading about innocent civilians being castigated was extremely hurtful. If you'd want to learn about the Cultural Revolution in simpler terms, then this book will impress you. I definitely recommend this.
.
Rating : 4.4/5.
.
"This is the most frightening lesson of the Cultural Revolution: Without a sound legal system, a small group or even a single person can take control of an entire country. This is as true now as it was then." - Ji-li jiang.
.
Although this memoir was written by keeping young adults in mind, there's clearly no age limit to sit back and learn about the Cultural Revolution from the POV of a teenager. What's horrifying was the fact that countless Chinese were brainwashed to believe that Chairman Mao's revolution was for the betterment of their lives. Back in the 1960s when the Cultural Revolution was just in its initial stages, people spent their days in fervour, counting on Mao to bring in positive changes. But a few months into the revolution, they began to realise how they now had to live in fear of being reprimanded for no fault of theirs. Intellectuals were mocked regularly and were even stripped of their titles. Children were turned against their parents, old people were treated brutally and students were encouraged to bully even their elders. Such was the horrors of the Cultural Revolution and Ji-li gives a firsthand account of what it felt like to witness Mao's growth.
.
Like any other teenager, Ji-li was anticipating the onset of the Cultural Revolution which believed in eradicating the four olds - old ideas, culture, customs and habits. Old signboards hanging on the shops were broken, cinema theatres were renamed, family heirlooms were destroyed. Ji-li dreamt of becoming a Red Successor who was entitled to take part in the activities carried out as approved by Mao. But trouble crept in when she realised that her grandfather was a landlord and as announced by Mao, they were then categorised under 'Black Family'. Rumours arose that her father was a rightist and was then imprisoned. Ji-li who was a brilliant student at school and led many events, faced her fellow students'wrath for being a black family. Many families like hers were stripped off their wealth, forcing elders to sweep the streets all the while publicly shaming them. Ji-li quickly realises how wrong the revolution's ideology was.
.
Ji-li recalls how she was pushed to denounce her parents and to show her support to Chairman Mao. While many families worshipped Mao, the Jiang's and others alike were struggling to survive in a cruel world. Many teachers were abused mentally and physically as flyers about them were pasted all over the cities. They were criticized and vile things were spoken about them. Ji-li finds one in her name and is traumatized by the accusations. It was only after Mao's decline that the citizens began to understand how inhumane and unfair the revolution actually was. Now living in The States, Ji-li mentions how she can't leave behind China. The Red Scarf girl turned out to be an eye opener, explaining the negative angle of what was considered as one of the biggest movement. Reading about innocent civilians being castigated was extremely hurtful. If you'd want to learn about the Cultural Revolution in simpler terms, then this book will impress you. I definitely recommend this.
.
Rating : 4.4/5.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2018
I have so many questions and so many thoughts after reading such a grueling book, especially when you know that this is a true story written by the protagonist herself. I can't believe that my grandpa went through this too! If I was her, I would've given up already. This book is kind of like Salva's story, a civil war. Although the cultural revolution wasn't a war, it certainly seemed like one, because of all the gruesome things that happened to the prisoners in China. The title of this book, "Red Scarf Girl", represents two things; first, "red" is the color of communism (the cultural revolution). Second, in China, the red scarf is worn by the students of local schools, which is telling us that the book is about how a "regular" girl is affected by the cultural revolution. This is one of the first real life memoirs that I have read, and now I definitely want to read another one.
March 13, 2025
Novels about the experience of people under the Chinese Cultural Revolution are always horrifying. This memoir was written in 1997 after the author moved to the US and was able to look back at the effects on herself and her family. Very interesting.
July 4, 2015
Where I got the book: purchased on Kindle. This was read for my daughter鈥檚 Book Wizards group (composed of cognitively disabled adults) and I actually borrowed her Kindle Fire so I could experience Whispersync immersion reading, where you hear the audiobook narration and the ebook follows along. I found the process a bit slow, as I clearly read much faster than the narrator, but it was kind of relaxing and it did focus my mind on the book. I read much of it in the plane, and found listening through my earbuds pleasantly distracting from the small children. Why do I always end up near small children on domestic flights? 鈥橳is a mystery.
Anyway, the book. This is a memoir ostensibly written for a young audience, because it covers the writer鈥檚 life from the age of 12 to 14. And yet as an adult reader I found it sufficiently challenging, since it deals with the Mao years of Chinese history and there was a lot I don鈥檛 know.
