Description

Mulberry Child is the true story of a childhood before, during, and after the Cultural Revolution in China. Jian Ping’s father, a high-ranking government official, was falsely accused of treason during the Cultural Revolution-he was detained, beaten, and publicly shamed. Her mother Gu Wenxiu, a top administrator of a middle school, was paraded in public and detained by the Revolution Committee and the Red Guards – both driving forces of the Cultural Revolution. Facing abuse and deprivation, Jian Ping’s family stands steadfastly together, from her aging grandmother, a frail woman with bound feet, to her parents and siblings. The traumatic impacts of their experiences shape the course of their lives forever.

Based on her own memories, as well as interviews and exhaustive research, Mulberry Child is a family saga and a tale of resilience, a coming of age story told through the eyes of an innocent child. Mulberry Child allows us an insider’s look into a closed-off world and is written with compassion in honest and intimate language.

About the Author
Jian Ping grew up during the Cultural Revolution in China. She holds a BA in English from Jilin University, an MA in Film and an MA in International Affairs, both from Ohio University. She has published several Chinese translations of Western literature in China and co-edited the Chinese Film Theory, released by Praeger, new York. She lives with her husband and daughter in Chicago.