8 Our Stories: Pingru and Meitang

By Rao Pingru

Our Stories: Pingru and Meitang.[File photo]

Simple but sincere, 87-year-old Rao’s first and maybe only picture book is the country’s most touching publication of 2013. Rao’s wife Meitang died of Alzheimer’s disease, and for about six months, Rao found himself overcome with grief. All he did was visit the places he and his wife had been to together. Then he decided to draw their lives, starting from Meitang’s childhood. The book takes readers back to the time they first met, became separated by war, experienced social turbulence and economic hardships but still loved and supported each other wholeheartedly. Packaged by acclaimed book designer Zhu Yingchun, the result is more than just a story of others, as it triggers the shared memories of many Chinese households.

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