Summary

Chapter 20 begins in 1966. Mei was traveling across the country with the Chairman. The Chairman was apprehensive that capitalism might be spreading through the countryside. This chapter depicts general visits, rather than a specific moment. Mei noticed that the Chairman was unimpressed by the villagers. The villages consistently were in awe of his presence. In cChapter 21, the Chairman told Mei a story about him swimming the Yangtze River. He explained to her that he did it to prove a point, saying, “If you talk and talk, you’ll never get anything done” (240). He then admitted that he was purging the cadre. Mei heard about the Cultural Revolution and was jealous not to be participating with other youngsters. Chapter 21 concludes with the Chairman having an episode of paranoia at night.

In Chapter 22, Mei and the Chairman visited his birthplace: Shaoshan. They swam through a...