The Road - An Epic Novel In Four Volumes -- Volume 2

After 1949, China was closed off to the outside world due to many reasons and finally opened up again after Mao's death and Deng Xiao-ping's emphasis on an open-door policy in 1978. However, what happened during these three most critical periods in modern Chinese history was missing. Though there have been many books published since 1990s, few are adequate to cover all events in this period in a literary genre. The Road - an Epic Novel, a fiction set in the context of real historical events, depicts three childhood friends and their families' lives through ups and downs in the political and economic turmoil from 1949 through 1978 in China. Liu Bu-yun, an army general of the Chinese Nationalist Government and key founder of a democratic party, known for his victories at the Yunnan-Burma border during the Anti-Japanese War, gave up fame, money and high rank to join the Chinese Communist Government when Mao established the People's Republic of China in 1949. Inspired by the hope of building a democratic and free country and deep love for the Chinese nation, Liu left his KMT ambassadorship in Berlin for Beijing to participate in the Political Consultative Conference as an honored guest of the Communist Party. At the critical moment of his political party facing the danger of being wiped out, he was received by Mao, who not only demonstrated his knowledge of history and his ability to lead, but also saved the life of Liu's political party. Liu was convinced that Mao was the right one to lead and was determined to follow Mao on a new road. Gao Shi-han, an internationally renowned medical doctor, devoted all his efforts to scientific research and medical practice. He declined invitations to teach and to do research in the US and instead set up his own hospital to treat the poor during war time. He was regarded as one of the four most famous medical doctors in Beijing and was much respected for his achievement in the treatment of black fever. After witnessing the great changes in the people's life brought forth by the new government, he believed that the Communist Party would encourage intellectuals in their research and create a better environment for them to serve the people and the country. Qi Zhen-fei, an army commander under the Communist Party, was a professional soldier and a devoted Communist Party member. He firmly believed that Chairman Mao was the great savior of the poor people and that the Communist Party was the only correct leader. He regarded himself as 'a pawn on the chess board of Chairman Mao and the Party' and followed the Party line and policy to the word. When the Korean War broke out, he sent his only son as a member of the volunteer army to the battle front to fight the Americans. He stood up for those who were wronged and defended those who told the truth. However, cruel reality of politics threw all of them, along with hundreds of millions of Chinese people, into indescribable suffering. Political movements came one after another and brought them from the peaks of their careers to the bottom of their lives. Liu was labeled as an Anti-socialist rightist, Gao was stripped of his right to research and Qi was demoted when he challenged the Party's policies. The Anti-rightist Movement, the Great Leap-forward, the Cultural Revolution and, above all, Mao's dictatorship smashed their dreams of building a democratic China and made them think about and search for a new road for the future of China.