It is difficult for those who have not experienced it themselves to understand what type of society was created by the Cultural Revolution in China. Lang Lang, one of the world’s foremost pianists, gives us an interesting glimpse of domestic life in post-Cultural Revolution China in his engaging autobiography Journey of a Thousand Miles: My Story. The story starts with Lang Lang’s birth in 1982, some 6 years after the Revolution had ended.
During the Cultural Revolution, musicians and artists — along with many other types of people — were sent to work on farms and learn from peasants. Lang Lang’s mother was a singer and actress, and his father had always dreamed of being a professional musician, but their dreams had been thwarted by the Revolution. The book tells the story of Lang Lang’s training as a pianist, learning to read music before he could read letters, and seeking out the best piano teacher in the city when he was four.
The story is one of a father sacrificing everything and demanding everything to live out his own ambitions through his mostly-willing child. After many years of constant practice, Lang Lang wins admission to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, then ultimately moves to America and achieves international fame. It is a well-written and inspiring story that raises issues about the fine line between parental encouragement and child abuse in the development of extraordinary talent.