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Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China

Jung Chang

4.24 · Rating details · 96,462 ratings · 5,918 reviews

The story of three generations in twentieth-century China that blends the intimacy of memoir and the panoramic sweep of eyewitness history—a bestselling classic in thirty languages with more than ten million copies sold around the world, now with a new introduction from the author.

An engrossing record of Mao’s impact on China, an unusual window on the female experience in ...more

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Paperback, 562 pages

Published August 12th 2003 by Simon Schuster (first published 1991)

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Jul 25, 2008 Martine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, favourites, social-history, asian, family-drama, dystopia, history, memoirs, non-fiction

Wild Swans may well be the most depressing book I've ever read. Don't let that keep you from giving it a try, though, for by some strange mechanism, it also ranks among the most uplifting books I've read, chronicling as it does a courage, resilience and will to survive which are nothing short of riveting. I could sum the book up by saying it's the greatest ode to courage and resilience ever written, or that it's one of those rare books which make you despair of humanity and then go a long way to Wild Swans may well be the most depressing book I've ever read. Don't let that keep you from giving it a try, though, for by some strange mechanism, it also ranks among the most uplifting books I've read, chronicling as it does a courage, resilience and will to survive which are nothing short of riveting. I could sum the book up by saying it's the greatest ode to courage and resilience ever written, or that it's one of those rare books which make you despair of humanity and then go a long way towards restoring your faith in it, but no, I'm not going to leave it at that. I'm going to do this book justice, because damn it, it deserves it.

For those of you who missed the hype back in the early 1990s, Wild Swans is the true history of three generations of women living through the horrible nightmare that is modern Chinese history. One is the author herself, now a naturalised British citizen. The second is her mother, an earnest Communist who raised a large family at a time which was extremely bad for family life. The third is her grandmother, who was married off as a concubine to a warlord as a girl and lived to see her family suffer for this unfortunate connection again and again. Using these three extraordinary lives as her main focus, Jung Chang tells the history of China's even more extraordinary twentieth century, from the late Qing Dynasty in the first decade of the century to the relatively free 1980s, a period comprising the Republican era, the battle between the Kwomintang and the Communists, the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. It's gripping stuff even for those who know their Chinese history, and it blew me away when I first read it halfway through my Chinese degree, making me wonder (for the first time but not the last) whether I really wanted to devote the rest of my life to China. It took me two more years to decide that I did not, but this book, whose memory has always stayed with me, played a large part in that decision. To this day, I vividly remember the horror I experienced when I read the long section about the Cultural Revolution. It brought alive the terror of that particular episode of Chinese history better than any other book I'd read, and it shocked me to my core.

While Wild Swans is largely about the three women mentioned above, the most interesting person in the book (I hesitate to call him a character as he was obviously a very real person) is the author's father, a high-ranking cadre who genuinely believed in the Communist ideals and strove all his life to implement them in daily life. At first, he is infuriating in his refusal to grant his wife and children the privileges to which they are entitled as his relatives (on the grounds that to do so would amount to nepotism and corruption, which is precisely what the Communists are supposed to be trying to eradicate), but as the story progresses, you realise that there is something quite heroic about Mr Chang -- that he is, in his daughter's words, 'a moral man living in a land that [is] a moral void'. By the time the Cultural Revolution rolls around the corner, you feel such admiration for him that you'd personally drag him away from the humiliations and beatings he receives for sticking to his guns if you could, to prevent him having to experience that loss of faith and dreams which is bound to follow. His is a tragedy with a capital T, and it's harrowing -- one of the most painful things I've read, and then some.

Yet for all the personal struggles described in the book (and there are many of them), the main struggling character of Wild Swans is China itself. Chang does a great job chronicling what J.G. Ballard called 'the brain-death of a nation', sharing historical facts in a way non-sinologists will understand and showing the cruelty and mercilessness inherent in the Chinese -- or should that be humanity in general? She does a marvellous job describing the panic and unpredictability of the early Cultural Revolution, when absolutely everybody could be denounced at the drop of a hat, and when pettiness and lust for power reigned. Along the road, she provides fascinating insights into Mao Zedong's selfishness and megalomania, and into the hypocrisy and incongruity of the movements he set in motion, which brutalised human relationships like nothing else ever has. And all these atrocities she juxtaposes with the integrity and courage of her parents and grandmother, who get through it all with some hope and optimism left intact. It's a riveting story, and Chang tells it well.

If I have any complaints about Wild Swans, they concern the first few chapters and the romanisation of names. The early parts of the book, which deal with events the author did not witness herself, feel a bit aloof and lifeless. (It gets better once Chang starts telling about her parents, and once she reaches the part of the story to which she herself was privy (the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution), the book becomes quite unputdownable.) As for the romanisation, I wish the publisher had hired an editor skilled in Pinyin, as Chang's spelling of Chinese names is all over the place (something non-sinologists won't notice, but which is an eyesore to me). These are minor flaws, though, which hardly detract from the overall quality of the book. Wild Swans is an intensely compelling read -- moving, unsettling and unforgettable. It should be compulsory reading for everyone remotely interested in China, or in history in general. ...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Margitte rated it it was amazing

Shelves: biography, china-culture-history-politics, nonfiction, memoirs, history, reviewed

At first I did not want to voice my opinion of this book since it cut so near to the bone and was such a profound shock to read in 1993. It was, however, the first book, after reading Isabelle Allende, that kept me awake for several weeks afterwards. No other book ever managed to achieve that.

It certainly is a depressing book, no beating around the bush about that, but also such a courageous introduction to a life of people shut away behind the veil of communism. My overall impression of the boo At first I did not want to voice my opinion of this book since it cut so near to the bone and was such a profound shock to read in 1993. It was, however, the first book, after reading Isabelle Allende, that kept me awake for several weeks afterwards. No other book ever managed to achieve that.

It certainly is a depressing book, no beating around the bush about that, but also such a courageous introduction to a life of people shut away behind the veil of communism. My overall impression of the book was that it must have been equally painful for the author to write it as it was for her family, three generations of women, to endure the horrific takeover of Mao Tse Tung in China. As with all Communist rhetoric, so many noble promises were made to people, freedom of oppression being the biggest, and innocent poor people believed enough in the idea to die for it. Those who did not want to accept it, were killed as well - in their millions.

