Xu Sanguan, a silk factory worker in a Chinese town in the 1950s, discovers that he can earn money by selling his blood. He uses it to pay for his marriage to Xu Yulan, to support his three sons, and to help his family survive famine and political campaigns, including the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. When he learns that one of his sons is not his by blood, his relationship to the family is tested. Yu Hua writes in plain, ironic prose, with a gentle humor that gives the hardship its weight.
Readers of modern Chinese fiction will find a human story of poverty and endurance that avoids sentimentality, and a good entry to Yu Hua's work.
Inward-looking, contemplative and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1995
- Language
- EN
