Mao's Last Dancer

[ericaboo]

Started the book last night, I'm totally into the characters already. This is going to be good...

 

[Loloma]

Read the first four or five chapters and although it may sound strange I found a lot of similarities between the living conditions of Li Cunxin and the people in 'The Hunger Games' who lived in mainly division 13 and the other divisions. They all had to work for the collective to provide food and other commodities, whilst they were rationed themselves.

The poverty they lived in with lack of food, clothing and coal was terrible. The difference being this story is real and the other was fiction. The commitment to family was everything. Personal desires in life were irrelevant, duty came first including arranged marriages.

 

[Loloma]

It is easy to understand how Li Cunxin became indoctrinated in the communist system and Mao's way of thinking. The children of his generation knew no other way being born and raised in though's times.

The little Red Book had to be with them at all times. Starting school began and end each day with reciting or singing song to their Leader. Joining the Red Guard was an honour and a privilege. It was the parents and the older people who remembered the old system and had to keep their opinions to themselves and comply with the new order.

It was sad to see how the poverty made it almost impossible to seek medical attention when sick. In most incidences herbal remedies were their only option. I liked the closeness Li had with his Na Na and the way she protected him when he broke his mothers six new plates. She lied to his parents, telling them that she had broken them. He knew the gravity of his situation, as his mother had saved for a year to buy them.

 

[KP the nut]

I am enjoying this book so much.

 

[ericaboo]

Me too!

 

[KP the nut]

I am completely in awe of Li Cunxin.

His life as a child was hard, his family only knew extreme poverty and yet they maintained their incredible dignity and honour. I look at England at the moment and how poverty is blamed for young people commiting crimes and anti social behaviour. This book enforces my personal belief that it is a lack of respect which is the root, not poverty.

I read his story about the 'brainwashing' methods the Mao regime employed and how he began questioning aspects. BUT, I also wonder if he would have had the courage and determanation if he hadn't been raised in such a strict environment.

The book is written in such a way that I actually felt the wonder and enjoyment of his first visit to America. His first sip of cola, moving escalators and the general hustle of a totally modern city.

 

[anthony]

I read his story about the 'brainwashing' methods the Mao regime employed and how he began questioning aspects. BUT, I also wonder if he would have had the courage and determanation if he hadn't been raised in such a strict environment.

I think that is a difficult one to answer. He had only ever envisaged working in the fields his entire life, yet until he got chosen to become part of the red dancers that travelled China entertaining and passing on the communistic teachings.

By his own admission, his dancing was inadequate until he finally got to watch what foreign dancers were achieving, at which point he seriously stepped up his own commitment and training to achieve the best levels.

I think it has more to do with his upbringing and parents morals than anything to do with communism itself. Communism lies was the push he needed to defect once he witnessed the rest of the world was not like that, and they weren't this evil as communistic rule had depicted.

Li left dancing and became a financial broker due to injury. So even into his 30's, his drive and passion to become the best was still there from his parental familiar roots. He now works in one of the top global financial firms... a rough guess, accountancy basis. Another skill he never thought he would have, yet developed based on his own passion and desires to succeed.

I think if you put Li in any country or any situation, he would use his family roots to succeed and be the best he could be to what satisfies him the most.

Very interesting question KP... certainly a life could go any myriad of ways the moment you change the environment of that life... just like his was when seeing America was not the evil nation where everyone was poor and killing themselves, instead it was flourishing with growth and commerce, freedom to make choices.

 

[ericaboo]

OK - I'm a slow reader, but so far, I'm just in awe of how the family pulls each other together and supports one another through hardships. It seems like something you would have to build up over generations in order to form those traditions for helping each other - plus they think outside of the box when someone is struggling and find such amazing ways to bring each other out of crisis. Pretty brilliant.

 

[anthony]

Absolutely. What really inspired me was that all the family encouraged and supported just one to escape the hardships. There isn't jealousy or such, but support that one got out... thankfully, he also got others out over the following years from the family.

 

[KP the nut]

He is such an inspiring man. The drive and determination to become the best, not for himself, but to make his family and his country proud. He wanted to show the world what China could offer, even after all of his hardship. At one point when he was not allowed to repdesent China, it was as if China had disowned him and yet he never disowned China.

Then there is such great sadness behind the public face. His immense lonliness for his family and his country.

His joy at eventually being allowed to visit his family and to be able to support them financially. I adored the image of his parents when they visited him in USA, racing around in golf buggies.

It is wonderful that he then went on to have another career and is living with his own family in Australia.

 

[purple butterfly]

I have met Li on a number of occasions. Both of our daughters are a similar age, deaf and have cochlear implants.

When they first arrived back in Melbourne I was lucky enough to have his wife Mary, his daughter Sophie and son visit to discuss the pros and cons of implants. We have crossed paths on a number of occasions.

We went to the premier of the movie in Melbourne and attended the after party. They are truly beautiful people and Li continues to be a passionate ambassador of the Bionic Ear Institute in Melbourne where Professor Graeme Clark first invented his version of the bionic ear. Another side to his truly amazing story.

 

[KP the nut]

Thanks for sharing. That is interesting. He came across as a wonderful person in the book.