Moving The Mountain: My Life In China From The Cultural Revolution To Tiananmen Square

by Lu Li

This tells the story of the momentous and tragic weeks in China's Tiananmen Square in the spring of 1989. As press spokesman for the Democracy Movement, 23-year-old Li Lu was at the centre of the drama which captured the attention of the world. This book tells the author's story - one man' odyssey from a victim of the Cultural Revolution to a leader of hundreds of thousands of students. Li Lu escaped arrest after the events in Tianenmen Square, but remains on the list of China's "ten most wanted men". Since leaving China he has travelled widely on behalf of human rights and the Democracy Movement in China.

Genres: History, China, Biography, Business, Politics, Finance, Nonfiction

211 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Tharit Tangkijwanichakul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess many people in the 2020s will pick up this book because Li Lu is famous for his career in investment. I'm one of them too.

It is fascinating to realize that this book was written when he was 23. Li Lu possesses the highest sense of observations of human behaviors around him. He was a political activist but was not ideological - very unusual. He has the 'right temperament'- a character which Munger and Buffet usually refer to. But no one has an idea of how such a thing can be acquired, if possible.

This book really keeps me thinking:
Here in the 2020s, everybody is talking 'China, China, China ...'. But what has brought China this far? Well, the people who lead China now are in their 50-60. If we traceback, they are those who born during the 1960s - the period of the Cultural Revolution. They were 'college students' during Tiananmen Square. This book gives me a glance how this experience may shape their belief and personalities. In their 30s, they were the driving force of the economy which led to the result we see today.

Someone once asked Charlie Munger why for his past 90 years, there was only once he gave Munger's money to the other person to manage and why Li Lu is that guy. His answer was "it's obvious". I have no doubt now.

I'm reading this when I'm 23 and his story makes me humble: if I dream of being a great investor, can I be as half good as Li Lu - both temperamentally and intellectually? Could I bring myself to read 500+ books when I was in college?

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone interested in China must read this moving masterpiece. It begins with early life of Lu Li , growing up under the horrors of the Red Tyranny in China, and moves on to describing the part played by a small group of brave young Chinese people, who took on the might of the cruel Communist monolith. It also documents in detail the horrific events of the Tianmen Square massacre.
Carve the names of these young people in gold.

[Sanford Chee]

Selected writings of Li Lu
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kUPF...

[Joseph Connors · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring story on the power of people facing a corrupt government

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful & touching - any scholar of modern China should read this account

[Rodrigo Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Li Lu is a warrior. His mental stamina is breath taking and his Personal pursuit of truth and freedom is frankly humbling.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting to reread this 22 years after the event especially with Chinese politics and Hawke's speech in the media recently.

[Paaras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bless the German Library system. It's amazing how well it works. I could read the book as an inter library loan from a library in a different state.

The book was written by a fund manager who started his fund in the US. The story of his life is one that you only hear of in movies and fiction books. He was one of the organizers of the Tiananmen Square protests which eventually led to his exile to the US. When he arrived to the US, he knew basically no English. He graduated in 1996 with 3 degrees simultaneously. To anyone feeling a bit down on luck, 10/10 recommended reading.

[Luca Unti · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to meet at least one exceptional person in your life, neither too wise nor too young, I would say that Li Lu is the right choice.

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in a first person's perspective, Li Lu captures the true stories of what happened in that fateful day. A day that we shall never forget. The blood, the tears and the broken-hearts of patriotic young people who lost their lives in that day shall be remembered. Reading Chai Ling's speech made my eyes well up in tears for her love for the nation. Also made me wonder what is Li Lu doing these days working as a fund manager - has he forgotten his sense of purpose? or has he just grown old and gave up his dreams to move mountains?

[Brentley Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible account of Li Lu's courage and leadership as he helped hold the student demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in 1989. Mr. Li has since become a great investor and has admirers in Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett

[Pippa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. Beautifully written. Deeply moving.