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Flawless Jade
Wing-yee is an ordinary Chinese girl living through extraordinary times. Born during the war with Japan, she experiences the momentous days when Mao Tse-tung's revolutionary changes are sweeping the land. Eventually her family separates, some remaining in Canton while others seek refuge in Hong Kong.
Hardcover
First published March 1, 1989
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About the author
Barbara Hanrahan
19 books8 followersHanrahan, Barbara Janice (1939 - 1991)
Archival/Heritage Resources Published Resources
Barbara Hanrahan was an artist, printmaker and writer. She was born in Adelaide in 1939 and lived there until her death in December 1991. Hanrahan spent three years at the South Australian School of Art before leaving for London in 1966 to continue her art studies. In England she taught at the Falmouth College of Art, Cornwall, (1966-67) and Portsmouth College of Art (1967-70). From 1964 Hanrahan held a number of exhibitions principally in Adelaide and Sydney, but also in Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, London and Florence. Hanrahan's novels include The Scent of Eucalyptus (1973), The Peach Groves (1980), The Frangipani Gardens (1988) and Flawless Jade (1989).
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Career Highlights
URL: The home page for this entity is located at http://www.history.sa.gov.au/history/...
Barbara Hanrahan was educated at Thebarton Girls' Technical College before commencing a three year Art Teaching course at Adelaide Teachers' College. At the same time she completed art classes at the South Australian School of Art. Following the completion of her Diploma of Art Teaching, Hanrahan began teaching art in schools as well as enrolling for evening classes with the newly established Printmaking Department at the South Australian School of Art. In 1961 she was appointed assistant lecturer in Art at Western Teachers' College, Adelaide. In the same year she participated in a four-artist exhibition at the Hahndorf Gallery, and was awarded the Cornell Prize for Painting. She taught at the South Australian School of Art from 1963-66.
Hanrahan left for London in 1966 to continue her art studies. She taught at the Falmouth College of Art, Cornwall, (1966-67) and Portsmouth College of Art (1967-70). In the early 1980s Hanrahan, with her partner Jo Steele, returned to live in Adelaide, where she established her own studio. Hanrahan's writing career began in 1973 with the publication of her first, largely autobiographical, novel The Scent of Eucalyptus. Other titles soon followed and her last novel, Good night, Mr Moon, was published posthumously in 1992.
During her life Hanrahan held a number of exhibitions nationally and internationally. Her works are held by the Australian National Gallery, Canberra, and many regional galleries.
Sources used to compile this entry: refereces
Archival/Heritage Resources Published Resources
Barbara Hanrahan was an artist, printmaker and writer. She was born in Adelaide in 1939 and lived there until her death in December 1991. Hanrahan spent three years at the South Australian School of Art before leaving for London in 1966 to continue her art studies. In England she taught at the Falmouth College of Art, Cornwall, (1966-67) and Portsmouth College of Art (1967-70). From 1964 Hanrahan held a number of exhibitions principally in Adelaide and Sydney, but also in Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, London and Florence. Hanrahan's novels include The Scent of Eucalyptus (1973), The Peach Groves (1980), The Frangipani Gardens (1988) and Flawless Jade (1989).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career Highlights
URL: The home page for this entity is located at http://www.history.sa.gov.au/history/...
Barbara Hanrahan was educated at Thebarton Girls' Technical College before commencing a three year Art Teaching course at Adelaide Teachers' College. At the same time she completed art classes at the South Australian School of Art. Following the completion of her Diploma of Art Teaching, Hanrahan began teaching art in schools as well as enrolling for evening classes with the newly established Printmaking Department at the South Australian School of Art. In 1961 she was appointed assistant lecturer in Art at Western Teachers' College, Adelaide. In the same year she participated in a four-artist exhibition at the Hahndorf Gallery, and was awarded the Cornell Prize for Painting. She taught at the South Australian School of Art from 1963-66.
Hanrahan left for London in 1966 to continue her art studies. She taught at the Falmouth College of Art, Cornwall, (1966-67) and Portsmouth College of Art (1967-70). In the early 1980s Hanrahan, with her partner Jo Steele, returned to live in Adelaide, where she established her own studio. Hanrahan's writing career began in 1973 with the publication of her first, largely autobiographical, novel The Scent of Eucalyptus. Other titles soon followed and her last novel, Good night, Mr Moon, was published posthumously in 1992.
