Red Scarf Girl Trivia

Brain Snacks: Tasty Tidbits of Knowledge

What's for dinner? Not steak, that's for sure. Ji-li never had a steak in China because food was rationed even before the Cultural Revolution. (Source)

You'd think a writer would need some time to warm up before writing a bestseller. Not Ji-li Jiang, though—Red Scarf Girl is the first book she wrote. You go, Ji-li. (Source)

Don't worry if the book bums you out—we totally get it—but you should know that Ji-li says the message of Red Scarf Girl is about hope and resilience despite tough circumstances. Everyone will experience difficult times, but according to Ji-li, you should always follow your heart. (Source)

Legend has it that babies born on Chinese New Year turn out to be beggars or kings. We'll let you guess which one Ji-li is. (Source)

We'll trade you a young Mao button… for an old Mao button. You might've traded baseball cards or stickers back in the day, but for Ji-li and her friends, it was all about Mao buttons. Collect them all. (Source)

Just how long did the Cultural Revolution last? A whole decade. In fact, it only ended when Mao did (by which we mean he died). (Source)