Dragon's Pearl: Growing Up Among Mao's Reclusive Circle

by Sirin Phathanothai

A woman raised as the ward of Premier Zhou Enlai, after being sent to China as a goodwill offering from Thailand, describes her Chinese education, relationships with the legendary founders of Communist China, and the perils of the Cultural Revolution.

Genres: Nonfiction, China, Memoir, History, Biography, Asia, Historical

Paperback

First published July 1, 1994

Reviews

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like Life and Death in Shanghai (I read these books back to back), this book was a fascinating account of one person's experience in the Cultural Revolution, while at the same time providing an unbelievably first hand account of major political and historic events of the time. She paints a very human picture of Chinese leadership during the revolution and, respect them or not, provides a great deal of insight into why and how they acted. I could hardly put it down.

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dragon's Pearl in the autobiography of Sirin P. She was born a Thai upper class girl, but at the age of 8 she was sent to be brought up in China under the Premier Zhou Enlai, and to be a bridge between Thailand and Mao's China.

Very interenting book with many historical facts. I dare say I learned a lot about the politics of China in the 50s-70s... But at times I felt the book lacked emotion and Sirin was put too much in the background... But that was probably intentional. This book really wanted to describe Sirin's life in China as accuratly as possible. This is no "Not Without My Daughter", even thout it was written with a ghost writer.

Grade: 3,4999

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very moving tale. Sirin is definitely a charmer and this helped me in understanding where she was coming from. She obviously paints Zhou Enlai in a very favorable picture here, as well she should have. He went to great lengths in protecting those closest to him. However, his complacency in the Cultural Revolution is hard to ignore. The extremes of the movement are placed largely on the shoulders Jiang Qing, Lin Biao and Kang Sheng (nearly exempting Mao altogether) which is pretty consistent with the official line. These blunders aside, it's still an interesting look into the informal relations of the political elite and her role in the development of Thai-Chinese relations.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good: interesting, unusual life, new perspective.

Bad: too favorable of China at a time when there was not much to be favorable about.

And: I would be pretty darn mad if someone stranded me in that cult of the great helmsman. Why isn't Ms. Sirin? Too nice? Stockholm Syndrome?

I'll keep the book as a memento of my project in Thailand, but otherwise would not.

[Georgina Hynd · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read of the daughter of a Thai official living in China with her brother from the age of 8 and suffering during the Cultural Revolution. She struck me at times through the book to be a little arrogant and it's not the best written book but it's still fascinating to read about this amazing time in China's history from the perspective of a stranded foreigner.

[carmen☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

when i got this book (it was a gift), i skimmed through the pages and thought "god not another autobiographical non fiction ". i've started to dread those. however. i ended up liking this one a lot! chinese politics are still too complex for me to totally understand, but sirin's life is so interesting. i think liao's first appearance was what won me over and made me engage more w the book. the last part though....i get that those years were hard for sirin but i feel like it ends so abruptly and the epilogue is just. way too much text dhhd nice read tho!!

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never thought about Thailand and China having such an intense relationship before. This becomes a refreshing read because of that. And I got an insight into the life of the people of China during Mao’s time, which is rather interesting.

[Hrowley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating inside look at Communism, Zhou-Enlai and Mao by a Thai woman who as a child was sent to live in Zhou-Enlai's household.

[Non.article · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's a good story life !

[Tocotin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Imperial China had a network of trade and foreign relations with its tributary states, based on the belief about China’s cultural supremacy. Out of those tributary states, Thailand was the most loyal. After the political changes of the 20th century, the link between Thailand and China got broken. Then Sang Phathanothai, a politician, union leader, and advocate of reestablishing close ties of Thailand with China, sent two of his children to Peking to be raised up as the wards of Zhou Enlai, to make them a living bridge, so to speak, between the two countries. The boy was twelve, the girl, Sirin, eight. This book is Sirin’s autobiography.

It was extremely interesting, even though I didn’t really like Sirin or her family, and had to constantly remind myself that it wasn’t her fault to have been brought up in great privilege, and essentially spoiled rotten, and that the two children were basically sacrificed by their father for his own, no matter how noble, political goals. Some reviews pointed out that her unwillingness to blame either her father, Mao, or China’s political system for her suffering during the Cultural Revolution (although she is critical of her father), and her choice to publicly renounce her father and her brother Wai, were most probably due to the enormous stress and to the brainwashing she was submitted to, and I think they are right. Sirin’s behavior throughout shows that she had some good impulses, and her tenacity and endurance are admirable. I only wish she was more detailed in her descriptions of daily life and historical personages, and I can’t help but think that she knew and saw much more than she chose to put in her book. But it is definitely worth reading for its firsthand and unique perspective.