Red background, golden characters - children in Beijing in the 1960s and 1970s

Author: Liu Yangdong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: In the preface to this book, the author quotes a line from a Roman poet: "Recalling past life is like living it again." This is precisely the purpose of writing this book and the significance of reading it. That era was one of great upheaval, with the political climate in constant flux. For adults at the time, memories often triggered heavy, reflective topics. But for the children of that era, it wasn’t always the same. While they couldn’t escape "various political activities" and were influenced, to varying degrees, by that time, children were still children. They hadn’t truly entered the world yet, and apart from the obligations they had to fulfill in form, they couldn’t fully immerse themselves in a political storm. When children recall their past lives, they naturally have their own perspectives. In a sense, their joys and sorrows are a different matter from those of adults. This book recreates just such a perspective. The lives and studies of children and students who grew up during the Cultural Revolution era are etched in the minds of those now middle-aged. The book depicts the scenes experienced by people born in the 1960s and 1970s in a panoramic view, including camping exercises, watching outdoor movies, borrowing picture books, learning industrial and agricultural skills, classroom learning, pranks, playful games, sports, household chores, celebrating festivals, shopping, dressing up, and popular slang. With detailed and authentic materials, warm and delicate memories, and humorous and witty writing, the book is both laugh-out-loud enjoyable and takes us back to the years of a specific era.