Visiting an old neighbourhood unearths memories of the past.
Yongshan is taking her son back to Licheng to visit relatives, and to see the town where she grew up. But when they get there, all she could find were desolate houses. Even the people on the street seemed not to recognise her. But then, in the rubble of her old neighbourhood, Yongshan finds something to grab hold of - a memento of the past.
Part of the Storycuts series, this short story was previously published in the collection Madwoman on the Bridge.
Born in 1963 in Suzhou and now living in Beijing, Su Tong is one of China's most iconic bestselling authors, shooting to international fame in 1993 when Zhang Yimou's film of his novella collection Raise the Red Lantern was nominated for an Oscar. His first short story collection, Madwoman on the Bridge was published by Black Swan in 2008. The Boat to Redemption is his latest novel to become an instant phenomenon in China.
