content: Realistic,detailed description of the people and events occurred in the Mao`s age makes me reminiscent of the days spent in China.The content of the story is nothing original to the Chinese who are over 30 years old.However,the story is still attractive to alien readers who are not so familiar with the background of Culture Revolution.The totalitarianism,the puritan discipline,the serfdom to obey. what I admire most in Ha Jin is his courage to write in an entirely new language with such fluency,confidence and clearness.Is`nt it a miracle!