During her life Hanrahan held a number of exhibitions nationally and internationally. Her works are held by the Australian National Gallery, Canberra, and many regional galleries.
Sources used to compile this entry: refereces
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 30, 2025
I am so curious about how Barbara Hanrahan came to write this book! As far as I can tell she never visited China or Hong Kong. What sparked her interest, and who were her sources?
This is the book description:
The novel revisits the themes of poverty and discrimination against females that we see in Hanrahan's coming-of-age novels (see The Queens All Strayed and The Chelsea Girl) but while there might be autobiographical elements in the episodic plot, it's set in China and Hong Kong and the central character is an ordinary Chinese girl.
Since I've read Hanrahan before, I know that the prose in Flawless Jade is a deliberate departure in style but it still jars a little. The novel is narrated by Wing-yee in simple, naïve and occasionally ungrammatical prose, conveying a lack of education and unfamiliarity with English. In short 'diary-style' entries looking back on her life, she relates her dramatic birth in Canton when she almost didn't survive because the cord was twisted around her neck — while overhead, bombs were falling. This dates her birth at about 1938 when the Japanese bombed Canton during the Sino-Japanese war (1937-1945).
Although her parents were both schoolteachers, they weren't well-paid. They had been a wealthy family in the past but male relations took their money because women couldn't inherit. We learn about about the inferior status of girls in Chinese culture too:
(At some stage the name Jin-yee morphs into Wing-yee, but I'm not sure if this is an editor's error or not.)
Wing-yee tells us about her extended family, often in unflattering terms about their appearance and behaviours, and we learn that her mother's origins in a higher class than her father's makes her a bit of a snob, quite fond of dispensing advice about how her daughters must avoid cheapening their appearance in order not to look like peasants.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2025/11/30/f...
This is the book description:
Wing-yee is an ordinary Chinese girl living through extraordinary times. Born during the war with Japan, she experiences the momentous days when Mao Tse-tung's revolutionary changes are sweeping the land. Eventually her family separates, some remaining in Canton while others seek refuge in Hong Kong.
The novel revisits the themes of poverty and discrimination against females that we see in Hanrahan's coming-of-age novels (see The Queens All Strayed and The Chelsea Girl) but while there might be autobiographical elements in the episodic plot, it's set in China and Hong Kong and the central character is an ordinary Chinese girl.
Since I've read Hanrahan before, I know that the prose in Flawless Jade is a deliberate departure in style but it still jars a little. The novel is narrated by Wing-yee in simple, naïve and occasionally ungrammatical prose, conveying a lack of education and unfamiliarity with English. In short 'diary-style' entries looking back on her life, she relates her dramatic birth in Canton when she almost didn't survive because the cord was twisted around her neck — while overhead, bombs were falling. This dates her birth at about 1938 when the Japanese bombed Canton during the Sino-Japanese war (1937-1945).
Although her parents were both schoolteachers, they weren't well-paid. They had been a wealthy family in the past but male relations took their money because women couldn't inherit. We learn about about the inferior status of girls in Chinese culture too:
Babies come cheap in China, but families only wanted boys. It was better, on the whole, if girl babies died early. I was the third girl so I wasn't welcomed. Babies weren't regarded as children but as grandchildren, and Grandfather wasn't pleased at all and there were talks that I should be given away. But Mother cried and asked to keep me, so in the end they had me.
Big Sister's name was Sum-yee, that meant Heart Happiness. Second Sister's name was Yun-yee, that meant Happy Happiness. Grandfather gave me the name Jin-tai, that meant To Take a Brother's Place. I carried the name for a while, but Mother didn't like it, so quietly she changed me to be Jin-yee, that meant To Take Happiness. But I was also called Long-neck Goose, because I had a long neck. Mother couldn't change that because the cord had wound round my neck and made it long. (pp.1-2)
(At some stage the name Jin-yee morphs into Wing-yee, but I'm not sure if this is an editor's error or not.)
Wing-yee tells us about her extended family, often in unflattering terms about their appearance and behaviours, and we learn that her mother's origins in a higher class than her father's makes her a bit of a snob, quite fond of dispensing advice about how her daughters must avoid cheapening their appearance in order not to look like peasants.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2025/11/30/f...
Displaying 1 of 1 review