However, people such as Jung's father, who staunchly believed that it would bring change for the good, staggered back in horror when the first real implications of Communism hit their lives. Freedom was the first privilege to be revoked on all levels of human existence. All intellectuals( against the revolution) were either interned or killed. They all lost their jobs and their standing and their respect in society were publicly destroyed. They were declared enemies of the state.

The equalization of society also did not happen seamlessly and the population would soon find out what it really entailed. The educational- and health systems crashed completely. Expropriation of land was part of the plan. Landowners were brutally murdered, land-grabbing became the order of the day. Land redistribution soon led to the most staggering overgrazing and erosion of fertile land over millions of hectares. Large parts of China became an instant man-made desert. Poverty and famine increased substantially and exponentially. Thirty million people died of hunger alone, which was a well-kept secret for almost forty years.

Jung Chang writes on p166:

Although the Communists were apposed to torture in theory and on principle, officials were told that they should not intervene if the peasant wished to vent their anger in passionate acts of revenge(against the farm owners).

People such as Jin were not just wealthy owners of land, but had wielded absolute and arbituary power, which they indulged in willfully, over the lives of the local population. They were called e-ba ( ferocious despots).

In some areas the killing extended to ordinary landlords, who were called 'stones' - obstacles to the revolution. Policy towards the 'stones' was: 'When in doubt, kill.

'My father thought this was wrong and told his subordinates and public meetings, that only those who, unquestionably had blood on their hands should be sentenced to death. In his reports to his superiors he repeatedly said that the Party should be careful with human lives, and that excessive executions would only harm the revolution. It was partly because many people like my father spoke up that in February 1948 the Communist leadership issued urgent instructions to stop the violent excesses.

The narrative describes how an entire nation was terrorized, traumatized and intimidated into submission by various methods.

Everybody living in a free country should read this book. The only way to understand real freedom is to get to know life when it is taken away - and almost always by the very same people who used the idea to win them over to a new dispensation.

Although it was an exhausting book to read, it opened the dark, horrible side of the so-called 'freedom-fighters' and communism to the world. It is written in such a way that the history lesson flows easily along the narrative, which was compelling. You need time for this book, and lots of courage. However, it was beautifully written. One of the best books I have ever read!

This book changed my life and my choice of books completely!

Listen to this Podcast with the author about this book. ...more

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Mar 25, 2010 Cecily rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: china-japan-asia, biog-and-autobiog, politics

“Father is close, Mother is close, but neither is as close as Chairman Mao.”

A fascinating description of one family's experiences of China's political upheavals across the 20th century, focusing on Jung Chang’s grandmother, mother, and then herself.

Although the family are fairly privileged much of the time, they still experience great hardships: being a Party member, or even Party official, was no guarantee of immunity from persecution and sometimes torture.

Hard to categorise - but don’t be dau ...more

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Jan 02, 2017 William2 marked it as to-read

Shelves: history, biography, dictatorship, china, translation, 20-ce, communism, nonfiction, totalitarianism, memoir

How far could Chinese patriarchy go in the early twentieth century to make the lives of women sheer humiliation and misery? Here in Wild Swans we have that question tidily answered. This is a tale of the lives of three generations of Chinese women: the author, her mother and her grandmother. Author Jung Chang's grandmother had her feet bound—a hideously painful process undertaken solely so that some man might one day find her lustworthy enough to take as a concubine. The years-long process of fo How far could Chinese patriarchy go in the early twentieth century to make the lives of women sheer humiliation and misery? Here in Wild Swans we have that question tidily answered. This is a tale of the lives of three generations of Chinese women: the author, her mother and her grandmother. Author Jung Chang's grandmother had her feet bound—a hideously painful process undertaken solely so that some man might one day find her lustworthy enough to take as a concubine. The years-long process of foot binding—of smashing the toes with a rock and binding them under the sole of the foot—is thoroughly explained.

Author Chang's grandmother was thus encrippled and eventually traded off to a general of one of the factions vying for control of the country in 1920. All this so her wretch of a great-grandfather—Yang—could raise his own material status, buy land and accumulate concubines. I have read of stories purdah, the seraglio and Morman four-wiving, but never have I come across such a harrowing description of the degradation of women that I have found here.

Mind-numbing are the cruel stratagems of the concubines back at the family home to degrade Yang's first wife (Chang's great-grandmother) and freeze her out of her own home. I was aware of this social structure before through works by the writers Jonathan Spence, Anchee Min, Nien Cheng, Harry Wu and others, but never have I had such a vivid picture of how the first wife/concubine pecking order played out in the daily life of a Chinese family as I've had here. It is beyond belief.

Then in 1930, released from her bond of concubinage on the death of the general, the grandmother—whose name Yu fang translates as jade fragrant flowers—falls in love with a Manchu doctor, who is determined to marry her as his wife. This sends his large family into conniptions since it means Jade will have to be accorded reverence in line with the doctor 's strict Manchu standards of filial respect. And at 65 he is almost three times her age. Perhaps if it weren't for his wealth there would be less of a fuss, but a new wife has implications for the eventual distribution of his estate's assets. In protest one of his sons shoots himself dead. This act of greed—for the family is worried only about its own dispossession, nothing more—drives Dr Xia to divide his possessions among his sons and move to a shack on the outskirts of Jinzhou which is a cholera epidemic waiting to happen. Yet there, he and Jade and the author's mother find some happiness despite the fact that the doctor is penniless and must start at the bottom. And all of the above in the book's first 44 pages!

Next we learn of the horrors committed during the Second Sino-Japanese War—the Japanese occupation of Manchuria, in which Jinzhou is located. Dr & Mrs Xia are able to save a friend from the Japanese by befriending the prison garroter, Dong, who promises them not to strangle the man fatally, only partially, so he'll look dead enough to be transported to the foul-smelling communal grave at the end of town. There, the Xias extract him from a tangle of bodies—he's still breathing—take him home and nurse him back to health. This man, Han-Chen, later goes to work for Kuomintang intelligence where he procures a membership ID for Mrs Xia's son which allows him to avoid military service and keep working in the doctor's medicine shop where he's most needed. He even gets Dong a job. After the war there were so many saved by Dong from the Japanese reaper in this way that survivors pooled their monies and bought the former executioner a little house for his retirement. Heroism takes strange forms.

