This book, The Lius of Shanghai, offers an intimate look into the lives of a prominent Chinese family during a transformative period in the 20th century, roughly from 1907 to 1956. Through their extensive personal correspondence, the book explores the family dynamics under a patriarchal structure, the evolving roles of family members, and their responses to major historical events such as the Sino-Japanese War and the Communist Revolution.
The central figures are Liu Hongsheng, the Father, a dynamic and wealthy industrialist, and his twelve children, including nine sons. For clarity, the book refers to them by their birth order:
- Eldest Son (Liu Nianren)
- Second Son (Liu Nianyi)
- Third Son (Liu Nianli)
- Fourth Son (Liu Nianzhi)
- Fifth Son (Liu Nianxiao)
- Sixth Son (Liu Nianti)
- Seventh Son (Liu Nianzhong)
- Eighth Son (Liu Nianxin)
- Ninth Son (Liu Nianlian)
The book also features the Mother, Ye Suzhen, and their three daughters: Eldest Daughter (Liu Ming-zhu), Middle Daughter (Liu Mingzhen), and Youngest Daughter (Liu Mingqiu).
The foundation of the book lies in a remarkable collection of over two thousand family letters. These letters were exchanged between the father, the mother, and all twelve children between the late 1920s and the early 1950s. The author, Sherman Cochran, discovered this unique archive at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS). He recounts his initial captivating experience reading these fragile letters, which inspired him to write the book. Cochran collaborated with Professor Andrew Hsieh, who possessed the expertise to decipher the sometimes idiosyncratic handwriting in the letters. This collection is considered unique in Chinese history due to its size and the wide range of family members who contributed to it. The letters, written in both Chinese and English, offer an unparalleled glimpse into the internal debates, tensions, and decision-making processes within the Liu family as they navigated personal aspirations and the dramatic shifts of their time. Notably, the Mother, who was nearly illiterate, dictated her letters to a secretary who would translate her Shanghai dialect into typed English letters.
translate some of the father and sons' discussions into modern-day WhatsApp chats.
Discussion about going to the US vs. UK universities (Eldest, Second, Third Sons & Father, early 1930s)
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Sons Group Chat:
- Third Son: Hey bros, anyone else thinking US for uni? 🇺🇸 Seems like a good shout. 🤔
- Second Son: Yeah, Cambridge entrance is stressing me out. 😩 America could be easier? 🙏
- Eldest Son: Don't get your hopes up. Dad's fixated on Oxford or Cambridge. 🙄 He'll have a meltdown if we even suggest the US. 😬
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Father to Sons Group Chat:
- Father: Boys, I trust your studies are progressing well for your Cambridge or Oxford entrance exams? 👍 That is my only hope for your future education. 💯
- Father: The United States is NOT an option. Get that thought out of your heads immediately. 🙅♂️ You WILL succeed in England. Remember Napoleon: "Impossible is not a French word." Keep that in mind! 😤
Discussion about the difficulty of the classical Chinese exam (Third Son & Father, 1930)
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Third Son to Father:
- Third Son: Dad, this classical Chinese exam... 🤯 I barely know the Four Books. 😥 Going to try my best though! 💪 Even if I fail, at least I tried, right? 😅
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Father to Third Son:
- Father: Third Son! 😡 How little do you truly know about the Four Books?! Your understanding of classical Chinese is poor. Vernacular won't help you here. 🤦♂️
- Father: The Four Books are the Analects, Mencius, the Great Learning, and the Doctrine of the Golden Mean! You thought it was ONE book?! 🤦♂️ Study harder! 📚
- Father: And don't think the foreign examiners will be easy! Mr. Giles is a brilliant sinologist. Respect your examiners. 🙏 You are Chinese; failing in your own language would be shameful. Lose face in front of foreigners? Unacceptable! 😠
Discussion about becoming British citizens (Third Son & Father, 1932)
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Third Son to Father:
- Third Son: Dad, about the British citizenship thing... 🤔 With the fighting in Shanghai calmed down, do you still think it's necessary? 🙏 Just wondering... 🤷♂️
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Father to Third Son:
- Father: Undoubtedly, you've been following the situation in Shanghai closely. 📰 This proposal is one way we can deal with the Japanese threat. 🤔 I am earnestly looking forward to your response. 👍
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Third Son to Father (later):
- Third Son: Since the bombs have stopped, maybe we can forget the naturalisation? 🙏 Just a thought! 😊
Eldest Son's reaction to the British citizenship proposal (Eldest Son & Father/Brothers, 1932)
- Eldest Son to Brothers Group Chat:
- Eldest Son: This British citizenship idea is ridiculous. 🙄 They'll never see us as real citizens because of racism. 😠 Same in America. 🇺🇸
- Eldest Son: Even if they did accept us, it would restrict us! Father's overreacting to the war. He'll probably regret suggesting it later. 🤦♂️
Father's response to the sons' opposition to British citizenship (Father to Sons, 1932)
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Father to Eldest Son:
- Father: Eldest Son, your outspoken letter gave me much joy. 😄 It shows you are thinking independently. 👍
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Father to Second Son:
- Father: Second Son, your forthright criticisms are noted. I admire your manliness in expressing yourself freely. 💪
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Father to Third Son:
- Father: Third Son, your hearty letter is appreciated. It is good you are thinking independently. 🤔
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Father to Sons Group Chat:
- Father: Since the immediate danger seems over and five years residency is required for British citizenship anyway... we may as well drop the subject for now. 😌 Hopefully, a similar situation will not arise again. 🙏
Third Son proposing marriage to Liane (Third Son & Father, mid-1930s)
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Third Son to Father:
- Third Son: Dad, I've proposed to Liane! 🎉 She's wonderful. 😊 Hope you and Mum will be happy for us! ❤️
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Father to Third Son:
- Father: You proposed without consulting us?! 😲 We must discuss this. Marriage is a serious matter. 🤔
Second Son's pragmatic business view during the war (Second Son & Father, early 1940s)
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Second Son to Father:
- Second Son: Dad, with all due respect, your political views are clouding your business judgment. 😠 I'm sticking 100% to business and industry. 💼 We need to be pragmatic. 💯
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Father to Second Son:
- Father: You fail to understand the complexities of the situation. Politics and business are intertwined during wartime. 🤔
Eighth Son's struggle with depression (Eighth Son to Eldest Brother, late 1930s)
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Eighth Son to Eldest Brother:
- Eighth Son: Eldest Brother, I'm really struggling here. Feeling very discouraged. 😔 Sometimes I even think I might have a nervous breakdown. 😥
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Eldest Brother to Eighth Son:
- Eldest Brother: Eighth Brother, you are bright and capable! ✨ Have confidence in yourself. 💪 Don't worry; your other brothers and I will always provide for you. 👍
Father urging Eighth Son to return to China under Communist rule (Father to Eighth Son, 1950)
- Father to Eighth Son:
- Father: Eighth Son, I read your letter. You fear a lack of freedom of thought in China and prefer to stay abroad. 🤨 This comes from being self-centred and listening to false propaganda. You don't know the truth! 😤 You are thirty years old, it's time to return home! 🇨🇳
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