Even before my husband and I traveled in the fall of China, we had heard of the one-child policy (as adopted by the National People’s Congress from September 1, 2002) and read. At the sight of the nicely dressed only children (many little princesses and princes) who met us in school classes or grandmother’s hand, seemed to us the measure to alleviate the consequences of Mao’s call to make China great and strong sense. But after days of trusting approach our rep hinted that misery does this law mean for many young couples.
If intentionally or not another child is born, threatens social and financial relegation. In addition to problems at kindergarten and school places severe penalties are expected, such as the allocation of a smaller apartment, job loss, the removal of child benefit, the acquisition of medical expenses, the pension entitlement.
No wonder that the forced suppression of the desire for children many mentally stressed. Any risk avoid many women leave immediately after the birth of her first child sterilize.
is occurs a second pregnancy, officially the government is supporting abortion and rewarded them with paid holidays.
Widely used in addition, the preference for a male offspring. Girls are considered inferior. Since it is tempting for many couples, early to determine the sex of the embryo. Prenatal sex determination, however, is strictly prohibited. If a girl is born, it is often given up for adoption, especially if it is the second child. How are mother and child with such experiences ready?
Xue Xinran In November 2011, born in Beijing in 1958 , is a well-known radio journalist.
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Many Chinese regularly track their program “Words on the Night Breeze”. in 1997, she left China and now lives with her husband and son in England.
Xue’s childhood was marked by coldness, unkindness and distance to the parents, for the country and revolution always takes precedence had. During the cultural revolution was imprisoned the family of four in internment and labor camps. Xue and her little brother were systematically humiliated there. But the suffering of her two children, parents sheared never. often doubted Xue that her mother her birth was real. was it not rather the “wicked stepmother”? to date, Xue Xinran longs for physical embrace, want lifelong bond of love for wipe mother and daughter feel.
In 1990, Xue was told by a baby whose mother died in childbirth and whose father had committed suicide out of despair. She wanted to bring it as a foster child to his home. But that was not permitted her. Given the threat that not only themselves but also their employees would lose their jobs, they gave up their intention, but pursued the further path of the Child, which has now been placed in one of the miserable orphanages. To make the living conditions there bearable, donated Xue as much as they could. When she after a short stay abroad returned, she found the orphanage closed, no documents, no more files. Where nothing is written, nothing can be determined or “her” baby be pursued even criminal … From So there was no sign.
These profound, traumatic experiences has suppressed the author for years, but they have their professional career certainly. Since the late seventies, she traveled through China and most visited rural areas to learn more about the lives of women. In addition they wanted to write reports on the radio. But few were prepared to talk to her; many were unable to do, they had felt their personal situation as normal, never critical thought about it.
Xue Xinrans book “clouds Daughters” is a mouthpiece for those affected. Representing many others a few women describe their experiences and outline the position of women in Chinese society. Traditionally, cultural and political reasons, women are worthless for many centuries, only useful as work animals and breeding machines. As early as the Ming Dynasty, the government announced a family only country if they could prove a male heir; for a girl the other hand, there was not even an additional grain cereals. Such practices are still valid today.
What methods such a useless beings is disposed of immediately after birth as garbage and as family members, neighbors, even the mother of this process perceive it as normal, is inconceivable inhuman. Xue Xinran desperately to these states can not accept that the innate maternal instinct could be wiped out. Can it be that so radically contrary to what nature dictates? Then she meets again on witnesses who you tell that these women their babies loved as much as other mothers. They could only never show.
Even former employees in orphanages reported in this book, such as female babies, cocoon like wrapped in a “candle bag,” all are adjacent on a mat, from cold and hunger cry. Your end is in sight. “Children killing centers” The author calls such facilities.
After the opening of China in the nineties, conditions may have improved in many places. the author makes in this regard any details. In any case, were now many children – mostly girls – up for adoption abroad. If all went well, gave them there, loving mothers a new home, they learned Education and grew up without trouble. From around the world, the author receives letters from adoptive mothers, and again she reads in how the children ask for their roots, the reasons why they were given away as a longing hurts. Many such documents are printed in the book.
Despite the dreary subject to “cloud daughters” reads easily and fluently. Frequent repetitions disturb a little. Neither should the bar high literary art nor invest scientific precision expected, for such ambitions has not the author. Rather, she wants to shake up people in an emotional way, indicate unacceptable conditions. She writes from the heart about unfulfilled emotions and desires. The pain tears of mothers who kill out of necessity their daughters or give away, and the adopted girls who will never understand why their real mothers they did not want to fill a raging river.
The novel has no plot structure but is a mix of documentaries, reports and other personal experiences of the author. The extensive appendix provides letters of adoption mothers Chinese adoption laws, discussion of suicide in women over the eighteen wonders of Chengdu, comments the translator and at the end a call, Xue Xinrans Foundation “The Mothers’ Bridge of Love” to support. This organization cares for Chinese children who were adopted by Western foster parents, in particular girls-child policy A were violated in the course of the Chinese. These children, scattered around the world, similar aspirations as they feel themselves, the author the book “Clouds daughters” dedicated.
Meanwhile, loaded the author to international book fairs, lectures, advertises its Foundation, endowment. After her biggest dream asked she replied: “To be a daughter”.
“Clouds Daughters” of Xue Xinran. (2019, Nov 18). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/clouds-daughters-of-xue-xinran-my-review/