The Japanese were defeated in 1945 and the second and concluding portion of the Chinese Civil War resumed. The author's mother now turns out to be this capable community organizer on the Communist side. She distributes propaganda. The Nationalist bigwigs are seen as corrupt and lacking discipline. The Communists were promising the populace things they would never deliver on, such as the retention of personal property. In Jinzhou, the author says, the Communists were perceived as innovators who would make the lives of the people better. Another sneaky thing the Communists did, while the Nationalists were busy fighting the Japanese, they intensified their propaganda and brought the people over to their side. Anyway, as you may know, neither side comes out smelling like a rose.

Need to finish ...more

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Jan 07, 2011 Sue rated it really liked it

Shelves: bio-memoir, history, around-the-world-in-52, read-in-2012, plan-to-re-read, kindle, china

Wild Swans presents the story of three generations in the life of the author's family, which covers most of the 20th century, as well as the amazing social, political and economic changes occurring in China as a whole. We move from the portrait of a concubine with bound feet to a woman who worked alongside her Communist Party husband to bring Party ideals to fruition, then on to the granddaughter who is among the first of her generation to be allowed to leave the country to study.

Along the way, ...more

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Jan 12, 2009 Manny rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: history-and-biography

At a conference dinner some time in the mid-90s, I found myself sitting next to this extremely impressive Chinese woman researcher - bunch of frequently cited publications, well-read in three languages, manages to look gorgeous as well. I cast around for something to say.

"I liked that Wild Swans book," I hazarded. "Do you know it?"

She looked at me scornfully. "Any Chinese woman could have written that!" she replied. "There are a hundred million stories just like it."

I must admit I had a little t ...more

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Mar 30, 2008 Corinne Edwards rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, war, tragedy, history, memoir, the-nook-book-club, communism, coming-of-age, 2007, long-book

One of the most fascinating books I have ever read. Not only do I feel I got an honest history of communist China, its story plays out like a novel - I never wanted to put it down. Chang excels at pulling it together for you - showing you the differences between her Grandmother's life, her mother's life and her own, moving chronologically in a manner that makes such good sense. I completely followed it despite my absolute dearth of knowledge on the subject of China. I wept with her and felt an a ...more

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Feb 26, 2017 Kavita rated it it was amazing

Shelves: china, history, autobiography-memoir, biography, real-women

If you read only one book about twentieth century China, let this be the one. A mish-mash of personal memoir, family saga, history, feminist literature, and global and Chinese politics, Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China covers it all vividly. The book covers the life of Jung Chang's grandmother, her mother, and herself over the course of a China that was constantly changing in response to the changing times and the challenges it was facing.

Chang starts off with her grandmother's story: a conc If you read only one book about twentieth century China, let this be the one. A mish-mash of personal memoir, family saga, history, feminist literature, and global and Chinese politics, Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China covers it all vividly. The book covers the life of Jung Chang's grandmother, her mother, and herself over the course of a China that was constantly changing in response to the changing times and the challenges it was facing.

Chang starts off with her grandmother's story: a concubine to a feudal lord, she managed to escape to freedom with her daughter, Chang's mother, who, in turn, became a rebel and supported the communists. Chang herself appears to be the least rebellious of these three women, but that doesn't detract from her strength in facing the daily challenges of living in Communist China under Madman Mao.

One of the most interesting things I found about this book was how it seamlessly depicted the enormous changes that took place in within a hundred years. While the grandmother was fully immersed in traditional ways and superstitions, this gradually changed over the years. Another thing I really loved about this book is how Chang kept challenging the practice of Maoism by demanding why the status of women had not changed and why they were still subject to the old ideas and customs, despite the communist revolution. I loved how Chang managed to put her finger on the right places and ask the right questions.

While this book is a memoir of one single family, Chang makes the attempt to weave in the broader political and historical issues of the times wherever appropriate. This gives Wild Swans a much broader scope than most memoirs and provides a comprehensive understanding of Chinese history and politics over the last century. I really appreciated this as Chang has obviously taken the time to research many things and has managed to keep a distance between her own experiences and historical facts.

One last question that does remain to be answered: Why has China not eschewed Mao yet? It has been more than forty years since he died, and yet the official stance is one of reverence and deification. The idea apparently is that it would hurt the image of the Communist Party, but I genuinely fail to understand why. The best thing anyone can do is to show Mao in his full idiocy to the masses. But as it stands today, his body is preserved and revered. It's an insult to the entire country. I am not surprised Wild Swans is banned in China, as well as all of the other books by Chang.

If you have even a remote interest in China, Chinese people, Chinese history, or Chinese politics, this book is a must-read! ...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Veeral rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 中國, read-in-2013, 600-800-pages, non-fiction, woolly-mammoths, biography-memoir, history-macro, socialism-communism

Simply put, “Wild Swans” is a poor man’s Life and Death in Shanghai.

Reason being that that while the initial chapters about Jung Chang’s grandmother are informative and interesting as it gives us a peek into the life of people in Pre-Communist China; as the book progresses, Chang’s ignorance (as she was a little girl at that time) about the events happening around her becomes a permanent annoyance.

I am not saying that Chang was still ignorant about what happened in China during the “Great Leap Simply put, “Wild Swans” is a poor man’s Life and Death in Shanghai.

Reason being that that while the initial chapters about Jung Chang’s grandmother are informative and interesting as it gives us a peek into the life of people in Pre-Communist China; as the book progresses, Chang’s ignorance (as she was a little girl at that time) about the events happening around her becomes a permanent annoyance.

I am not saying that Chang was still ignorant about what happened in China during the “Great Leap Forward” and “The Cultural Revolution” after she grew up; she definitely knows her history, but it seems that she has tried her level best to hide that in her book.

She would write something like, "My dad was very sad about the things that were happening in China but for me it was very difficult to understand it at that time.” And then she would start talking about something else without even clarifying her point. Even with the benefit of hindsight, it seems that she never really wanted to write in detail about the causes, reactions and outcomes of the events like “The Cultural Revolution”.

