She had many more test to face on the path of learning. You get to know Adeline and you learn how she thinks/feels which makes you think what you would do if you were her. If you don’t like emotional stories this is not the book for you nut if you do this book is good. Maeth Ch., Russell, and Devalle, Susana B. C. "Yexian: La Cenicienta China Del Siglo IX". In: Estudios De Asia Y Africa 22, no. 3 (73) (1987): 386-410. Accessed July 1, 2020. www.jstor.org/stable/40313105. Yen Mah left for the United Kingdom in August 1952, and studied medicine at the London Hospital Medical School, eventually establishing a medical practice in California. Before the start of her career in the United States, she had a brief relationship with a man named Karl, and practised medicine in a Hong Kong hospital at the behest of her father, who refused to give her air fare when she expressed plans to move to America. She has stated in an interview with the South China Morning Post that her father wanted her to become an obstetrician in the belief that women wanted treatment only from a female doctor, [18] but as she hated obstetrics she became an anaesthesiologist instead. [9] Yen Mah's Later life [ edit ] Once someone told me to be honest in my journal about things that happen in my life...but to also be cautious about how I speak negatively about others in my journal. That commentary about someone else is recorded forever. If it's negative, that may be all that is remembered about that person, even long after you forgave them and moved on from the incident.

Then her father remarried and her life, while difficult before, became downright unbearable at times. Her step-mother hated her from the first moment of meeting, and her father continued to neglect his children in favor of his wife. Adeline's aunt and grandfather continued to love and nurture her where they could, but as they were dependent on Adeline's father for the necessities of life, they had little power and could do nothing to better her situation.Firstly, I have to say that I haven't read this book since I was fourteen or fifteen, so I may be altogether mistaken, though I doubt it since it left such a huge impression on me. Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah was an odd read. The story was very depressing and extremely one sided and very focused on the narrator (the author). The story follows Adeline’s life from 4 years old to 14, throughout the story she is emotionally abused and suffers because she is the least favored out of 7 children. Adeline Yen Mah was born in Tianjin, Republic of China on 30 November 1937 to 30-year-old Joseph Yen (Yen Tsi-Rung), [5] a businessman, and Ren Yong-ping, an accountant. The story of Yen Mah's life from 1937 to 1952 is recorded in her autobiography, Chinese Cinderella.

He climbed out to stand by my side. Together, we watched the car drive off. I was overwhelmed by his chivalry but could find no words sufficient to express my gratitude. After a painful pause, I ran upstairs, dug out my book Paper Magic, gave it to him and said, “This is for you.”” Chinese Cinderella, p.156

Ye Xian's Magical Protector

Adeline is the fifth youngest of the Yen family and the protagonist of the novel. The book follows her childhood from the age of four to her departure to England in her early teens. Adeline is an outcast in the eyes of much of her own family, since her birth brought upon the death of her mother. Her inadvertent role in her mother's passing causes animosity between her and her older siblings and contributes to her father's apathy towards her. At the death of her dear friend, Ye Xian broke down and sobbed by the water’s edge. Suddenly, an ancient spirit appeared and informed her that the fish’s bones contained a powerful spirit and that if she ever needed anything, she should kowtow before them and make a wish. Ye Xian found the bones and hid them. I loved Adeline's voice. I generally have a hard time reading these types of books because the "Story Voice" isn't there, but it is in Chinese Cinderella.

Hong Kong life was relatively new and difficult. In 1945, the British resumed their rulership of Hong Kong. There were a large number of refugees from the mainland and the population grew significantly. The balance of power within the Yen household has shifted dramatically by this point of the novel. What was originally a house run by Father under the supervision of Nai Nai and Ye Ye has become the empire of Niang, with Ye Ye only preserved as a mouthpiece. The importance of this scene is that the shift of power strongly hampers the future of Adeline within the household, especially after the fiasco with Little Sister and Aunt Baba. Without Ye Ye's protective and sympathetic presence holding any sway, Adeline's life is surely going to go from bad to worse. I live with a group of Chinese kids when I was young and agree that Chinese parents, teachers and other professionals are very strict with their children that I can't believe that Adeline have this gap and heart breaking experience with her parents. Although this is normal for a child, but this change my perspective towards other traditions and beliefs of Chinese people. Before there was Cinderella, there was Ye Xian. Undeniably one of the most well-read fairy tales made popular by Disney’s 1950s film, Cinderella describes the life of a young woman forced into servitude by her stepmother until she is freed by her fairy godmother and a charming prince. Meet the Cinderellas: Ye Xian, Zezolla, and Cendrillon

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Ye Ye expresses a level of insight that has been apparent within him for the entirety of the novel but never outwardly expressed until this instance. The quote expresses finality: regardless of all the effort or sweat that Adeline pours onto her goals, there are some inescapable truths that come with her birth. Perseverance is an admirable trait that Adeline exhibits throughout the novel, leading the reader to believe that anything can be overcome with faith and hard work. Ye Ye shows us that diligence doesn't destroy all barriers but rather that some must be first accepted to be overcome.