The Rice Sprout Song
Eileen Chang
 The novel tells the story of a peasant family and their struggle for basic sustenance while the government does little to help, and in fact, demands more goods from the peasants as they cope with the harsh weather and a food shortage. The book begins with the wedding of Gold Flower T'an, the sister of Gold Root T'an. In this part of the book, Chang shares with the reader Chinese family traditions and the bonds between family members. For example, a bride would be escorted by her family to the groom's house in a carriage where there would later be a wedding banquet hosted by the groom's family. For now, Gold Root T'an is living with his daughter, Beckon while his wife is working in the city to provide for her family.