Her book is what the title itself suggests, about three daughters of China, but it is only and only about the three daughters of China and I was expecting it to be a little more than that. Chang took her time to tell her story, 700 odd pages in all, so it’s only fair to expect her to write more about China’s history, but instead she chose to write about the flowers in the garden of the hospital where her father was being treated during the “Cultural Revolution”.

Even Mme Mao and her “Gang of Four”, the main perpetrators of “The Cultural Revolution”, gets only a passing mention.

As a biography, Wild Swans is a good book. But if you want to read a detailed history of “The Cultural Revolution” and of China at that time, read Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng instead of this book. In my opinion, “Life and Death in Shanghai” is the best book written on “The Cultural Revolution” and also one of the best autobiographies ever written.

If you are going to read both the books (which I did), I suggest you start with “Wild Swans” first (which I didn’t), because if you read “Life and Death in Shanghai” before reading this book, chances are that you might end up appreciating “Wild Swans” much less than what you might have been predicting at the start. ...more

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Sep 06, 2019 Gary rated it it was amazing

Wild Swans is a candid and harrowing account of three remarkable Chinese women -grandmother, mother and daughter- but also gives us a very good picture of what China was like from the turn of the Century to the 1980's
We learn about the ancient culture of the Chinese which included much that was beautiful and some that seems cruel. We learn of the hope of so many Chinese that the overthrow of the Kuomintang would lead to a' just social order' but how it soon became clear that the worst excesses o Wild Swans is a candid and harrowing account of three remarkable Chinese women -grandmother, mother and daughter- but also gives us a very good picture of what China was like from the turn of the Century to the 1980's
We learn about the ancient culture of the Chinese which included much that was beautiful and some that seems cruel. We learn of the hope of so many Chinese that the overthrow of the Kuomintang would lead to a' just social order' but how it soon became clear that the worst excesses of the Kuomintang and those of Imperial China before that paled into insignificance compared to the hell on earth created by Mao's Chinese Communist Party
One is left aghast that a system can destroy even the most basic human instincts of decency and compassion while turning people into inhumane monsters totally possessed -as if by a demon - by a cruel and totally destructive system
It sends shivers down one's spine to realise that 'The Great Helmsman' Mao Ze Dong -who ranks with Hitler and Stalin as among the most evil men of the 20th century-had his image worn on T-shirts by 'progressive' students and youth in the west and these same young 'champions of equality' hung large pictures of Mao in their dormitory rooms .This at the same time as millions of Chinese were being slaughtered and physically and psychologically maimed on the orders of Mao and his Chinese Communist Party -as described in this book.
Today many in the West laud the economic 'reforms' towards a type of totalitarian 'capitalist' system but fail to remember that human rights have not improved at all and China is still a hideous and inhuman hell for hundreds of millions of its inhabitants. And the world turns a blind eye While we a re left asking how much longer the people of China will remain enslaved by their inhumane Communist masters. How Long?
But the book is also about the strength of the human spirit , about wonderful people-especially the three remarkable women who are the central characters of this book- as well as the cruel ones
It is a story of love and hate, strength and weakness , the beautiful and the ugly
But more than anything it is about how the human spirit can never in the end be crushed by cruelty, evil and tyranny ...more

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Feb 19, 2008 Trina rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: anyone--particularly someone planning a visit to China

Recommended to Trina by: My sister who was living in Beijing

We bought this book before a trip to Beijing in 2005, but Amazon was particularly slow with their delivery and it arrived just a couple of days before our departure. My husband began reading the book on the plane (and even though the book is banned in China, our bags weren't searched so our copy made it into the country without any problem), but didn't finish it until well after we'd returned home. At that point, my interest had waned a bit. In addition, I just don't like to read "sad" books, an We bought this book before a trip to Beijing in 2005, but Amazon was particularly slow with their delivery and it arrived just a couple of days before our departure. My husband began reading the book on the plane (and even though the book is banned in China, our bags weren't searched so our copy made it into the country without any problem), but didn't finish it until well after we'd returned home. At that point, my interest had waned a bit. In addition, I just don't like to read "sad" books, and my husband had told me some of the more tragic events in the book, so I chose not to read it.

When Wild Swans was chosen as our book group book (by a woman who is somewhat of a Chinese history scholar), I began reading with reluctance. The first half of the book took me a very long time to read, but the second half, I had a hard time putting down. I wondered if I had become hardened to all of the sorrow and suffering, but I think the second half was more compelling because it was when the author began telling her story, from her point of view, and it was easier to put myself into the story (and thus, more heartbreaking).

The writing is first-rate, and I appreciate the epilogue and the introduction to the 2003 edition (which I recommend reading AFTER you've read the book) which chronicle some of the author's difficulties in initally facing her past in China. It is a courageous book, with honest and emotional portrayals of a time in history that is still so little understood by the Western world. I, for one, am grateful to Jung Chang for sharing her family's stories.

I love the pictures of the author and her family that are included in the 2003 edition. I spent the first part of the book frustrated that the edition didn't include a map of China, only to discover that there is a great map in the BACK of the book. These extras, along with the timeline and family tree, help the non-Chinese reader keep track of names and places.

I wish I had been able to read the book before going to China. I think it would have given me a more acurate lense through which to see people and places. But, late is better than never, and I'm so glad to have read the book now. ...more

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Jan 03, 2020 Ivana Books Are Magic rated it it was amazing

A family memoir that is both educating and moving. Wild Swans is quite successful in mixing personal history with national one. That being said, I have to say that it was the personal history that interested me the most. Getting to know a bit more about the more recent history of China was certainly welcome, but what really moved me were the personal stories of the three generation of women from the Swan family.

This is definitely one of those books that are hard to forget. The writing style is A family memoir that is both educating and moving. Wild Swans is quite successful in mixing personal history with national one. That being said, I have to say that it was the personal history that interested me the most. Getting to know a bit more about the more recent history of China was certainly welcome, but what really moved me were the personal stories of the three generation of women from the Swan family.

