Summary of Wild Swans

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China is a family biography written by Jung Chang in 1991. The book begins by describing the lives of their great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother, who lived through and experienced some of the major events in Chinese history such as the Boxer Rebellion and the Cultural Revolution. Through the three generations, the book traces the transformation of China from the end of the Imperial era to the post-Mao Zedong era. The book speaks of both the beauty and harshness of Chinese culture during these turbulent times. The book covers everything from wonderful old Chinese folk tales to the horrors of death under the Mao regime. It is an emotional recounting of the author’s family’s struggles and victories, love and losses. Wild Swans is one of the most important books ever written about modern Chinese history and Chinese culture.