Chapter 1 Summary and Analysis

Yue Daiyun talks of the birth of her son, Tang Shuang, Chinese legends ,and traditions concerning childbirth. As the first male grandson, there is a great deal of excitement in the family. She, her husband and daughter, Tang Dan live with Lao Tang's family on the campus of Beijing University, which is called Beida.

On the day of her son's one month celebration, she overhears her husband telling the housekeeper not to let her see something. Lao Tang tells her she must attend a meeting to be criticized as a rightist. He has known for a month that this would happen and was disciplined for defending his wife. She does not believe however that she did anything wrong and that the problem will be resolved.

The previous spring, the Party encouraged criticism and openness to examine the deficiencies in the system...