At the time of writing we鈥檙e in the 1960s, when the Cultural Revolution is well under way. Ji-Li has grown up in an environment where Chairman Mao is pretty much worshipped and to be a good revolutionary is the pinnacle of every child鈥檚 desire. She buys into everything she鈥檚 been taught completely and as a class valedictorian and athlete she envisions a glowing future for herself.
The first sign of trouble comes when Ji-Li is invited to audition for a revolutionary performance troupe. Her parents inform her that she won鈥檛 succeed because of their class status. This was a notion with which I wasn鈥檛 familiar, but it pervades the book鈥擩i-Li鈥檚 grandfather was a landlord, one of the 鈥渂lack鈥� or anti-revolutionary categories (Mao鈥檚 thinking put landlords and criminals in the same basket). As the Cultural Revolution progresses, Ji-Li and her family are increasingly victimized and stigmatized, stripped of their belongings and forced to serve their community in menial roles. Ji-Li comes under pressure (and you need to remember she鈥檚 still a child at that point) to dissociate herself from her family in order to become a true revolutionary.
Narrator Christina Moore did a good job putting a voice to Ji-Li鈥檚 story, capturing both the revolutionary fervor of the young, Ji-Li鈥檚 devastation as her life changes, and her inner struggle to hold on to her sense of self and cope with the shame she feels. I think part of my feeling that the audio was slow was that Moore was narrating for a younger audience who need a little extra time to grasp the new concepts that the book brings to a Western audience.
Even for adults, I鈥檇 recommend this memoir as a gateway to understanding the Cultural Revolution and seeing how the attempt to build a fairer society gets twisted into a dog-eat-dog power struggle once you apply dogma (pun not intended, but I鈥檓 quite pleased with it) to people鈥檚 lives. There鈥檚 a glossary at the end to help guide you through the more unfamiliar terms, and I enjoyed Jiang鈥檚 writing.
Anyway, the book. This is a memoir ostensibly written for a young audience, because it covers the writer鈥檚 life from the age of 12 to 14. And yet as an adult reader I found it sufficiently challenging, since it deals with the Mao years of Chinese history and there was a lot I don鈥檛 know.
At the time of writing we鈥檙e in the 1960s, when the Cultural Revolution is well under way. Ji-Li has grown up in an environment where Chairman Mao is pretty much worshipped and to be a good revolutionary is the pinnacle of every child鈥檚 desire. She buys into everything she鈥檚 been taught completely and as a class valedictorian and athlete she envisions a glowing future for herself.
The first sign of trouble comes when Ji-Li is invited to audition for a revolutionary performance troupe. Her parents inform her that she won鈥檛 succeed because of their class status. This was a notion with which I wasn鈥檛 familiar, but it pervades the book鈥擩i-Li鈥檚 grandfather was a landlord, one of the 鈥渂lack鈥� or anti-revolutionary categories (Mao鈥檚 thinking put landlords and criminals in the same basket). As the Cultural Revolution progresses, Ji-Li and her family are increasingly victimized and stigmatized, stripped of their belongings and forced to serve their community in menial roles. Ji-Li comes under pressure (and you need to remember she鈥檚 still a child at that point) to dissociate herself from her family in order to become a true revolutionary.
Narrator Christina Moore did a good job putting a voice to Ji-Li鈥檚 story, capturing both the revolutionary fervor of the young, Ji-Li鈥檚 devastation as her life changes, and her inner struggle to hold on to her sense of self and cope with the shame she feels. I think part of my feeling that the audio was slow was that Moore was narrating for a younger audience who need a little extra time to grasp the new concepts that the book brings to a Western audience.
Even for adults, I鈥檇 recommend this memoir as a gateway to understanding the Cultural Revolution and seeing how the attempt to build a fairer society gets twisted into a dog-eat-dog power struggle once you apply dogma (pun not intended, but I鈥檓 quite pleased with it) to people鈥檚 lives. There鈥檚 a glossary at the end to help guide you through the more unfamiliar terms, and I enjoyed Jiang鈥檚 writing.
