Fuzhou, China

Fuzhou is the capital of the Fujian province in China. Polly Guo, Deming’s mother, grows up in the small town of Minjiang, which is described as a small and rural village. By contrast, Fuzhou, where Polly later lives with her husband Yong, is large and bustling. Both Polly and Leon live her, but separately, and Polly’s son, Deming, comes to live with them for several months. Polly, Leon, and Deming also speak Fuzhounese. Fuzhou is depicted as fast-paced and, like any city, one with its own economic inequalities and disparities. For example, Deming’s mother lives in West Lake Park, which is considered to be one of the nicest and wealthiest areas of Fuzhou; this is a symbol of Deming’s mother’s commercial and material success. For Deming, Fuzhou represents a connection to his roots, as here is able to return to speaking and...