Yes, I am going to Brazil for my book tour there from 27th June to 10th July…

I have never been to that part of the world…

I am so so so excited…

I have been heavily editing on my new book since last month. It is about some secret Chinese mothers I met in China from 1989 to 2007, they all lost their baby daughters for different reasons. It will be published Chinese New Year 2010 by  my publisher Random House as planned.

Again and again, my soul has been watered by my tears for those mothers…

I hope all of Chinese adopted daughters could hear their hidden voice from my writing, and help this world to get a better understanding between mothers and children.

Anyhow, as the second part of my questions on China after 14th May 2009 is here…

Chinese Population: 1,306,313,812 (July 2005 est.);

Population growth rate 0.58% (2005 est.);

Ethnic groups: Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%

· What’s the challenge to Chinese population?
· Is there an imbalance of sex and education by single child policy?
· How much the percentage of its population has been educated?
· How much between rich and poor? How many are poor as under the life line?

I would like to continue to sharing my thoughts about China with you here…I hope I could learn some answers of these questions from YOU!

Xiexie!

Qin-Wen, Nin Jia-Qi Qu-Nar? – Where will you go for your next holiday?

Chinese says, Xiang Yi Xiang, Zai Shuo – Think, before you speak.

I read an article by Mr Xiaokang Su about Tianan Men Movement in 1989 from BBC Chinese news on 2nd June. I think it is the best understanding of what it is.

If you can read in Chinese, here is

苏晓康：思想启蒙者的反思
《河殇》总撰稿人之一的苏晓康谈《河殇》与六四以及89天安门抗议运动的教训。http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_8070000/newsid_8074000/8074054.stm

I totally agree with him –before people are able to choose their own education and career, freedom and democracy could be limited by the human living condition… played by the political parties… controlled by the ”mafia — God fathers”… and abused by the power greedy……!

Just think about, how many Chinese really have got chance and time to learn, to know what democracy is…by now? Even though some have read a lot in China…but the most translated books have been censored or ”’edited for a right voice”…or just misguided by the ‘’simplified translation”!
When we talk about any part of history, we have to let it back its time as what it was…with our enough knowledge of its background in the truth.

Just one question on Tianan Men 1989 –How much today’s China could be better in democracy IF former prime minster Ziyang Zhao is still in the state leadership? Why he lost in 1989?

Today’s comfortable life has made us become too lazy to think and to dig the truth…or, at least to question the truth of our past.

We must not ‘water’ our belief and glory by others’ blood, both of Chinese students and Chinese soldiers in 1989!

Wo Men Bu-Neng Jian-Hua Li-Shi. We must not simplify history.

Xie-Xie Yu Wo Yi-Qi Si-Kao – Thanks for sharing a mind with me.

I have kept telling people that what I have experienced in China, whether in terms of place, the times, the environment or the situation, can only be representative of a minuscule proportion, like a drop of water cannot be used to explain the ocean, but only a spoon of tea or a bowl of soup.

Since I published China Witness last year, I have heard so many ‘wa—‘ and ‘what?!’ about today’s China …from the people I met on my book tours in Australia, New Zealand, America, Canada, Norway….and UK

In fact, I am a part of these words about my roots culture and today’s China. I have made some questions for myself; I am willing to spend my life time to get their answers. Would you like to share it with me?

If so, here is the first part of my questions:

People’s Republic of China, based on UN map, locates at Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam…9,596,960 sq km; land: 9,326,410 sq km; water: 270,550 sq km; mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east; lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m; highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m; world’s fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US); Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world’s tallest peak.

· How much China culture and believes have been rooted by its geography?

· How much the mountains, ocean, and deserts have infected it’s culture?

· How much its neighbours have influenced it’s self-centre believes in those main historical comparison (Tibetan, Russia, South East Asia)?

· How Chinese’s image of the world have been built up and limited by 3 silk roads, Opium War, and speeding ‘open policy’?

Zhong-Guo You Gao-Shan he Da-Hai – China has mountains and sea

Hai-zi, Wo Ai Ni! – My child, I love you!

Dear All, I would like to share a mother’s feeling with you today, if you don’t mind.

Dear Panpan, my loved son:

I can’t help thinking about you since yesterday – UK Mother’s Day, when you came back and cooked such a ‘impressed’ lunch as your gift for me. I am really surprised by your cooking — the beauty of your food displayed, the delicious taste you made, and how much care about me you showed.

Above all, I must tell you, I am so touched by your love to your mum — you know how to release your mum’s mind by showing me your improved life skill one by one since you went to university in 2007. As being a mother, we hold the worries all the time when our children start their own lives and flying into a free sky, as Chinese says… from your clothes, food, bed, until your study, activities and your friends… Children’s safe and health is a part of any mother’s daily life… It lasts to their last second in their lives!

