Red Temple Village

Before liberation, a poor, isolated village in southern China was cut off from the outside world. Its residents made their living through farming, and though they were simple and kindhearted, they suffered under the remnants of feudalism and the ravages of war. The Jin family had once been one of the village’s few prosperous households, having built its fortune through the head of the family’s kiln business. But near the end of the War of Resistance Against Japan, the family patriarch refused to collude with local thugs and was framed and murdered, leaving the family destitute. His only son, Jin Chengfa, just eleven years old, was forced to shoulder the family’s burdens, with only his ten-year-old child bride for company. Amid hunger, cold, clan infighting, and constant warfare, the young couple persevered with astonishing determination, reclaiming wasteland, farming, and struggling to survive. The founding of New China brought them a brief respite, but they soon faced new challenges, including the upheaval of land reform and food shortages. Through years of turmoil, they stood by each other and raised five children, holding fast to the family motto: “Study to understand the world, and live with integrity and virtue.” They were determined to raise their children well. Their lives were closely bound up with a century of national change, from war and revolution to political campaigns and reform and opening up. The Jin family courtyard became a steadfast beacon amid the tides of history. They planted hope in barren soil and clung to one another through stormy years. The tide of land reform swept in, and the Cultural Revolution storm struck, yet beneath that low roof, an oil lamp always burned through the night: the silhouette of a mother mending clothes, the quiet voice of a father teaching his children to read. The five children grew like saplings, stubbornly flourishing in the harsh soil. Some took up writing, some went into business, and others put down roots in the countryside, each finding a way to bloom in the cracks of the times…