Long Ying - The cherished daughter of a middle-peasant family (I)

In July 1952, Long Ying was born into a middle-peasant family—one that had accumulated some "old money" over generations. In the traditional Chinese agrarian class structure, middle peasants occupied the third tier: they owned their own land, farmed it themselves, lived self-sufficiently, exploited no one, and were exploited by no one. Long Ying was the second child of her parents and had an older brother. As the first daughter in the family, her arrival brought great joy to her parents, who lovingly named her "Long Ying."

In Chinese culture, the character "Long" (龙, meaning "dragon") in a name often symbolizes a precious treasure, like a dragon’s egg—something rare, beloved, and highly cherished. And cherished she was. Long Ying grew up surrounded by the deep love and doting attention of her parents.

Her striking beauty was enhanced by her unique ancestry. Long Ying had inherited European features from her great-grandmother, a Slavic woman who likely came to China around 1850—perhaps due to the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway, or as a result of the unrest caused by the Boxer Rebellion, when many Slavic people entered China and settled in the northeast. Long Ying’s great-grandmother married a local man, raised a family, and remained in China until her death. Because of this lineage, Long Ying had light-colored eyes, fair hair, porcelain skin, and a vivid smile. She was stunning.

Despite growing up in a well-off and loving family, Long Ying's parents still held traditional beliefs. When she reached school age, they saw no reason to send a girl to school. To them, it was enough for a daughter to know how to sew and help with farm work. Because of this, Long Ying only learned to recognize her own name—nothing more. Still, her parents adored her. At a time when even buying fabric required ration coupons from the government, they would snatch up any beautiful cloth they could find just to make her new clothes. This kind of pampering for a girl was extremely rare in rural China at the time.

Long Ying was showing us their farm land.

By the time Long Ying reached her late teens, suitors were coming to her door by the dozen. Yet none of them met her standards—this family too poor, that one too dull. Her parents, still deeply indulgent, never pushed her to settle. They allowed her to take her time. Before they knew it, she was already 22.

Then one day, Long Ying’s uncle came to visit and proposed a match: his nephew Zheng Hua, a young man who had just returned from military service. When Long Ying and Zheng Hua met, it was love at first sight. Though Zheng Hua came from a family with nothing, Long Ying never wavered—she was determined to marry him. Her father, impressed by the young man's potential, supported the decision, even though her mother complained about his family’s poverty.

They married.

At the time, Zheng Hua’s family was so poor they had to borrow furniture—including the bed—for the wedding. Just a month after the wedding, everything was returned to its rightful owners, and Long Ying found herself in a nearly empty house. She felt overwhelmed. Soon after, she became pregnant and suffered severe morning sickness, which prevented her from joining the collective labor force to earn work points. Zheng Hua was the only one earning any income, and those were lean, difficult days.

Fortunately, Long Ying’s parents were generous and compassionate. They frequently brought supplies and support to help the young couple get by. During the birth of their first child, Zheng Hua was stationed as an agricultural technician in another village. It was thanks to the support of Long Ying’s family—especially her parents and brothers—that she made it through that challenging time.

Though their life together began in hardship, filled with poverty and struggle, Long Ying and Zheng Hua always held onto hope and dreams for a better future.

The story continues...