Culturalrevolution Stories

Seven days. As a student committee member, Zhenghe shoulders the important task entrusted to him by his teacher: to organize a collective student welcome performance for Mr.Teoh from the capital within a week......

I have a problem with documentaries. No, really. This is what happens when the chipmunk on caffeine I have instead of a brain sees documentaries about the cultural revolution. A red guard and an artist, the late 60s. (English isn't my first language, so please feel free to point out any mistakes! I have so much to learn!!)

What does the year 1960 mean to the Chinese people? "Three-Years of Natural Disaster", in which it is said more than 30 million Chinese lost their lives. A surviving boy aged six, is taken from his extended, countryside family with whom he has been living for 4 years, by a "total stranger" to Changsha, the capital city of Hunan Province. This was the first time DanJiu ever met his father, for that matter, it was the first time he had ever heard the word "father". This first meeting marks the beginning of a decade's long bid for his father's love. Second son of a not so high ranking, not so low ranking Communist Party Member, he was born in response to the Party's call to, "have as many children as possible for the use of war". The seriousness with which the world around him presents itself demands he fit in. DanJiu learns quite early that he is a square peg. The desperate bid for his father's love seems unattainable as he overhears Father say, "I dislike that child by nature." heartbreaking words that will haunt his life as he questions, "Why 'by nature'?" The blissful discovery of violin at age 12 leads to a lifelong passion, love, obsession and a major problem. It's 1966 and the Cultural Revolution is in full swing meaning that anything WESTERN is evil, including his beloved violin. How will he persist in his pursuit? Time marches on and DanJiu becomes Daniel. In the early 80's he follows his passion for violin to the west where he lives for his dream in a violinist's world with a beautiful Norwegian wife, about to take the next step to the USA. Everything sold, money in hand, packed and ready to go, Daniel receives a desperate letter from China pleading for his help. His long estranged father lay dying in a hospital unable to pay for his medical care. Daniel is the family's only hope. What will he do? Having come so far in pursuit of his passion, will he give it all up for his father who dislikes him by nature? What would you do?

A woman looks back on her childhood and the memories the bear she keeps on the front of her canal boat provoke. Sad and moving, a look at how the innocence of childhood can be corrupted by those who with ulterior motives.