November 17, 2013
鈥� 丕賱爻賲丕亍 賵 丕賱兀乇囟 卮賷亍 毓馗賷賲 貙 賱賰賳 丕賱兀毓馗賲 賲賳賴丕 賴賵 丨賳丕賳 丕賱丨夭亘 丕賱卮賷賵毓賷 貙 賵 丕賱兀亘 賵 丕賱兀賲 毓夭賷夭丕賳 貙 賱賰賳 丕賱夭毓賷賲 賲丕賵 賷賮賵賯賴賲丕 賲毓夭丞 鈥� 丨賷賳 賷賰賵賳 賴匕丕 賳氐丕賸 賷鬲賱賵賴 丕賱丨夭亘賷賵賳 丕賱卮賷賵毓賷賵賳 賵 賷丐賲賳 亘賴 丕賱兀胤賮丕賱 賮賷 毓賲賷賯賴賲 賵 賷賳卮卅賵賳 毓賱賷賴 貙 賱賳 賷丿賴卮賰 亘毓丿賴丕 丕賱賱丕賲賳胤賯 丕賱匕賷 爻賷賯賵丿 卮毓亘丕賸 亘兀賰賲賱賴 賱賷爻丕賯 賰丕賱禺乇丕賮 禺賱賮 丕賱乇卅賷爻 賲丕賵 貙 乇丕囟賷賳 賯丕賳毓賷賳 賰賲丐賲賳賷賳 氐丕丿賯賷賳 亘丕賱禺賱丕氐 丕賱匕賷 賷賳鬲馗乇賴賲 毓賱賶 賷丿賴 貙 賵 丨鬲賶 亘毓丿 兀賳 丕賳賰卮賮鬲 丕賱睾賲丞 賵丕鬲囟丨鬲 丕賱賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱兀賱丕毓賷亘 丕賱丨夭亘賷丞 賵 丨購賵賰賲 丕賱孬賵乇賷賵賳 丕賱賲鬲爻亘亘賷賳 亘丕賱兀囟乇丕乇 丕賱賮丕噩毓丞 賮賷 丕賱孬賵乇丞 丕賱孬賯丕賮賷丞 貙 亘賯賷 丕賱賰孬賷乇賷賳 賵丨鬲賶 丕賱賲鬲囟乇乇賷賳 賲賳賴賲 賷丐賲賳賵賳 亘賲丕賵 賲亘乇賷卅賳賴 賲賳 丕賱鬲購賴賲 貙 丿賵賳 兀賳 鬲鬲爻賱賱 廿賱賶 賯賱賵亘賴賲 囟睾賷賳丞 丕鬲噩丕賴賴 . 賰賲丕 鬲乇賶 兀丿賲睾丞 賲睾爻賵賱丞 亘廿賲鬲賷丕夭 丨賷孬 鬲爻鬲胤賷毓 亘賰賱 兀乇賷丨賷丞 兀賳 鬲乇賶 賰賲 賮丕賯 賲丕賵 鬲賵賯毓丕鬲 噩賵乇噩 兀賵乇賵賷賱 . 賮鬲丕丞 丕賱賵卮丕丨 丕賱兀丨賲乇 賴賷 卮賴丕丿丞 賱匕賱賰 丕賱夭賲丕賳 貙 賱鬲賱賰 丕賱賮鬲乇丞 丕賱毓氐賷亘丞 丕賱睾乇賷亘丞 鈥� 亘賳馗乇賷 鈥� 亘毓賷賳賷賾 賮鬲丕丞 賲乇丕賴賯丞 賱毓丕卅賱丞 爻賵丕丿亍 - 兀賷 賱賴丕 鬲丕乇賷禺 賲毓丕丿賷 賱賱丨夭亘 丕賱卮賷賵毓賷 貙 兀賵 兀賳 毓丕卅賱鬲賴丕 賲賳 丕賱賲購賱賾丕賰 丕賱兀孬乇賷丕亍 - 貙 賮賷 賵賯鬲賺 爻丕亘賯 賲賳 丕賱毓丕賲 丕賱賲丕囟賷 貙 賯乇兀鬲 鈥� 亘噩毓丕鬲 亘乇賷丞 鈥� 賲爻鬲賮鬲丨丞 賲毓乇賮鬲賷 亘丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺 丕賱氐賷賳賷 丕賱丨丿賷孬 廿亘丕賳 丕丨鬲賱丕賱 丕賱賷丕亘丕賳賷 貙 孬賲 丨賰賲 賲丕賵 丕賱卮賷賵毓賷 廿賱賶 賲賵鬲賴 貙 賯乇兀鬲 鬲賱賰 丕賱賮鬲乇丞 毓賱賶 賱爻丕賳 賷賵賳睾 鬲卮丕賳睾 - 賲丐賱賮丞 亘噩毓丕鬲 亘乇賷丞 - 賵賴賷 丕亘賳丞 賱毓丕卅賱丞 丨賲乇丕亍 賱賴丕 鬲丕乇賷禺 毓乇賷賯 賮賷 丕賱丨夭亘 亘禺賱丕賮 噩賷 賱賷 賷丕賳睾 貙 賲丐賱賮丞 賰鬲丕亘賳丕 賴匕丕 貙 丕賱鬲賷 毓丕賳鬲賿 賲賳 丕賱廿賳賯爻丕賲 丕賱賲乇賷囟 亘賷賳 賲卮丕毓乇賴丕 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳賷丞 丕賱氐乇賮丞 賵 亘賷賳 賲丕 鬲乇丕賴 賮賷 賲噩鬲賲毓賴丕 丕賱匕賷 賱丕 賷購丨賻丕賰賻賲 賮賷賴 丕賱賲乇亍 賱爻賲丕毓賴 賱賱廿匕丕毓丞 丕賱兀噩賳亘賷丞 毓賱賶 爻亘賷賱 丕賱賲孬丕賱 貙 兀賵 賱丕賳鬲毓丕賱賴 丨匕丕亍賸 賲丿亘亘丕賸 貙 兀賵 亘賳胤丕賱丕賸 囟賷賯丕賸 賵 卮毓乇丕賸 胤賵賷賱丕賸 貙 兀囟賮 廿賱賶 匕賱賰 兀賳賴 賱丕 賷鬲賵丕賳賶 丕賱賮乇丿 賲賳賴賲 鈥� 兀氐丨丕亘 丕賱毓丕卅賱丕鬲 丕賱爻賵丿 鈥� 亘丕賱兀禺氐 - 賱賷爻 賱賵賳 丕賱亘卮乇丞 兀毓賳賷 - 毓賳 丕賱鬲亘乇卅 賲賳 毓丕卅賱丕鬲賴賲 貙 賵 丕賱鬲賳賰乇 賱賴賲 貙 賵 丕賱賵卮丕賷丞 亘賴賲 賵 丕禺囟丕毓賴賲 賱賱賲爻丕卅賱丞 丕賱丿丕卅賲丞 貙 賵睾賷乇賴丕 丕賱賰孬賷乇 賵 丕賱賰孬賷乇 . 丕賱鬲賷 廿賳 賰丕賳鬲 鬲禺亘乇 卮賷卅丕賸 賮賱丕 鬲禺亘乇 爻賵賶 丕賱賯購丿乇丞 丕賱毓丕賱賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賲鬲毓 亘賴丕 丕賱丨夭亘 丕賱卮賷賵毓賷 賮賷 丕賱氐賷賳 賱賷賯賳毓 丕賱賲賱丕賷賷賳 賵 丕賱兀賱賵賮 丕賱賲丐賱賮丞 : 亘兀賳 賲丕賵 亘賰賱 亘爻丕胤丞 貙 廿賱賴 貙 賱賲 賷氐乇丨 賱賳賮爻賴 賮賯胤 兀賳 賷鬲禺匕 匕賱賰 賱賳賮爻賴 賱賯亘丕賸 賱兀賳賴 賱丕 賷毓鬲賯丿 亘丕賱兀丿賷丕賳 賵 鈥� 丕賱賯丿賷賲丕鬲 丕賱兀乇亘毓 鈥�
April 11, 2012