This is definitely one of those books that are hard to forget. The writing style is simple, straightforward and elegant. The narrative follows the lives of three Chinese women in chronological order and it is written by the youngest of them. I loved getting to know each one of them, but perhaps the grandmother the most. As I said, their life stories are written down in a chronological way starting with the grandmother, moving onto the daughter and finishing with the granddaughter. There is so much going on in this book, that I have a feeling it would be difficult to follow if the narrative wasn't chronological.

For me personally, Wild Swans was a page-turner but one of a touching and profound kind. One of the most amazing thing about this book for me is that it is a non-fiction. It is hard to believe at times that so much can happen. Yet, life is said to be stranger than fiction. Reading it, I kept thinking " Oh, this really happened!". Perhaps some aspects of this book are what could be called stylized autobiography and perhaps some parts were left out, but I personally don't care. I was quite happy with the book as it is and feel no need to question the author about the petty details or wonder if she perhaps changed some event to make it more favorable to her family. I know some readers expressed their doubts over her parents keeping out of communist purges but you know what? Memory is partly subjective and this is a memoir not a history book. I think we shouldn't question author so much. I truly believe that Jung Chang told her story (and those of two other generations of her family) in a truthful and honest way.

This is a memoir and a very personal one. Having read it, I felt as if I had established some kind of personal relationship with the narrator of the book. Perhaps it is because of the way the story is told, in a very simple way, very similar to the way friends tell their stories between themselves. I guess that the photographs play a role too. Being able to see the female protagonists of this memoir makes them seem even more real. This is certainly one of the most intimate memoirs I have ever read, perhaps even the most intimate one. There is something so honest about the narrative voice, one feels this authors doesn't want to hide anything. She writers about the good and the bad. To me it makes this book seem quite honest and objective.

The connection between female family members is at the center of the book and I like how the author focused on those family ties. You can feel the connection between family members and the love "the wild swans" feel for each other. The special and sometimes complex connection between a mother and a daughter is described honestly but warmly.

“When he asked my grandmother if she would mind being poor, she said she would be happy just to have her daughter and himself: 'If you have love, even plain water is sweet.”

Personally, this was one of the most emotionally engaging reading experiences. The range of emotions was great, at times I feared for the heroins of this book and at times I laughed at their ingenious actions. I felt bewildered, surprised, sad, melancholic, fascinated, amused and happy while I read this novel. I actually can't think of an emotion that I didn't experience.

There is a lot of historical and cultural information in this book. It would be an interesting read for anyone interested in Asian culture. If you enjoy reading this book, you'll found out a way to learn about modern history of China. The author is very critical towards some political figures (Mao) and towards the dark side of communism. Although I found this part of her writing interesting, it was the human aspect of the book that impressed me the most. I would go so far as to call this book an ode to women's spirit. ...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Joselito Honestly and Brilliantly rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is a very rare book which has convinced thousands of its readers here at goodreads to give it the highest rating possible solely on the strength of the story in it. Those who look for unique writing styles, or breathtaking passages, memorable quotes, wordplays, or interesting new words will not find anything here. The author, who was born and who grew up in China, learned the rudiments of the English language when she was already a young adult. So she wrote this in an English which is just This is a very rare book which has convinced thousands of its readers here at goodreads to give it the highest rating possible solely on the strength of the story in it. Those who look for unique writing styles, or breathtaking passages, memorable quotes, wordplays, or interesting new words will not find anything here. The author, who was born and who grew up in China, learned the rudiments of the English language when she was already a young adult. So she wrote this in an English which is just enough to communicate. No fanciful prose here.

For that, and only for that, one might say that this is not perfect and should therefore receive a less than perfect rating. After all, how can something like this be considered on par with those which are considered masterpieces both in content and style? And yet!

Compare, for instance, the starting phrase of this great classic "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens--

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair..."

with that of this family memoir by Jung Chang which simply goes--

"At the age of fifteen my grandmother became the concubine of a warlord general..."

and the vast difference can easily be felt: Dickens hints of trouble ahead, perhaps some deliberate, confusing ambiguities in the plot which would make his reader perplex and unsure whether it was the best or worst of times, yatata yatata; whereas Jung Chang hits the ground running, already telling a story in a fairy tale-like manner. The formerwarns you to proceed carefully and at your own risk, the latter invites you to sit on your mother's lap, a young child once more, so you may listen to a wonderful story about a once upon a time, about a warlord general and a very young girl who had bound feet, who became the warlord general's concubine, who had a daughter by him who, in turn, became an ardent communist later and was the mother of the author who had written this stupendous bestseller read by millions who finished reading it crying or at least misty-eyed.

This is also a living and breathing history. Chinese history seen from the ground where ordinary Chinese lived, from the pre-civil war years, the Japanese occupation, the birth of communist China, the years of the harebrained ideas of Mao Tse-tung where millions suffered and died, up to the early post-Mao era. Anyone who finishes reading this with even the barest minimum of attention can easily pretend to be an expert sinologist and could better appreciate that other 1001 memoir, Zhang Xianling's "Half of Man is Woman" and avoid the mistake of calling the Chinese camps then as "gulags." ...more

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Sep 17, 2013 Zanna rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: feminism, 500gbw

I am daunted by the prospect of commenting on this book. Jung Chang tells the story of her grandmother who was a concubine to a warlord general before marrying a compassionate and principled Manchu doctor, and was one of the last generation to suffer the disabling practice of foot-binding.

She tells the story of her mother, revolutionary, committed communist, wife of a passionate political leader, whose support for the regime finally collapsed in the face of inexpressibly extreme onslaughts of vi ...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Marc rated it liked it

Shelves: communism, china

Story of three generations of women (grandmother, mother and author) in the 20th Century China. The title refers to the nickname Wild Swans (Chang) that was given to the mother and passed on to her daughters.

This is a downright impressive as document, especially as an illustration of the shocking changes China went through in the 20th century. It's absolutely hallucinatory and horrifying particularly related to the Cultural Revolution. Well written, except for a rather disappointing epilogue.

Pe ...more

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Mar 14, 2018 W rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: from-around-the-world

This is the story of the lives of three generations of Chinese women.All three endured great suffering during their respective eras.It was appalling to read about the cruel practice of foot binding of young girls,which resulted in permanant damage.

