Xinran: Superpower China Built by Unseen Hands

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/02/27/Xinran_on_China_Witness_Voices_from_a_Silent_Genera...

Acclaimed Chinese journalist Xinran Xue retells an inspirational story of perseverance about a mother who lived in a public restroom for 28 years, but still managed to send her two children to the top universities in China with no government assistance. "Real China is made by Chinese mothers and grandmothers, from each individual family's hard work," says Xinran.

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Xinran Xue talks about her book, China Witness: Voices from a Silent Generation.

While the West has commonly viewed the last one hundred years in China through the single narrative lens of Mao's rise and rule, the experience for the Chinese themselves has been infinitely more complex. Xinran, a national celebrity and beloved figure in China who hosted a hugely popular radio show in the 1990s, traveled across China in 2005 and 2006 to gather interviews that form the true narrative of the times.

She sought out the nation's grandparents and great-grandparents, the men and women who have experienced change in the modern era firsthand, in cities and remote villages, interviewing them for the first, and perhaps the last, time.

Though many of them continue to harbor a fear of repercussions for speaking freely, they did speak with Xinran with stunning candor about their hopes, fears, and struggles, from the Long March to land reform, from Mao to marriage, from revolution to Westernization.

China Witness gives us the essence of modern China a portrait intimate, nuanced, and revelatory.

Xinran was born in Beijing in 1958 and moved to London, where she still lives, in 2007. She is the author of The Good Woman of China and Sky Burial. -- Berkeley Arts and Letters

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[loader200726]

I am from Zhengzhou, the city she has been talking about. my father gave me the best education he can afford even in the worst time. He work over time nearly every day to make just a little more money. I really hope i can do the same to contribute to my family.

A real mature and educated chinese don't care about whether china become superpower or not, just honour the parents and family. I believe good, working people deserve to have respect all the world.

[danpt2000]

What is imperialist is the American military installations in places like S. Korea, Okinawa Japan, Guam, Phillipines, and now more recently Iraq and Afghanistan. Americans are bankrupting themselves to remain as the Global Sheriff.

[RideMyBMW]

"as you blast off in your canadian spaceship to rape and pillage yonder galaxies."@j0n52

Believe me Charlie Chan, nuthin´ would make me happier...the democratization of space to get the rapin´ and pillagin´ on the way. Thats our Western tradition.

[souro19]

@shanesekiller DEMOCRACY IS RULED BY GOD, COMMUNISM IS RULED BY HUMAN POWER !

SO GOD IS A REALITY KING, INDIA IS A RIVER ORIGIN COUNTRY,

EVERY SIZE IS FULL WITH THOUSANDS, THOUSANDS OF RIVER,,

WESTERN IDIOT , SAY THAT INDIA DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER, LATER RIVER WATER USED AS A RESOURCE AFTER 2060 !

THEN INDIAN BUYING POWER IS MORE THAN 100 TRILLIONS DOLLAR,

SO THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM, !

[shanesekiller]

@souro19 ok, i know what you saying. How long do we have to wait? Please, Be clean. I know india don't have enough WATER.

[souro19]

@shanesekiller 2/3 SIZE CHINA IS FULL WITH DESERT !

CHINESE MIND IS TOO DIRTY THAN AFRICAN PEOPLE !

WE ARE DEVELOPING COUNTRY, ONE DAY WE OVERTAKE THE CHINA !

ALL READY WE ARE SUCCEEDED TO PREVENT THE CHINESE SIZE

HA HA

1.3 BILLIONS CHINESE VS 1.3 BILLIONS INDIA !

[shanesekiller]

@souro19 okay go for it. how long to take over china? But be clean because indians are so dirty.

[souro19]

@shanesekiller I AM INDIAN ,, I.N.D.I.A.N

THE FUTURE COMPETITOR OF CHINA !

1.3 BILLIONS CHINESE VS 1.3 BILLIONS INDIAN !

ONLY WE CAN PREVENT THE CHINA TO BECAME OVERPOWER !

[j0n52]

@RideMyBMW

Nevermind your masters are planning this scenario for you.

But this shouldn't matter as you blast off in your canadian spaceship to rape and pillage yonder galaxies.

[j0n52]

The rise of China was planned by the "western elite"?

If you can't beat China, then claim you helped her win.

History and reality tells us the "western elite" wanted the exact opposite.

[shanesekiller]

@j0n52 I am asking you what do you know about human right

[j0n52]

@shanesekiller

I'm guessing you are a sheep from the "free" and "democratic" west.

The US, England, NZ, Ireland, Wales,Scotland, Iceland, Portugal, Spain, Greece, France and Italy are all bankrupt and owned by banking oligarchs.

Being in debt is being a slave.

What do you know about "human rights"?