There were moments when I had to put down the book to take a break.
One Child discusses about the controversial One-Child policy in China. The author Mei Fong, a Malaysian Chinese, interviewed women and men from all across China to try to get a full picture of the origin and the consequences of this policy.
It all began in the 1980s, when the Chinese government believed there were too many people in China. They were afraid that their country could never grow strong with that many people. Therefore, families were to only have one child, with few exceptions. Most of the women who were caught with a second pregnancy were forced to abort their babies (including late-term abortion) or to pay a huge fine; or else their relatives would get locked up, properties would get destroyed, until they agreed to give up the baby.
And sometimes even when some of these babies were born, they got sold to orphanages by government officials for adoptions.
As a Chinese, I have a lot to say on this subject, but I don't know how to accurately put it in words. My home back in Hong Kong was only a 15-minute drive to the mainland. I wouldn't be here if my parents were living on the other side of the border, for I am the third daughter in the family.