Red Scarf Girl by Ji-li Jiang

Author:Ji-li Jiang [Jiang, Ji-li]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Juvenile Nonfiction, Family, Political, Asia, General, Jiang; Ji-li, China, Historical, China - History - Cultural Revolution; 1966-1976, Biography & Autobiography, People & Places, History
ISBN: 9780061667718
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2008-10-05T23:00:00+00:00

No matter what I did and where 1 went, the Cultural Revolution followed me.

One cold, windy afternoon I saw Aunt Xi-wen sweeping the street.

She seemed ten years older than the last time I had seen her. Her cheeks were hollow, and she had big bags beneath her eyes. Her once long and curled hair had been cut short and straight, like a country woman’s. Outside her padded coat she wore an old blue blouse, loose and faded, with a big patch on the elbow.

She kept her eyes on her work and moved the big broom back and forth laboriously. A gust of wind threatened to scatter the pile of trash she had collected, and she scurried to cover it with her broom to keep it from being blown away. Somehow she tripped over the broom and fell.

It looked like a serious fall. She moved her hand and struggled to get up, but she couldn’t seem to stand. I was about to go to help her when I saw her youngest son, my cousin Shan-shan, walking toward us. Shan-shan would help her, and I didn’t want to embarrass her by making her realize that I had seen her sweeping the alley. I drew back and walked around them quietly.

After a few steps I turned around to see if they were all right. I could hardly believe my eyes. Shan-shan had walked right past his mother! She was lying there, injured, and he had not stopped to help her. He couldn’t possibly have missed her. He must not have wanted to expose himself to criticism by helping someone from a black category.

What a son! I took a step toward Aunt Xi-wen and stopped. Maybe I shouldn’t help her either. People would probably say something if they saw me, especially since I was from a black family too… .

Before I could decide, Old Mrs. Wang passed by and saw Aunt Xi-wen on the ground. Mrs. Wang hurried over and helped Aunt Xi-wen up. Then Mrs. Wang picked up the broom and dustpan and helped Aunt Xi-wen walk home.

Now I remembered that Shan-shan had written a da-zi-bao after their house had been searched, formally breaking relations with his mother. I had admired him for his courage and firmness then.

It was not easy to break with your mother. I could not imagine actually doing it. They had to live in the same room. Would he eat the food she had cooked? Would he speak to her at all?

And what could it be like for Aunt Xi-wen?

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