I first read this book in middle school because it was on the Battle of the Books reading list. Prior to reading the book, I thought the Cultural Revolution referred to some clothing movement (sadly this is also a common misconception amongst Chinese youth). I devoured the book. Keep in mind that this really is a young adult novel and not as deep as most other books about individuals or families living through the Cultural Revolution. The author was a young teenager at the start of the movement so the perspective is that of a young teenager. She tells the story of how the Cultural Revolution unfolded and how it affected her own life. She wanted to be a patriotic citizen and thus blindly supported everything as long as she could before realizing after quite some time that things were not what they seemed. When I read it, I thought it was a heart wrenching story of a girl's once promising life gradually reduced to a tragic state of living. In the end, I found it to be uplifting because she showed how she overcame the experiences and moved on with her life. But I also found it saddening how little what she lived through meant to those living in China now. A testament to the adage, "history is written by the victors." I would recommend this book with the understanding that it is not an adult novel so don't expect one.
March 10, 2017
A great memoir from a child's p.o.v. on living through the cultural revolution. Everything I know about the Cultural Revolution I learned from books like this. My lame Seymour High School education never even touched on Mao Ze-Dong, China, Asia, or any other culure aside from our young American culture and a small portion of Europe's, and only then when it had anything to do with our own. I am completely self-taught on all (important) things historical that were not quickly and poorly glossed over in the lame, lame, lame school system where I spent way too many hours of my life being bored out of my mind by uninspired teachers and writing notes to my friend who was likewise intelligent and uninspired and BORED. My two children will definately not need to wait until they are young adults to learn about the world they live in, because I will expose them to books such as this, thank you Ji-li Jiang (all all the rest).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,146 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.