Huang writes this book about his family and it is centered around a coffin that his father had made for his grandmother. I enjoyed this book because it provided a glimpse of what it was like to grow up in the 70s and 80s in Communist China.
Huang notes that in communist China burial was illegal and every one was cremated. His grandmother made his father promise that he would bury her. This caused considerable strain in his marriage as he agreed to do so. Huang notes “I was often vexed by her adherence to the old ways” when speaking of his grandmother.
His father tried for years to gain admission into the communist party and he was finally admitted. Huang notes “Party membership rekindled his hope in life.” It was about the same time that grandmother asked for a coffin. Huang’s father often feared what owning a coffin would do to his standing in the party.
At school Huang was being taught “Only Chairman Mao and the communist party are your closest relatives, said our teacher. If your parents or relatives engage in any counterrevolutionary activities you should not hesitate in reporting them or publicly denouncing them it is a true test of your revolutionary will.” Huang wondered about the coffin but his father taught him to never betray your family.
As Huang read outside of the classroom he noted “I had learned a different set of values. Friendship could transcend ideologies. Friends protected and made sacrifices for each other.”
When his father died Huang reflected “For all his loyalty to the party, when China was freed from the radical ideological control of chairman Mao and began slowly to prosper he and millions of workers, the vanguard of the proletariat, who underwrote communist China were left behind confused and disillusioned. He died because his lungs had been scarred by years of exposure to industrial pollutants. His heart broken by the unrealized 6.5 yuan promotion and the depth of corruption that had twisted the ideals of the party he supported.”
Overall this was a quick read that presented many ideas to think about. I give it 4 out of 5 stars
Thomas Aquinas is credited as one of the greatest proponents of natural law. During his time in Cologne he was taught by Albertus Magnus. Magnus used the teachings of Aristotle in his mentorship of Thomas Aquinas.
Samuel Adams believed in American Independence from Great Britain. He is one of the most well know Son's of Liberty. On August 1, 1776 he gave a speech to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.
Hefei, China Thursday 6:00AM
The rising sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon. The darkness of night was about to give way to the light of day. The sleeping city would soon be bustling with activity completely unaware of what had occurred while it slept.
Zhao Kai stood outside a small warehouse looking building. For all of the modernization that had been occurring in China this building had been skipped. At least on the outside. It appeared old and nearly abandoned but the inside told a different story. Before Kai entered the building he glanced at the rising sun. This was his favorite moment of the day. The blinding light of the sun was a weapon that he used literally.
On numerous occasions he would take a prisoner to a spot where there was an unobstructed view of the rising sun. Then he would bind them in such a way that they had to stare directly into the sun. If he did his job right they would not be able to close their eyes and would return to their prison cells blinded for life. If he didn’t just kill them. That punishment would not be on the table today but perhaps tomorrow. He liked ...