The author lived in Mao's China,and describes the repression unleashed during those years.The book is too long,however,and at times feels like an anti Mao propaganda piece itself,targeted at a Western audience.

Could have done with a lot of editing. ...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Lynne King rated it it was amazing

Shelves: already-own, china, to-re-read

After reading Margitte's excellent review just now and browsing through this book again, I've decided to up my rating.

* * * * * * * * *

I see that I read this hardback in 1993. I will, when I get the time, reread it just to see how I now view it.

It's the story of three Chinese woman and it is a memoir of Jung Chang, her mother and her grandmother.

There are wonderful photos portraying China's history, although not necessarily pleasant memories.

The author "grew up in Manchuria under Japanese and th ...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Emily May rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, nonfiction

I enjoyed this a lot. Okay, maybe "enjoyed" isn't the right word seeing as there is death, torture, misery and a lot of general unfairness... but it was a compulsively readable book that made me grateful that I was born in the time and place I was. And it was an interesting education on Chinese history, politics and culture. ...more

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Sep 28, 2013 Ting rated it it was ok

Please read this before you decide to review this book. And pardon me for my crappy English. I'll try my best to explain.
Now, you've read her side of the story. Here's my family side of the story.
I read this book couple years ago for my Contemporary Chinese History class, and it wasn't until recently when I skyped with my father and we came across a short discussion about this book, and I was able to make the connection. The Chinese version of this book holds a very different title, so my fath Please read this before you decide to review this book. And pardon me for my crappy English. I'll try my best to explain.
Now, you've read her side of the story. Here's my family side of the story.
I read this book couple years ago for my Contemporary Chinese History class, and it wasn't until recently when I skyped with my father and we came across a short discussion about this book, and I was able to make the connection. The Chinese version of this book holds a very different title, so my father and I had to compare the details to make sure that we were talking about the same book.

If you have finished the book, you'd remember in the Chapter where she talks about the red guards raided her classmate AI LING's home.
She wrote that Ai ling's father was a famous economist and the family lived in a nice house with a nice garden. In the chapter, if I remember this correctly, she talks about how the red guards had beaten Ai Ling's father, and Ai Ling, too. How she remembers that the family owns set of very exquisite snuff bottles and how they got taken by the red guards.
In the chapter, Chang describes herself as this innocent bystander, she heard the whole event couple days later from Ai ling and she was sad to see Ai ling hurt.

Well, only some of these were true.

Ai Ling's real name is Ai Lei, she's my great aunt, my father's big sister, the author's classmate when they were students at No'4 middle school of Chengdu when this all happened.
Jung Chang wasn't an innocent bystander, she didn't hear the raid about my family's house from my aunt. She was, in fact, one of the red guards who raided my family. She was there to announce the "big letter report" against my family and locked my family in the woodshed while the red guards raided the house. The snuff bottles are a set contains 400 different bottles made out of rare gems and metals. Those belong to my great grandfather and those were not the only thing got taken away that day. My grandfather, great aunt, and my father were beaten senselessly with belts and fists by the red guards before they locked them in the woodshed with the rest of the family.

I feel extremely uncomfortable about how she portrayed herself as the witness and the victim of the Cultural Revolution when the truth is that she had a very active role in it. It is sad to see the rest of the world sees this book as the most valuable document to study the Cultural Revolution when the author lied about such a crucial detail. It puts the reliability of the whole book in question.

Also, I am extremely angry as the descendant of the real victims of the Cultural Revolution. We, the real victims, the "black kind", lost everything in the so-called revolution when the author continued on studying in a prestigious school in Beijing and ended up in the UK. Now since she's outside the system, she writes a book about the system and deliberately left out the parts about herself. This is just not right.

If you question the reliability of my statement, I can assure that the story can be verified by numbers of her old middle school classmates, and also, my father. My family still lives in the house with a garden. Yes, it still exists, and it is over a hundred years old.

May the voice of the real victims of this revolution be heard.
...more

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Jun 28, 2016 Joey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: autobiographies, 1001-best-novels-you-must-read, historical-novels

Thick. Voluminous. Its Flamingo edition has 696 pages. I laid it aside many times. I didn’t know how to finish it , but I wanted to heap it soon onto the other books read and unread; I was obsessed with the other new books I had splurged on. When I gave it a shot for the third time; I was so already excited that I was close to its real-life –saga ending. Then, I was stuck again, in some harrowing parts I had to understand by heart and turn over in my mind . There, I trudged along. I was almost c Thick. Voluminous. Its Flamingo edition has 696 pages. I laid it aside many times. I didn’t know how to finish it , but I wanted to heap it soon onto the other books read and unread; I was obsessed with the other new books I had splurged on. When I gave it a shot for the third time; I was so already excited that I was close to its real-life –saga ending. Then, I was stuck again, in some harrowing parts I had to understand by heart and turn over in my mind . There, I trudged along. I was almost cross-eyed at the figures and facts I could grasp no more , tearing my hair until I could let out a deep breath. ( Heavy sigh) Finally, I was done . My verdict: I SHOULD HAVE READ IT ALL ALONG WHILE I WAS DEEPLY ENGAGED IN POLITICAL DISCOURSE ON SOCIAL MEDIA DURING OUR NATIONAL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. Its vivid details could have been mesmerizingly engaging, heart-breaking, and eye-opening. Besides, I came back to my senses that communism turns out to be an ineffective form of government after all. Also, out of my ignorance, somehow, I brushed upon some historical facts about Mao Zedong, the man I have been curious about, or I could have been looking up to because of his numinous image.

One of the big challenges for a writer, particularly an autobiographer, is to write all the blow-by-blow accounts to make the book appear accurate and credible. There are instances that some are laconic with their stories; they only choose the situations which could be appealing to their audience. ( It’s a matter of marketing strategy, I guess.) Who could dare write a book that is so full of dramatic but petty details? Of course, padding the book could be intended to impress its audience. And I don’t think it’s Jung Chang’s intention. Never mind its mind-boggling and undermining Chinese names of persons, places, and technical words buzzed if you don’t have these ears for language . You will still be abandoned to the waves of negative emotions each daughter draws off- pain, endurance, hopelessness, despair, cruelty, savageness, you name it. Whoa, woe to you. Sit tight! Make sure that you have this empty chest.