I want to thank YOU for helping me to let you be free and independent. I wish we could have had a ‘Son’s/Daughter’s Day’, so that I could have shared my love and proud with many other sons’ mothers…

I want to say sorry to you as well, because I had mentioned many times to others before – I wished I could have had a daughter, I had thought that a girl might understand mother in a better way… By now, I know I am wrong! I have the best son in the world!

Love to you – my life’s ‘Power House’ – my loved Panpan

Xie-xie Mu Qin Jie – Thanks to mother’s day!

Wo Juede Hen Teng – I felt very painful!

This morning, my friend Tantan-Niang emailed me with a forward attachment – subject is ‘Do you know the most popular restaurant in Beijing?’ There are fifteen photos about this restaurant in the attachment.

Here is my reply to Tantan-Niang:

Yes, I have been there. The restaurant is called ‘Red Star’. It is for you to ‘experience The Culture Revolution as a fun’.

I was so shocked and painful by this ‘Culture Revolution fun’…my body was shaking when they shouted and repeated those killing slogans!!!

You would know why I felt like that, if you have read my book ‘The Good Women of China’, you would see what ‘The Culture Revolution’ means to my life.

After more than 40 years, I still couldn’t walk out from my painful memory of my ten years childhood during The Culture Revolution …

I can’t believe that my suffered childhood could be ”gamed” with such happiness!

Is it possible for anyone in this world to play War killings as a fun? How could someone play Jews were gassed in Auschwitz as a fun? Or, how could someone play Gaza children were killed in early this year as a fun?

I am sure I am not only the one lost by this fun…

No pain, no gain…what young Chinese could gain from this Culture Revolution if they can’t feel any pain from it?

What might be happened to a plant if it is cut off from its roots…? I think human is living in the same way as the plants…or any other lives…

Wei Shenme – Why?

Renshi Nin Zhen Gaoxin! — It is so nice to know you!

I came back London home yesterday on 6th March 2009, after 14 days travel between 9 cities plus 8 talks/lectures and over 20 interviews – in America and Canada.

I feel that I am dying…not just by my body’s exhausted, but also by the emotional–I have been shared so much with the people I met on this trip…

I think, we never could have known it enough that how much we have been given by life, natural, our family and friends…or anyone, even though we never could be able to know each other…

Thanks to our last generations, without them we won’t have such a colorful life.

Thanks to Harriet and Binh for sharing so much thinking with me…

Big regards from London and my heart.

Wo Hui Lai Le – I come back!

Zao shang hao - Good morning!

Wang shang hao - Good evening!

It is over 2:00AM London time now…I have just finish my queued works before my next book tour in 30 hours…

I have been very busy in last week with two book events, two parties, then because US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is visiting China, I was busy with BBC -5 interviews today from 11:00am to 21:00pm.

Therefore I couldn’t get my homework done as I planned: check the travel details, go through 8th events’ schedule (it should be the final one), prepare the clothes for the weather between -5’C to 25’C…two PPTs and one 12 pages presentation…and birthday presents for my husband, by the way, I feel very bad about this…how could I go on my book tour when he is on his birthday alone? I have made a gift by my hands for his birthday, I hope it could help our both hearts.

Anyhow, I have done all of the works by now. I thought I should set a vacation response for others email…just now, one new email jumps in from my friend in US — is that truth you are coming?

Yes, I am, here is the information for her, for you as well, if you would like to meet me at one of the following events…

Schedule of CHINA WITNESS book events in US will be:

Tuesday, February 24–St. Louis, MO

7:30pm Lecture in Principia Wanamaker Hall – followed by Q&A

Wednesday, February 25–Chicago, IL

7:00pm Bookstall event. 811 Elm St, Winnetka, IL 60093.

Thursday, February 26–San Francisco, CA

7:30pm Capitola Book Cafe event. 1475 41st Ave Capitola, CA 95010.

Friday, February 27–San Francisco, CA

7:30pm Berkeley Arts & Letters event. First Congregational Church of Berkeley,

2345 Channing Way (at Dana) Berkeley, CA 94704.

Saturday, February 28–Seattle, WA

4:30pm Elliott Bay Book Company event. 101 South Main St. Seattle, WA 98104.

EdMaysProductions.net aka ‘Pirate TV’ will tape this event.

Sunday, March 1–St. Louis, MO

4:00pm Left Bank Books event. 399 N. Euclid Ave. St. Louis, MO 63108.

Monday, March 2–5 Canada

Ok, Good night, good morning… and good luck too!

Zhu nin hao yun — Good luck!

NIU Nian Kuai Le – Happy Chinese OX Year!

I come back! — Wo Hui Lai Le!

