Hong (1911-1942). Set in the rural China in which Xiao grew up, these two masterpieces expand on many themes, including the plight of peasants and the role of women in society. With a realistic style that has been said to rival "Tolstoy's sweep, Flaubert’s detachment and Ba Jin’s compassion," Xiao gives us an unflinching, surprisingly lyrical, and often wryly humorous account of the difficult lives of these characters. This is an updated and extensively revised new edition.

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