Bo Yang's Memoirs

Author: Bei Yang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-07-01
Features: This book records a disaster-stricken era where individual lives were no better than ants. It is also a microcosm of the social life in China experienced by Bei Yang. That is why the living Bei Yang opposed Confucian tradition, feudal monarchy, and the autocracy of the scholar-officials. He supported simplified Chinese characters and even more so the romanization of Chinese, often making astonishing statements that reflected his independent thinking and humanistic analysis. The Japanese writer, Mr. Huang Wenxiong, once quoted a Japanese proverb, saying, "I am a person who has come back from hell." He was referring to the terrifying period in Taiwan during the 1970s when he was nearly executed by the government. In reality, not only had I seen hell, but my entire life was almost spent in hell, with tears far exceeding laughter. While writing, Bei Yang often put down his pen and gazed at me.