"No one likes crying, but tears water our souls," writes the author in her acknowledgements. And yes, if you read this book, you will certainly cry by the end.
Sky Burial is the story of Shu Wen, a young woman from China whose doctor husband is assigned to Tibet during the Cultural Revolution. One day she receives word that he has been killed, but there is no further information. How did he die? Wasn't the point of the Chinese mission to spread peace and knowledge to Tibetans? How, then, did Kejun--a gentle man of learning and a doctor committed to saving lives--come to die?
Wen decides she must find the answers to her questions. She asks to be assigned to Tibet, and searches for her lost husband. This is the story of her journey, over 30 years, in search of the lover she has lost. It is also the story of the people of Tibet and how different they are from the people of China. Wen understands nothing of the Tibetan people at first, but gradually begins to speak their language, living as they do, learning how to survive in a harsh natural environment, and coming to understand that their religion is everywhere.
Beautifully written by Xinran, a journalist from China who has also written a book profiling the Chinese women of this period, "The Good Women of China." I look forward to reading more of her work.
Read this book cover to cover in one day. A must read if you're at all interested in the cultures of China and/or Tibet.
