Jacob Zhao’s Reviews > Sounds of the River: A Young Man's University Days in Beijing – A Poetic Coming-of-Age Memoir of China's Cultural Revolution > Status Update

Chen's journey to get permission to go to America is surely full of challenges. The government has been playing the game of pass and it does no help to Chen. Bureaucracy in China has still not diminished. In fact, jealousy of some people (the dean) tries to keep the talented people like Chen from getting further education. However, I feel happy for Chen that he got the chance to go to America.

Despite the fact that Chen is a hardworking student, government in China chooses to give other people who seems to be more "loyal" to them the opportunity to go abroad. Chen is surely not experienced enough for this situation. Working hard and getting good grades does not work in China. Even though people who choose to join the communist seem to be "loyal", all they want is to go abroad. What a sarcasm!

Not only Chen is being influenced by the foreigner's open minds, his parents are also enlightened. The fact that Chen's parents refuse to take any money for their daughters' marriage shocked me! In the past, the grooms had to pay their bride's parents money in order to marry them. Nowadays, China still keeps this tradition that seems to treat daughters as objects that can be sold for money.

This books describes the real life of that period of time in China. In fact, it exposes some of the interesting social habits in China. People in the old age tend to assume that as a college student, Chen must act gentle and walk with his hands on the back. However, time has changed. Although Chen and his cousin are both college students, they are different. Chen is less restrained by the traditional thinking.

Although the part Chen argued with the guard at the Friendship store was funny, it reveals the corruption of the Chinese government. The ignorance of the guard was a normal occasion in that period of time. Foreigners had privilege over Chinese. The levels of classes made people who are considered as refugees unable to enter the Friendship stores. The old corrupted China has not gone yet.

Chen's life has been successful. In fact, one of the few skills he brought from Yellow Stone helped him a lot. He made friends with foreigners because of his ability to play a bamboo flute. The country who hardly knew how to speak English now could be a part of their community. Chen's effort paid off. I could see Chen has a bright future in front of him.

Chen's conversation with his dean changed my opinion of the university. At first, from his roommates descriptions, Beijing Language Institute is a very inclusive school and people have lots of freedom here. However, the dean's words surprised me. The fact that this school did not encourage Chen to study as much English as possible made me understand why this book is forbidden in China.

As one of the fewer country boys studying at Beijing Language Institute, Da Chen has not seen many of the things in the city. Everything seemed brand new to him. People has been scolding on his appearance, and accent. However, he has not given up his American dream, especially from the professor he met that had similar experience with him.