https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc A timeline of Da Chen's life en-us 2023-02-01 22:04:02 UTC 2025-11-03 21:29:07 UTC hello@padlet.com denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539551539 Chen, Da. Colors Of The Mountain. Anchor Books, 1999. 

]]> 2023-03-31 07:39:04 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539551539 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539557916 Da Chen was born in 1962. He had a mother, father, grandpa, grandma, his sisters Si, Ke, Huang, and his brother Jin. 
"I was born in southern China in 1962, in the tiny town of Yellow Stone" (3). ]]> 2023-03-31 07:44:06 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539557916 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539565469 Da Chen was born during a terrible time. Chairman Mao was the leader of the country at the time. In order to pay loans and avoid political conflict against the Soviets, he cut down meals or the food supply. This resulted in the death of many people through starvation.]]> 2023-03-31 07:51:37 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539565469 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539574101 Da Chen's family members were landowners. Because of this they were terribly mistreated by communists. The family was treated unfairly when it came to labor, work, schooling etc. Their lives were negatively impacted. They were a poor family that lived with fear and hunger.
This is shown through one of the many examples, "When I asked Mom why we had to hide in our dark house all the time, she said that we were landlords, and that the people outside were poor peasants … making us suffer because the leaders were all bad. There was no fairness, no justice for us" (4).]]> 2023-03-31 08:00:21 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539574101 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539581830 There were a lot of unfair and dangerous rules made when the Cultural Revolution started. The Red Guards and the whole communists society constantly hurt Da Chen's family and other landowners like them, putting them in danger and making them very feel unwelcomed. 
As an example, some of the rules written to Da's grandpa by a commune cadre were, "He wasn't welcome in any public places, could not engage in any political discussions, and should look away if someone spit in his face" (7) ]]> 2023-03-31 08:09:46 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539581830 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539589273 Da's grandpa was beaten and hurt very badly. He was in such a poor medical condition that he had to take a break from work. Da, not even old enough to go to elementary school yet, was put in place for his grandpa to work out in the fields, chasing birds in the hot summer air. ]]> 2023-03-31 08:18:21 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539589273 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539596976 Not having enough tuition to pay for the schooling, Da's family asked for a waiver of tuition. He got into the school. The teacher, Mr. Sun, was very kind to him, helping create this possibility. Da was on top of his class, he was the smartest. He was also like the leader. He helped tutor kids during his free time.]]> 2023-03-31 08:26:22 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539596976 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539600170 All of the teachers were sent to a training camp. Poor farmers took over the job and started teaching. They were not intelligent, they were made fun of. Da was no longer on top of his class. He was treated differently. He was bullied because of his family's political background. His new teacher ignored him and tried to bring him down whenever he could. A lie about Da was spread around the school.
"'You have been saying antirevolutionary and anti-Communist things to your classmates, haven't you?' 'No I haven't.' He was trying to paint me as a counterrevolutionary..." (25).]]> 2023-03-31 08:29:40 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539600170 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539600591 On New Years, after praying, eating, and spending time with his family, Da went out into the fields to a gambling field. There he met Sen, Mo Gong, Yi, and Siang. They were all close friends and he joined their friend group. The group was filled with 14 and 15 year olds. Da was the youngest (about 4 years younger). Those boys had terrible past situations with their families at home and practically lived on their own. They smoked daily and even drank alcohol. Da started to smoke as well. Even though the guys seemed like a terrible influence, they were actually nice and supportive towards him. He finally felt safe and wasn't bullied anymore. People were scared of their group and started to leave him alone.]]> 2023-03-31 08:30:08 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2539600591 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2540143169 For his own safety, during winter break, Da went to an island with his Cousin Yan to get some seafood for the family and stay out of trouble. The Island was a new experience for him. The island was surrounded by the sea, which he loved. He learned about the kids living there and their uniquely given names. He went fishing with a man and his son. He enjoyed the peace and calmness of the trip, wanting to stay and live there. The son, however, wanted to live like Da as a city boy.
"I was a little embarrassed by the praise. Inside my heart. I would have traded anything just to have a friendly environment like this, not the daily battle I faced back home" (51).]]> 2023-03-31 17:14:43 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2540143169 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2540158076 Da's grandpa passed away. Not having enough money, the family couldn't afford a proper funeral, but still had a mini ceremony. He was burned to ashes. Grandpa's death made Da and the whole family upset and hurt.
Grandpa, however, not being abused and beaten anymore, was in a better place now.]]> 2023-03-31 17:31:10 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2540158076 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2540325588 "On the ninth day of the ninth month in 1976, Chairman Mao died like an ordinary man" (137).
The death of the leader caused sadness for many communists. Da's family were landowners and they were happy. 
This event resulted in a drastic change. Earlier, Da had no chance of getting into college because of his political background. Now, the new law explained that anyone, no matter what their political status was, could get into college. Everything was based on your level of education. This was a problem for Da because he hasn't been going to school very often, was 2 years behind in school, and was at the very bottom of his class. None of the teachers had respect for him and didn't care to help now. ]]> 2023-03-31 21:26:54 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2540325588 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2540326428 Da started to take school much more seriously. He and his brother were both determined to study hard for the upcoming national exams and get into the college of their liking. There was a lot of weight on both of their shoulders because if they didn't succeed, they would both have to work in the fields for the rest of their lives, just like their family and many other farmers did for generations. They wanted to break the cycle and help their family out.
Da (and his friend Dia, whom he was trying to help) focused on liberal arts rather than the engineering major (which was more popular and considered to be more successful).