After all, the book is not just about novelizing Jung Chang’s experiences but a way of letting go of the past. She used this as the instrument for cauterizing all the feeling and thoughts she had pushed to the darkest corners of her mind for a long decade under Mao Zedong’s said totalitarian government. Also, through this book, she had rectified all the injustice her entire ancestors, particularly her parents and grandma, had suffered for a long time. She had the chance to clear of all the political mud slung against her families that went down in Chinese history, which was eventually expurgated after Mao Zhedong’s political failure. At the same time, she had the chance to reminisce about the good memories which shaped her up as a strong and intelligent woman. However, as far as I know, the New China has not recognized the essence of her book yet out of jingoism. In fact, it was banned when it was published in 1992.

This book has been translated into 37 languages. No doubt. Quite apart from its heart-breaking themes, it is worth reading because it opens our mind. It will probably change our view points of the social issues in our contemporary era. You will understand that every country has different culture when it comes to family, society, and politics. So, you might come to realize that all the cultures could be immoral but stuck up in a time warp, especially when human dignity is already trodden. Everything is changing as is nature. Nonetheless, after all, I can’t cry bloody murder if such backward culture existed before ; it even did in our country, elsewhere. (Heavy sighs) Dare I say that we humans are still underdeveloped even up to this day, or it is just a matter of the philosophy of relativism? Look what is China now. North Korea. Some Middle East countries. The armpits of Africa. Even in state-of-the-art European nations. Now the issue is Brexit if you are aware of its referendum.

The book’s theme Cultural Revolution disabused me of that communism is not politically, socially, and economically feasible at all in a country that needs big social changes wherein all people should be ideally equal. I have been enlightened as an idealistic citizen that humans are fallible, that there is no such Utopia in a modern world. Evils have been part of the natural laws since the world began. ( heavy sigh)

Ever since I took to history subject, I have never had the clear details on Mao Zedong’s life. I was just tipped off that he was a cruel president of China , that he killed many babies, that he was revered as god. However, Jung Chang did not describe him much in the book. She was too euphemistic about him as though she still respected him despite all the pains China had suffered. In the end, I was not satisfied. I am still more curious about him . Who is Mao Zedong? Fiddlesticks, a red thick biography about him that I always see in a premier book store is now sparking my curiosity. The good thing is Jung Chang and her husband Jon Halliday wrote a biography about him : Mao: The Unknown Story. Interesting! As a matter of fact, she wrote another biographies about Empress Dowager Cixi and Madame Sun Yat- Sen. I hope to luck out and find them! ...more

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Jun 15, 2014 Chantal rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, non-fiction

I have always liked history, but my biggest fascination lies (and has lain for years) in the history, culture, mythology and politics of Japan and China. So as you can guess, Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China was everything I could have ever wanted. The amount of insight I gained from this read is invaluable, and yet, it didn’t read like a history textbook. Instead it is an entertaining, albeit harrowing, memoir depicting the joys and struggles of three Chinese women of the same family throug I have always liked history, but my biggest fascination lies (and has lain for years) in the history, culture, mythology and politics of Japan and China. So as you can guess, Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China was everything I could have ever wanted. The amount of insight I gained from this read is invaluable, and yet, it didn’t read like a history textbook. Instead it is an entertaining, albeit harrowing, memoir depicting the joys and struggles of three Chinese women of the same family through three generations in the 20th century.

The novel chronicles the journey of three women, but perhaps most importantly, China. In a way, China can be considered the book’s main character. We start the story in the late Quing dynasty, China under the Kwomintang, witness the Communist revolution and the subsequent over-through of the government and the establishment of the Communist regime, experience the catastrophe that was the Great Leap Forward (or rather Backward) and the seemingly endless years of the Cultural Revolution. In the end, we are left with something a bit more hopeful, with the depiction of the China’s gradual liberalisation.

I had the fortune of having studied Chinese history for half a year in my Advanced History class in high school and so all the main events and political players were familiar to me, yet Wild Swans offered me so much new information. It is a book you can (and should) read regardless of your prior knowledge and is suitable for anyone who can stomach the descriptions of torture and violence that took place at the time. The novel is simultaneously depressing and uplifting and is made even more so by the way it is narrated so honestly and emotionally and in such a self-aware manner.

I have gained a lot of respect for Jung Chang and her family reading this, as well as for all the brave and loyal people involved with them. The story is well-told, if at times a bit repetitive, and the book is one I am sure will be unforgettable.

Wild Swans makes me grateful that I was born in the time and place that I was, in a country where I can live freely, with human rights that aren’t questioned, and am allowed to pursue all the education I desire. I genuinely believe that everyone should read this book. Highly recommended.
...more

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Nov 15, 2016 Mary rated it liked it

Shelves: 2016, non-fiction, china

But Mao's theory might just be the extension of his personality. He was, it seemed to me, really a restless fight promoter by nature, and good at it. He understood ugly human instincts such as envy and resentment, and knew how to mobilize them for his ends. He ruled by getting people to hate each other...In bringing out and nourishing the worst in people, Mao had created a moral wasteland and a land of hatred.

(p.496) ...more

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Jun 18, 2018 Czarny Pies rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Those who love self-righteous grief.

Shelves: asian-history

Throughout the entire 562 pages of this excruciating book, Jung Chang wallows in self-pity in the most abject fashion. Nonetheless, it merits five stars or more because of the way it tells the story from the ground level of the fall the Qing dynasty, the attempt of the Kuomintang to create a modern state, the creation of a communist regime in China, the Great Leap forward and Mao's cultural revolution. Chang is rich in detail and has a remarkable sense of what needs to be explained to the wester ...more

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Oct 01, 2007 Jenny rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Anyone interested in Chinese history, oriental literature or wonderful stories!

Shelves: favourite-books, china, non-fiction, books-i-own, to-re-read

I've never felt so sad to reach the end of a book in all my life. This book is amazing and is well and truly the best book I've ever read! I even had the urge to start reading it all over again as soon as I'd finished.

Wild Swans follows the journey of three generations of women, from the same family, through the tragic history of twentieth century China.

