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Rao Pingru's work Our Story: A Love in 20th Century China tells the author's touching life story, which is characterized by China's cultural, social and political upheavals in the 20th century. This autobiographical work combines text and drawings to present not only the personal story of Rao and his wife Mao Mai Tang, but also to offer an intimate insight into China's turbulent history.
Born in 1922, Rao grew up in a privileged family that not only taught him classical arts and literature, but also instilled in him values such as humility and respect. These shaped his view of education and life. The transition from a written language that was thousands of years old to an everyday language, which began around 1912, marks a central point in Chinese history. It reflects the break between tradition and modernity that influenced Rao's education. His childhood and life in the home of his grandfather, an important imperial official, are described in loving detail. Drawings of his estate, family rituals and childhood experiences illustrate a world that was destroyed by the Japanese invasion and the later Cultural Revolution.
The arranged marriage between Rao and Mai Tang was characterized by mutual respect and love, but only developed into a deep bond after the wedding. Their relationship forms the emotional center of the book, especially in the context of separation and suffering. After the civil war and the communist takeover, Rao was sent to a labor camp for 22 years because of his social and political background. But even during this time of privation, he refrained from bitterness. His memories of this phase are characterized by humour and acceptance, inspired by Confucianism and his mother's Buddhist attitude.
Rao only began writing his memoirs after the death of his wife in 2008. The combination of factual language and poetic details provides a unique approach to his life. His drawings - often pared down yet rich in detail - complement the narrative by conveying both emotional and historical contexts. The illustrations, inspired by chain picture books and Chinese tradition, combine realism with empathy in a unique way.
The book offers more than personal reflections: It is a literary work of art that depicts historical conflicts and cultural changes in the mirror of an individual destiny. The translation into German, masterfully rendered by Eva Schestag, preserves the simplicity and poetry of the original, but avoids exoticizing or simplistic approaches. This is crucial for conveying the universal themes of love, loss and resilience in a culturally foreign but humanly familiar context.
The work Our Story: A Love in 20th Century China by Rao Pingru was first published in China in 2013. The German translation was published in 2023.