This episode contains adult subject matter and some listeners may be triggered by this content. Listener discretion is advised.
In this episode, we explore the profound impact of war and political upheaval on one family’s journey across generations. Our guest shares his mother’s story of surviving Mao’s Cultural Revolution, the struggles she endured, and how those experiences shaped both her life and the lives of those who came after her.
We also talk about the process of bringing her memoir to life and the deeper meaning behind preserving family history. This conversation offers a powerful look at resilience, the echoes of the past, and the ways we carry our family’s stories with us.
Richard Perkins Hsung
Richard Perkins Hsung was born in China in 1966 and was one of the first teens to leave China legally after Mao’s Cultural Revolution. He earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Chicago and became a professor at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, retiring in 2022. He spent ten years editing and completing Spring Flower (Earnshaw Books) by his mother, Jean Tren-Hwa Perkins, MD.
The three-volume memoir chronicles her life as an adopted child of American medical missionaries, survivor of China's brutal communist regime, ophthalmologist, immigrant, and mother. Hsung lives in Madison, WI, with his wife, where keeping squirrels from digging up his backyard has become a daily scientific obsession.
Richard's Resources
The Jōrni Resources
https://thejornipodcast.com for show notes
https://thejorniblog.com for more holistic healing and mental health resources
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