In last two months, I have been tried to give myself some excuses for not write any blog and thank to friends who have ‘’met’’ me here and commented on my writing and books. I thought it could be because I was very ill and completely exhausted by working on over one million words for my two books ‘’China Witness’’ and “The Message from Unknown Mothers in China’’(working title), at the same time I had my busy book tours over 20 countries; OR might be because of my mind ‘power off’ after over 10 years struggling between Chinese and English since I move to London in 1997, I needed time to recharge myself with some update knowledge and information both from China and the West; or just being busy with a heavy ‘’New Year time’’, started with western God (Christmas), followed by the western one, then the Chinese one. Chinese New Year 2009 started from 26th Jan and finished yesterday on 9th Feb, it lasts 15 days …

But, after all, I realized that there is no excuse for me at all, it is simply because of being lazy! Sometimes I am really terrified by knowing that I have the same habits as those politicians – I always want to blame someone, or something, for my own mistakes or done something wrong…

Now, I come back and have to apologize to you if … as you know.

Great thanks to all of you, who have read my blog and commented on it, for sharing our thinking with me, caring about my writing…and interesting in Chinese culture…

There is so much I would like to share with you…

The Chinese DVD ‘’Detective Di Ren-jie’’ I watched in last Dec; two books I have read, one is about a report on 140m Chinese migrates, one is about war history – how much Chinese women suffered from Japanese invasion in 1930’s; economic crisis; Gaze children; shake-ed ‘made in China’; shoes thrown to the world top leaders: G W Bush and Wen Jia-bao… the bushfire in Australia…and snow storm in England…endless..

Anyhow, it is 6:48am London time after two hours on line working with my very slow typing.

I must have a cup of coffee NOW to fresh my TODAY…

PS, that would be great if you would like to help my English ;]

Thanks and see you - Xiexie, Zaijian.

I arrived in Hong Kong last night after my book tour in crowded New Zealand and busy Australia (19 interviews, 9 talks in 5 cities…and IN 7 DAYS…!!!)…

My body has been ‘’seasoned” by the cold winter in New Zealand, and by Australia’s beautiful spring and Hong Kong’s hot summer, and our minds have been educated and moved by the people’s love of China Witness.

Touring still touches me so deeply –  when I walked dead tired into my Hong Kong hotel I was reinvigorated by a copy of TIME OUT lying on the bedside table with many other magazines, inside it was a review of ‘China Witness’ by Edmund Lee.

I was so moved, not only by the thoughtful timing, but also by the understanding of the review which talks of my passion for the real China and my feelings for those Chinese Witnesses who have told me their hidden lives.

I am still on my book tour for China Witness in wintery Australia

My schedule is very busy – 19 interviews for radio, TV, newspaper and magazines and 9 talks at book stores, city hall’s and libraries in 5 cities across Australia. I arrived in Melbourne two days ago.

Do I still enjoy it? So far so good, I have always got energy from Australia, in the same way, I can see many Australians get energy from China and the Chinese. More Westerners speak Chinese here, not only because many Chinese live here, but also because most Australians are open minded people! As an example, how many world leaders can speak Chinese, the second largest language in the world? The Australian Prime Minster can!

I always say that any foreigner who can speak and read Chinese must be a genius. There are about 80,000 Chinese characters in total and at least 3773 are used daily. The Chinese study these characters from the age of 3, if they are born into families that can afford to educate their children.

The Chinese barely had a proper spoken language before the 20th century. Before then, well-educated people spoke ‘written Chinese’, and uneducated people spoke in very short sentences, or just used verbs. In many underdeveloped agricultural areas, instead of speaking long sentences with adjectives and adverbs, they used to communicate through song.

China has a pronunciation system called ‘Pinyin’ based on the same alphabet as English, and with four tones. It was set up by a group of Chinese scholars after they returned to China from Europe in the 1900s, and it was completed in 1950s by Mao Zedong’s communist government. I must say the Pinyin system has really opened up the possibility for communication between the Chinese and Westerners especially since computers have come to dominate our world!

Chinese computers have the same keyboard as Western ones, with 26 letters and numbers. Each year more and more kinds of Chinese typing software come out, appearing as fast as the new buildings in China’s big cities. For Western learners, I would say Pinyin typing is the easiest way to write characters.

For example: if you type in MA many characters appear on your computer screen – all pronounced as MA and these are ordered into different groups according to their tone. MA–, mother, question word,…; MA /, linen, a tingling feeling…; MA~, horse, shoe size,…; MA、，swear, argue… then you simply choose the right one for your word or sentence! Normally, once you have typed in a character the programme will suggest a number of connected characters for you to choose next.

Ok, I am sitting here at midnight writing this because I am too tired to sleep, but now I have to go back sleep as I have a very busy day tomorrow.

Nin hui shuo zhong-guo hua ma? (can you speak Chinese?)

Wo hui shuo zhong-guo hua. (I can speak Chinese.)

Xiexie!