Family & relationships
Bean Trellis, My Mother-in-law
by Ma Ruifang
As the Chinese saying goes, "mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law are natural enemies". However, Bean Trellis, My Mother-in-law depicts the close bond of the author as daughter-in-law with her mother-in-law for more than three decades. Wherein lies the secret? "仁" Benevolence, "义" righteousness, "礼" courtesy, "智" wisdom, and "信" faith are constant beliefs of the Chinese people, which in the author's eyes are also the most admirable qualities of her mother-in-law, who is illiterate, yet hardworking, kind, and full of the wisdom of simple life. Her kindness and generosity is just the secret to the well-being of the whole family. Aside from describing the unique in-law relationship, this book also looks at the ups and downs of a big Chinese family from the 1970s to the 2020s. With humorous and documentary storytelling, the author wrote her life stories just like chatting with neighbors under the bean trellis. It is all-encompassing, containing traditional Chinese wisdom about getting along with the world, educating children, and even cooking, which could provide new reading experiences and inspiration for all readers.