I felt almost ashamed that I wasn't aware of hardly any of China's recent history. I picked the book up as I was doing a charity trek along the ...more

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Jun 28, 2020 Diane in Australia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction-biography, nonfiction-autobiography

I enjoy books that let me see history from a private, and very personal, point of view. This book does that. Mind-boggling what a country, and a people, can endure.

4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely held my interest.

(My apologies for such a short review. I'm struggling with a few things, at the moment, and just can't seem to find the presence of mind to write longer reviews.) ...more

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Jul 03, 2008 Christine rated it really liked it

My heart ached every time I picked up this book to read. It rang page after page of unspeakable acts delivered to and through the everyday lives of the people of China under the rule of Mao. The only real hope conveyed in the book was Chang's beautiful depiction of the places where she, her mother and her grandmother had lived. She captures the smallest detail and creates a clear picture for her reader. I believe this book grants us a view of what it is like to live in a Godless society. ...more

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Mar 25, 2018 Amy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: china, goodreads-favorites, autobiography, non-fiction

Five Stars! I am not normally a lover on non-fiction, but lately I have read such compelling reads. In my Goodreads main group I have already seen a number of reviews of this, so its hard to recap. It traces the life of Jung Chang and her siblings, parents, and grandparents, through the Komingtang, and the Cultural Revolution under Mao Tse Tang. In places it was hard to read, as the devastation and violence of her childhood experience, and that of her parents and grandparents was bleak and traum Five Stars! I am not normally a lover on non-fiction, but lately I have read such compelling reads. In my Goodreads main group I have already seen a number of reviews of this, so its hard to recap. It traces the life of Jung Chang and her siblings, parents, and grandparents, through the Komingtang, and the Cultural Revolution under Mao Tse Tang. In places it was hard to read, as the devastation and violence of her childhood experience, and that of her parents and grandparents was bleak and traumatizing. It was one of those stories that was hard to read, but needed to be told. Its a miracle that she lived through it to tell the harrowing tale, and that she was at some point able to leave China for the West. She loved her family and was an extremely good daughter to them. She was also a young woman with ideas, intellect, and passion, in a country that didn't tolerate that - and in fact supressed it.

Loved the first line and drawn in right away - At Age Fifteen, my Grandmother was a concubine to General .... (Famous Chinese Official who ran the country.) The story was actually quite amazing, even more so because every word was true.

A note about challenges. I started this book when the Tag of the Month was Asia. Finished it when the Tag of the Month was Autobiography. Next Month is Strong Women and it fits that category too. But as or more importantly, this is also my Listopia book Two - Remarkable Women in Historical fiction. Now that I think about it, it shouldn't be on the list. Its non-fiction. But I am reading plenty more women who probably should be on the list, but aren't. And in terms of the actual list, I am sure to hit way more than 6. So I am actually just fine with that. It also is one of nine or ten books in Nicole's Cultural challenge, which I knew I'd complete with my eyes closed. See how many countries I can visit this year, and I am excited to see how much of the world I have seen even in just three months. So - for many reasons, I am really glad to be done with this quite excellent read. My home book club is getting together to talk about it too, within the next month. I love how one book hits all the categories at once, and without PBT, I would never have known about it, much less picked it up. Hooray for PBT and also for me! Brava to Jung Chang for her survival and teaching us with her tale of resilience and difficult history. ...more

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Mar 19, 2016 Steve Griffin rated it it was amazing

This is a whirlwind story, focusing around the tragedy of China throughout much of the last century through three generations of women. The greatest havoc is wrought by Mao Zedong and his wife, particularly through his Cultural Revolution in which young people are pitched against teachers, intellectuals and artists in a highly successful attempt to divide and rule. It's like Lord of the Flies meets real life. Read this book, especially if you don't know much about China - it's an education. ...more

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Sep 18, 2017 Abbie | ab_reads rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

4.5 stars

If you're looking for your next powerful, personal memoir then look no further guys, I got your back! Wild Swans is the story of three generations of women told by Jung Chang: her grandmother, the concubine of a warlord, her communist mother, and herself. The book is super lengthy and heavy (as is expected) but I think it's so worth it, as you get the full picture of what life was like under Mao. Hint: it was terrible.
.
I was awestruck by the amount of time and research Chang put into he ...more

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Sep 08, 2011 B. Asma rated it really liked it

"Wild Swans" (1991) has very helpful introductory notes. Because of the Chinese names, I was glad to know how to pronounce Jung=Yung, X=sh, Q=ch. The 2003 Introduction is added, in which she aims to write about "how the Chinese really felt" during the twentieth century through experiences of her grandmother, her mother, and herself. Especially interesting are the changing lives of women across three generations, which depict notions of beauty, concubinage, and foot-binding then community activis ...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
The F-word: Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China, March Non-Fiction Read!	2	15	Mar 02, 2021 09:43AM
Goodreads Librari...: Incorrect cover for new edition	2	18	Mar 19, 2020 04:46AM
Reading 1001: Wild swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang	8	44	Sep 21, 2019 01:15PM
Goodreads Librari...: Add translator	1	9	Aug 01, 2019 01:37PM
نادي كلمة للقراءة : نقاش رواية \| بجعات برية لـ يونغ تشانغ	3	27	Dec 06, 2018 04:15AM
500 Great Books B...: Wild Swans - Jung Chang	13	61	Aug 04, 2018 05:39PM
Read Women: China: Wild Swans by Jung Chang	4	61	Jun 20, 2018 02:05AM

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About Jung Chang

Jung Chang

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Jung Chang (simplified Chinese: 张戎; traditional Chinese: 張戎; pinyin: Zhāng Róng; Wade-Giles: Chang Jung, born March 25, 1952 in Yibin, Sichuan) is a Chinese-born British writer now living in London, best known for her family autobiography Wild Swans, selling over 10 million copies worldwide but banned in mainland China.

See also ユンチアン, 張戎. ...more

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“When he asked my grandmother if she would mind being poor, she said she would be happy just to have her daughter and himself: 'If you have love, even plain water is sweet.” — 75 likes

“If you have love, even plain cold water is sweet.” — 49 likes

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