Chow Ching Lie : Journey in Music
by Georg Predota, Interlude “I was born into a China of misery and tears. The China of my birth was a vast, undeveloped country, where poverty, banditry, and civil war were rife, and where it was particularly unwise to be born female.” With these poignant words, Chow Ching Lie begins her personal memoirs, Le Palanquin des Larmes (Journey in Tears), a vivid narrative that pits the stark realities of traditional Chinese society against the seismic shifts brought by the Communist revolution. Chow Ching Lie’s personal memoir ‘Le Palanquin des Larmes’ (Journey in Tears) Forced into an arranged marriage at the age of 13, becoming a mother by 14 and a widow at age 26, her memoirs detail her journey from a child bride to fulfilling her dream of becoming an internationally recognised pianist. It is not just a tale of personal triumph over adversity but also a critical look at gender roles, societal expectations, and a quest for personal freedom. Chow Ching Lie Documen...