CHRISTCHURCH WRITERS FESTIVAL 2008

CHINA WITNESS - AN HOUR WITH XINRAN

From guest blogger Annie:

The most astonishing thing about this session was the woman who, in an almost shy, unassuming manner told us the most incredible stories about the medieval lifestyle, sans education, of the farm labourers in China, "500 year difference with the city lifestyle" and then, almost it seemed, as an after thought, of her own tragic childhood. Her father arrested in the first weeks of the Cultural Revolution, followed shortly afterwards by her mother, who could speak 4 or 5 languages and had worked for the Russians; this immediately put them into the Foreign Spy Department. She and her brother then under house arrest and guarded by Red Guards for 6 and a half years.

Her conclusion: "only light can destroy darkness, you have to forgive." An extraordinarily moving statement.

"China Witness", her new book, following the huge success of "The Good Women Of China" records personal testimonies of the forgotten people, those rural dwellers who endured such fierce hardships between 1945 and 1956, and whose stories have disappeared from Chinese history books and in effect, remain untold and unknown.

Xinran was a quiet inspiration. It was, my only quibble, difficult to both see and hear her at times but the large audience were won over by her thoughtful reflections. It felt like a window opening.