Nien Cheng - Life and Death in Shanghai

"I tried to take my mind off the present by recalling beautiful scenes and pleasant experiences of the past. But it was very difficult. The ugly reality was all too real and overpowering." (112) 

Nien Cheng: Life and Death in Shanghai 

From: The Norton's Book of Women's Lives by Phyllis Ross 

Nien Cheng - 1988

    Nien Cheng's quote above, from her writings in Life and Death in Shanghai, sets the scene for how much of harrowing her experience was during this period of time in her life. Around her, the communist party is surging, and the communist revolution is changing everyone's lives, including Nien. She went through an immense amount of fear and suffering after she was taken into seclusion for being a "spy" for the west. They tortured her, which put her in a place where she was helpless. 

    As for when she grew up, Nien did not get the emotional support she needed from her family, which seemed to put her in a place where she had to grow up earlier than the kids around her.  The quote above proves to us how she tried to keep a solid mental and emotional spirit, even when there seemed to be no hope to hold onto anymore. She displays a great deal of strength and perseverance for this, especially being able to come back to this time of her life and write about it, practically reliving all the trauma she had been through.