The Long March: Story of Emilly's mother

Emilly Ji photographed as a child with her mother, Xian Rong Cheng

Emilly's mother, Xian Rong Chen, wrote out her life story for the Herald.

My entire life has been difficult. My mother died when I was six years old. The family was extremely poor; my father and his four children all had to live on the money from his job. I did not have a happy childhood. Being able to eat until my stomach was full would have been great.

I was naughty as a girl. I remember that the river encircling the city passed by my house and I would play with boys, swim in the river, and fight. I would never admit defeat.

For this reason, I became a member of the Rebel Faction when the Cultural Revolution began. I met my husband during the Cultural Revolution. Our group appeared in parades and carried big-character placards in the streets. He was an honest and tolerant boy. He was as shy and gentle as a girl, while I was as active as a boy.

We fell in love at first sight despite all the differences between us. Then I joined the army and he was sent down to work in the countryside.

I was only 16 years old when I joined the army. I was still a child and very naive, but military life trained me, turning me from a naive young girl to a strong female soldier, a lesson that has served me well my entire life.

After I was discharged, my father would not consent to me marrying my boyfriend. He insisted that it was inappropriate for a veteran to marry an educated youth living in the countryside.

I was so rebellious that I defied him and married the man I loved. However, married life turned out to be very difficult for me.

Not only did we have financial troubles, we quarrelled all the time due to our conflicting dispositions. I was distressed. I began to regret ignoring my father's advice. Our first baby, Ji Ge [Emilly], was born half a year later. She was a sickly child and family finances were tight.

My husband earned only 18 yuan per month as a student and I earned 36 yuan each month. We had to spend all of our savings on doctors for our baby.

Times were hard for my husband and me, but we overcame our difficulties in the end. Since we both wanted a boy, I became pregnant again, but we had another girl and had to stop trying.

With regards to the children's education, we always let them follow their own paths. We never forced them to do anything they didn't like, and they did well.

Ji Ge was always at the top of her class in primary, junior and senior high schools all the way to university. The first choice our family faced regarding our children's future was when Ji Ge was ready to take the senior high school entrance exam. Should we let her attend senior high school and take the university entrance exam in the future, or advise her to enter a technical school and then get a factory job?

We were torn. In the end, I insisted that our daughter continue her schooling. I believed that she should soar as high as possible. We couldn't deprive her of a good education because of family finances.

I wanted to give my children a good financial foundation and my decision proved correct. In our generation, most parents wanted their children to start working as soon as possible. Because of poverty, they did not consider the issue of their children attending school.

But I thought differently. Education was the best road to success, so that our children would not suffer from the same poverty we had. No matter what it cost, they had to attend school.

That's the only way they could do well in life, the only way that they could soar high. I wanted my daughters to be talented and able to contribute to today's society. I wanted them to have a bright future.

Ji Ge later went abroad to pursue her masters degree [in computer programming]. The entire family supported her decision.

Later I had an opportunity to visit her in England; it was my first trip abroad. I met different people and experienced a different lifestyle. In those months overseas I learned a great deal and I saw that our decision was correct. I want the best for my children and hope that they live happily ever after.