Who is Jiang Xi-reng from Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution and what is their importance?

Jiang Xi-reng is the father of Ji-li. He was born into a large wealthy family. His family had been wealthy landowners with more than one hundred people representing five generations living together in a large compound. The family owned many different businesses. Dad's father dies when he is seven years of age and he is raised by his mother. The family did not have much money left by the time he was college age so he receives a scholarship to St. John's University in Shanghai. He worked as a private tutor to earn money and graduated in 1949.