Dream stays in the Andes

Author: Feng Ya
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The fate of a nation is closely intertwined with the fate of its people. In the 19th century, the Qing government was in a state of decline, unable to even protect its territory and sovereignty. After the Opium War, Chinese laborers werely trafficked and exported by foreign merchants, becoming "yellow slaves" and treated as "beasts of burden." They endured inhumane torture and were even subjected to brutal killings. Even international figures who witnessed the suffering of Chinese laborers at the time exclaimed, "The suffering of Chinese laborers is ten thousand times worse than that of the blacks." Feng Ya's novel Dream Left in the Andes is set against this period of humiliation endured by the Chinese nation in the 19th century. It describes how a group of Chinese laborers, including the protagonist Yao Wu, were trafficked and exported by Western colonizers. During their brutal journey across the Pacific, many laborers died on the "slave ships." The survivors were sold to islands and sugar plantations in a South American country, where they continued to suffer inhumane abuse and beatings. Most laborers did not survive to complete their contracts and became ghosts in foreign lands. These scenes of unimaginable cruelty are truly shocking and appalling. Today, living in the warm embrace of the strong People's Republic of China, we open this century-old history of national suffering with a heavy heart. Our purpose is to honor our ancestors who endured this suffering, never forgetting national humiliation, and to inspire a strong sense of mission to revitalize China. The novel also depicts how a few surviving Chinese laborers, after completing their contracts, embodied the spirit of the Chinese nation, built their lives through hard work and perseverance in their adopted countries, and maintained a deep love for their homeland while cherishing happiness and freedom. They also developed strong bonds with the people of their host countries.