Prologue, The Liberation Army Dancer, pgs. 1-18 Summary and Analysis

Ji-li is born on the Chinese New Year. Her name means lucky and beautiful and her parents gave her the name because they wanted her to be the happiest girl in the world. She is twelve years old when the Cultural Revolution begins in 1966.

In The Liberation Army Dancer, Ji-li describes the classroom with the picture of Chairman Mao on the wall. She and her classmates are having a problem with the timing in a song. Principal Long walks in with a female People's Liberation Army soldier. She selects Ji-li and Tong Chao to go to the gym with her. She tests their flexibility then sends them back to their classroom.

After class, the principal explains that the soldier, Comrade Li, selected Ji-li and three others to audition for...