Secrets and siblings : the vanished lives of China's one child policy

First published by Atena Kustannus, Finland in 2016 under the title Yhden lapsen kansa: Kiinan salavauvat, pikkukeisarit ja hyläyt tyttäret“Thirty-two years ago Mrs. Li & Mr. Wu from Zhejiang abandoned their second baby daughter at a marketplace. Mrs. Wang Maochen from Beijing has seven children, but six of them are illegal so they could not go to university, could not take a job, go to the doctor, or marry, or even buy a train ticket. Zhao Min from Guangzhou first learned about the concept of a sibling at university, in her town there were no sisters or brothers.With the Chinese government now adapting to a two child policy, Secrets & Siblings outlines the scale of its tragic consequences, showing how Chinese family & society has been forever changed. In doing so it also challenges many of our misconceptions about family life in China, arguing that it is the state, rather than popular prejudice, that has hindered the adoption of girls within China.At once brutal & beautifully hopeful, Secrets & Siblings asks what the state & its children will do now that they are becoming adults.” Mari Manninen is a journalist with the Finnish daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. She lived for four years in Beijing, where she reported on China’s rapidly changing society.Chapter 1 excerpt:IN THE BEGINNINGThe 36-year experiment that transformed the life of every person in China.Warning: You may get a lump in your throat while reading this book. I myself cried sometimes as I was writing the nine chapters that follow. In them, I tell the stories of ordinary Chinese people & how the one-child policy affected them. What does it feel like to abandon a daughter so you can have a son? How do you survive a forced late-term abortion without losing your mind? What is it like for a girl adopted abroad to return to China as an adult in search of her biological parents? First published by Atena Kustannus, Finland in 2016 under the title Yhden lapsen kansa: Kiinan salavauvat, pikkukeisarit ja hyläyt tyttäret“32 years ago Mrs. Li & Mr. Wu from Zhejiang abandoned their second baby daughter at a marketplace. Mrs. Wang Maochen from Beijing has seven children, but six of them are illegal so they could not go to university, could not take a job, go to the doctor, or marry, or even buy a train ticket. Zhao Min from Guangzhou first learned about the concept of a sibling at university, in her town there were no sisters or brothers.With the Chinese government now adapting to a two child policy, Secrets & Siblings outlines the scale of its tragic consequences, showing how Chinese family & society has been forever changed. In doing so it also challenges many of our misconceptions about family life in China, arguing that it is the state, rather than popular prejudice, that has hindered the adoption of girls within China.At once brutal & beautifully hopeful, Secrets & Siblings asks what the state & its children will do now that they are becoming adults.” Mari Manninen is a journalist with the Finnish daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. She lived for four years in Beijing, where she reported on China’s rapidly changing society.Chapter 1:IN THE BEGINNINGThe 36-year experiment that transformed the life of every person in China.Warning: You may get a lump in your throat while reading this book. I myself cried sometimes as I was writing the nine chapters that follow. In them, I tell the stories of ordinary Chinese people & how the one-child policy affected them. What does it feel like to abandon a daughter so you can have a son? How do you survive a forced late-term abortion without losing your mind?... Thirty-two Years Ago, Mr. Li And Mrs. Wu From Zhejiang Abandoned Their Second Baby Daughter At A Marketplace. Mrs. Wang Maochen From Beijing Has Seven Children, But Six Of Them Are Illegal So They Cannot Go To School, They Cannot Take A Job, Go To The Doctor, Or Marry, Or Even Buy A Train Ticket. An Li From Guangzhou First Learned About The Concept Of A Sibling At University, In Her Town There Were No Sisters Or Brothers. With The Chinese Government Now Seeking To Phase Out Its One Child Policy, Secrets And Siblings Reveals The Scale Of Its Tragic Consequences, Showing How Chinese Family And Society Has Been Forever Changed. In Doing So It Also Overturns Many Of Our Misconceptions About Family Life In China, Bravely Arguing That It Is The State, Rather Than Popular Prejudice, That Has Hindered The Adoption Of Girls Within China. At Once Brutal And Beautifully Hopeful, Secrets And Siblings Asks What The One Child State And Its Children Will Do Now That They Are Becoming Adults. "Thirty-two years ago Mrs. Li and Mr. Wu from Zhejiang abandoned their second baby daughter at a marketplace. Mrs. Wang Maochen from Beijing has seven children, but six of them are illegal so they could not go to university, could not take a job, go to the doctor, or marry, or even buy a train ticket. Zhao Min from Guangzhou first learned about the concept of a sibling at university, in her town there were no sisters or brothers. With the Chinese government now adapting to a two-child policy, Secrets and Siblings outlines the scale of its tragic consequences, showing how Chinese family and society has been forever changed. In doing so it also challenges many of our misconceptions about family life in China, arguing that it is the state, rather than popular prejudice, that has hindered the adoption of girls within China. At once brutal and beautifully hopeful, Secrets and Siblings asks what the state and its children will do now that they are becoming adults." Thirty-two years ago Mrs Li and Mr Wu from Zhejiang abandoned their second baby daughter at a marketplace. Mrs Wang Maochen from Beijing has seven children, but six of them are illegal so they could not go to university, could not take a job, go to the doctor, or marry, or even buy a train ticket. Zhao Min from Guangzhou first learned about the concept of a sibling at university, in her town there were no sisters or brothers. With the Chinese government now adapting to a two child policy, Secrets and Siblings outlines the scale of its tragic consequences, showing how Chinese family and society has been forever changed. In doing so it also challenges many of our misconceptions about family life in China, arguing that it is the state, rather than popular prejudice, that has hindered the adoption of girls within China. At once brutal and beautifully hopeful, Secrets and Siblings asks what the state and its children will do now that they are becoming adults. Thirty-two years ago Mrs Li and Mr Wu from Zhejiang abandoned their second baby daughter at a marketplace. Mrs Wang Maochen from Beijing has seven children, but six of them are illegal so they could not go to university, could not take a job, go to the doctor, or marry, or even buy a train ticket. Zhao Min from Guangzhou first learned about the concept of a sibling at university, in her town there were no sisters or brothers.0With the Chinese government now adapting to a two child policy, Secrets and Siblings outlines the scale of its tragic consequences, showing how Chinese family and society has been forever changed. In doing so it also challenges many of our misconceptions about family life in China, arguing that it is the state, rather than popular prejudice, that has hindered the adoption of girls within China.0At once brutal and beautifully hopeful, Secrets and Siblings asks what the state and its children will do now that they are becoming adults With the Chinese government now adapting to a two-child policy, Manninen outlines the scale of the one child policy's tragic consequences, showing how Chinese family and society has been forever changed. In doing so the author also challenges many of our misconceptions about family life in China, arguing that it is the state, rather than popular prejudice, that has hindered the adoption of girls within China, and she asks what the state and its children will do now that they are becoming adults. --From publisher description Front Cover; Half Title; About The Author; Title Page; Copyright; Contents; Acknowledgments; In the Beginning; PRIMARY SOURCES AND ADDITIONAL READING; 1: Undocumented; 2: Unborn; 3: No Family; 4: No Discipline; 5: No Brothers; 6: No Wives; 7: No Children; 8: No Mercy; 9: The Usual Story; How Is Everyone Doing Now?; Key Sources, Recommended Reading, and References; REFERENCES What has happened to the secret babies born under China's one child policy, so many of whom are now adults?