When I was a boy in China

A vivid memoir that opens with a newborn’s arrival in 1861, this narrative weaves together personal history and the intricate customs of a traditional Chinese family. The author recounts the rituals surrounding birth—lunar calendars, auspicious names, and elaborate offerings—to protect a child’s future, while also sharing the sensory details of a christening feast centered on roast pork and gingered pig’s feet.

Through the eyes of a young boy, listeners travel from the swaddling layers that would astonish a Western infant to the bustling streets of a Canton‑style city, absorbing the rhythm of daily life and the weight of ancestral expectations. The early chapters set the stage for a compelling exploration of identity, migration, and the balance between ancient rites and a new world awaiting beyond China’s borders.