Originally banned in China but later named one of that nation's most
influential books, a searing novel that portrays one man's
transformation from the spoiled son of a landlord to a kindhearted
peasant.
"A work of astounding emotional power." --Dai Sijie, author of Balzac
and the Little Chinese Seamstress
From the author of Brothers and China in Ten Words this celebrated
contemporary classic of Chinese literature was also adapted for film by
Zhang Yimou. After squandering his family's fortune in gambling dens and
brothels, the young, deeply penitent Fugui settles down to do the honest
work of a farmer. Forced by the Nationalist Army to leave behind his
family, he witnesses the horrors and privations of the Civil War, only
to return years later to face a string of hardships brought on by the
ravages of the Cultural Revolution. Left with an ox as the companion of
his final years, Fugui stands as a model of gritty authenticity, buoyed
by his appreciation for life in this narrative of humbling power.