“In spring 1989...I saw the buildup of demonstrations from Chengdu to Tiananmen Square. It struck me that fear had been forgotten to such an extent that few of the millions of demonstrators perceived danger. Most seemed to be taken by surprise when the army opened fire.” MillionsTakenFireSawsDangerSpringArmySurpriseForgottenChinaSquaresDemonstrationTiananmen Square Author:Jung Chang
“My father said he was going to write to the Jinzhou City Party Committee asking for permission to 'talk about love'...My mother supposed it was a bit like asking permission from the head of the family...the Communist Party was the new patriarch.” WritingSaidMotherFatherBitsPartyCitiesAskingChinaCommunistPermissionCommitteesCommunist PartyPatriarchAsking Permission Author:Jung Chang
“My grandmother's feet had been bound when she was two years old. Her mother...first wound a piece of white cloth about twenty feet long round her feet, bending all the toes except the big toe inward and under the sole. Then she placed a large stone on top to crush the arch.” YearsFirstsLongTwoBigsMotherWhitePiecesFeetStonesTwentiesBoundsRoundsChinaWoundsCrushGrandmotherTwo YearsSoleInwardToesMy GrandmotherArchesBendingTwo Year Olds Author:Jung Chang
“Although my book is banned I am still allowed to go to China and travel. There is no longer the kind of control that Mao used to have-there have been deep fundamental changes in society.” KindHas BeensStillsBookUsedTravelFundamentalsChinaFunny TravelCornyBannedMaoChanges In Society Author:Jung Chang
“If children were brought up to become non-conformists it would only ruin their lives. So parents all over China who loved their children told them to do as Chairman Mao said. It was not possible to tell them anything else.” IfsChildrenSaidParentChinaRuinsChairmanConformistMaoNon ConformistChairman Mao Author:Jung Chang
“I no longer have the terrible nightmares that I used to have. Mao had just died in 1976, and China began to open up. For the first time scholarships to go to the West to study were awarded on academic merit.” FirstsUsedStudyTerribleFirst TimeDiedWestChinaMeritNightmareAcademicScholarshipMao Author:Jung Chang
“When I was in China, Mao was Chairman, and parents were terrified to tell their children anything that differed from the party line in case the children repeated it and endangered the whole family.” ChildrenWholeParentLinesPartyCasesChinaTerrifiedChairmanWhole FamilyMao Author:Jung Chang
“China is more prosperous than before. The people have better lives but they are not happy and confident because the scars are still there.” PeopleStillsChinaScarBetter LifeProsperousNot Happy Author:Jung Chang
“I like to have Chinese furniture in my home as a constant and painful reminder of how much has been destroyed in China. The contrast between the beauty of the past and the ugliness of the modern is nowhere sharper than in China.” Has BeensHomePastModernConstantPainfulChinaDestroyedChineseContrastFurnitureRemindersUgliness Author:Jung Chang
“I would love mainland Chinese to read my book. There is a Chinese translation which I worked on myself, published in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Many copies have gone into China but it is still banned.” StillsBookGoneChinaChineseCopiesTranslationsBannedHong KongTaiwan Author:Jung Chang
