Anchee Min facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anchee Min
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| Born | January 14, 1957 Shanghai, China |
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| Occupation | Author | ||||||
| Citizenship | American | ||||||
| Education | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | ||||||
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| Children | 1 | ||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 闵安琪 | ||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 閔安琪 | ||||||
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Anchee Min (simplified Chinese: 闵安琪; traditional Chinese: 閔安琪; pinyin: Mǐn Ānqí; born January 14, 1957) is a Chinese-American author. She lives in San Francisco and Shanghai. Anchee Min has written two memoirs, which are like true stories about her own life. These books are called Red Azalea and The Cooked Seed: A Memoir. She has also written six historical novels. Her stories often feature strong female characters. Some of these characters include Jiang Qing, who was the wife of chairman Mao Zedong, and Empress Dowager Cixi, who was a powerful empress in China's history.
Contents
Anchee Min's Life Story
Anchee Min was born in Shanghai, China, on January 14, 1957. Her parents were both teachers. When she was nine years old, a big change called the Cultural Revolution began in China. During this time, Anchee was part of a group called the Little Red Guards. She was asked to report her favorite teacher, who was accused of not supporting Mao.
Life on a Farm
When Anchee Min was 17, she was sent to work on a large farm. This farm was near the East China Sea. Life there was very difficult, and she worked for many hours each day.
Becoming an Actress
While at the farm, Anchee Min was noticed by people from the Shanghai Film Studio. They chose her to become an actress because they thought she had the right look for movies at that time. She even got a main role in a movie that was meant to promote government ideas. This film was inspired by Madame Mao. However, the movie was never finished.
After Mao Zedong passed away and Jiang Qing lost her power, Anchee Min faced hard times. People treated her badly, and she felt very sad. With help from her friend, actress Joan Chen, and her aunt in Singapore, Anchee got a passport. She then applied to study at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the United States.
Moving to America
Anchee Min moved to the United States. When she first arrived, she almost couldn't enter the country. This was because she had said on her visa application that she spoke English, but she actually didn't. However, she was able to convince the immigration officer to let her in.
After moving to the U.S., Anchee worked many different jobs at the same time. She learned English by watching TV shows like Sesame Street. This shows how determined she was to learn and succeed.
Family and Education
Anchee Min was married to a Chinese artist named Qigu Jiang. They have a daughter named Lauryann, who later attended Stanford University.
Later, in 1999, Anchee Min married Lloyd Lofthouse, who was a teacher and writer. They divorced in 2015.
Anchee Min studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She earned two degrees there, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) and a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.).
See also
In Spanish: Anchee Min para niños
