This novel is a landmark novel in twentieth century Chinese literature. Dai’s novel is one of the very first after the decade-long Cultural Revolution that overturned Chinese society, pitting the peasants and revolutionaries against those of any education, wealth or privilege. She dares criticize the cruelty of the government-led terror to advocate for a more humane culture. Word about the novel spread like wildfire and readers devoured the previously forbidden views.

During the Cultural Revolution there was absolutely no Freedom of the Press—much less Freedom of Thought; in fact, people were tried, prosecuted and punished, for “Wrong Thinking”. The author even had to seek a remote publisher in southern China to find one willing to publish her work.

It is often cited in academic books about the period. Dai wrote other novels, including her first which draws on her tragic love for a man who was publicly denounced. Hopefully all of her work will be translated into English in years to come.

The literal translation of the title from the Chinese characters (words) could be “Humanity, oh Humanity”. It is a sigh of dismay. As often happens in translated literature, the publisher chose a completely different title, “Stone Wall”.