]]> 2023-03-31 21:28:49 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2540326428 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541580492 Ping Pong has become very popular in China. Da enjoyed playing Ping Pong. He was so good at it that he was the first elementary schooler to participate in a Ping Pong tournament under a high school team. Although he didn't win the tournament, he made it to the semifinals, which was a great accomplishment. 
"I was the first elementary representative in our commune ever to be in a semifinal..." (108).]]> 2023-04-03 02:15:53 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541580492 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541595518 "Before Grandpa died, he had had a minor stroke, and Dad, unable to afford an acupuncturist for him, would study books on the ancient art, staying up late every night, sometimes even taking the old classics on Chinese herbal medicine to bed with him" (108). After grandpa's death, Da's father was practicing more and more in this field of work. He helped many friends and neighbors that experienced strokes. Soon his reputation spread and more people started to reach out to him for help. Although Da's dad was willing to do the work for free, people still wanted to pay him back somehow. They did this not with money (because he really didn't want it) but by bringing the family goods (food/fruit) and also started to treat him and the whole family with more love, kindness, and respect. This really benefited the family.]]> 2023-04-03 02:28:08 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541595518 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541608019 Da was interested in music. His dad, having experience, taught him how to play the flute. He was good at it. That made him and his dad happy. However, he soon heard another beautiful and unique instrument that caught his attention. It wasn't popular in Yellow Stone. It was a Western instrument and he didn't know its name. He later learned that it was the violin.
"As my interest in music grew, I became fascinated with the violin" (118).
He liked the violin so much that he decided to learn it. He took lessons from a man who lived in a different town and became the first person to own and play the violin in Yellow Stone.]]> 2023-04-03 02:38:43 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541608019 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541618167 In 1973 society has changed. 
Zhang Tie Shan was an army recruit from north China. On a school exam paper he wrote "To make revolution, one need not answer above questions" (114).
"Instantly, he became a hero throughout China … School was chaos. Everyone ran around mindlessly, doing nothing" (114).
Schools became chaotic. Kids weren't learning much. Kids could do whatever they wanted without getting punished. The teachers couldn't do anything against this because then it would ruin their reputation and make them seem counterrevolutionary. This is where Da changed his focus from school to music.]]> 2023-04-03 02:48:11 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541618167 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541644567 Da was able to get into high school because of his father. His father helped the school's principal after his dad had a stroke. In return, he asked for this favor and opportunity. Da was happy because he was the first in the family to be able to go to high school. All his siblings didn't get this chance. They were only a few years older and were already working hours in the fields. 
In high school, however, Da didn't really take advantage of this opportunity
Da met I-Fei. They became friends. They both skipped class and smoked.
They focused their time on the band. They got to perform a lot and had fun. They thought that the music industry would be their future. Da, however, realized that this wouldn't get him far in life. ]]> 2023-04-03 03:09:53 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541644567 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541648073 Professor Wei was an English professor. Her sister had a really bad stroke. Da's father was able to help. In return, Professor Wei agreed to give Da English lessons. She taught Da English and they built good friendship. She also taught him some of the Christian customs and showed him how things worked in her household.
All the English lessons helped Da realize that he wanted a major in English. Although it was be difficult he was determined.]]> 2023-04-03 03:12:39 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541648073 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541648183 The exams were held at Hillside High School at the edge of Putien, Huang. The school has been turned into a camp for the three days of testing.
Da had to take a test in all of the different subjects. 
He was the only one from Yellow Stone who registered in the English major. 
He tested confidently and was relieved when he finished. 


]]> 2023-04-03 03:12:47 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541648183 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541648267 After months, the test results came in. In order to go to college, you had to get a score of at least 300 out of 500. Jin got a score of 350. Da got a score of 380. They both were able to get into college!
Not only that but also...
"'According to the record, Da has one of the highest liberal arts scores in the province of Fujian, including the big cities of Fuzhou, Amoy, Chuangzhou, and Nan Ping - out of hundreds of thousands of test-takers" (291).
Jin got into the college of his choice, closer to home. Da, however, setting his dreams and goals high out and beyond, was admitted into the Beijing Language Institute's English department, a strong and high leveled college that he dreamed of getting into. Everyone was happy and proud. This was when things greatly changed for the family!]]> 2023-04-03 03:12:52 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541648267 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541677909 Throughout this entire time (especially on the Chinese New Year) Da and his mom prayed a lot to Buddha and many other gods. The mom has been always praying for the good health, well-being, happiness, and success of the family. She only wanted good luck for their family. 
As the examination was approaching, Da and his mom have been praying more than ever (Da especially). This exam is so important to them... good results and Da and his brother getting into college could change the whole family's life forever.]]> 2023-04-03 03:42:01 UTC https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541677909 denysvla000 https://padlet.com/denysvla000/hq4x1hpy51j2rutc/wish/2541697809 https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED205049


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