Sanmao (writer)

1.1. Birth and Childhood

Born Chen Mao-ping in Chongqing, China, Sanmao was the daughter of Chen Siqing, a lawyer, and Miao Jinlan. Her parents were devout Christians. The family's ancestral home was in Zhejiang province. Following the Second Sino-Japanese War, her family relocated to Nanjing. When Sanmao was six years old, her family moved to Taiwan due to the victory of the Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese Civil War. She had an older sister named Chen Tianxin.

From a young age, Sanmao developed a profound interest in literature. By the age of five, she was already reading Chinese classics such as Dream of the Red Chamber. She immersed herself in a wide range of international authors, including Chinese writers like Lu Xun, Ba Jin, Bing Xin, Lao She, and Yu Dafu, as well as Western works such as The Count of Monte Cristo, Don Quixote, and Gone with the Wind. She often skipped school to read books. She sometimes argued with her teachers; once, she expressed a desire to become a garbage truck driver, a notion her teacher disagreed with. When asked about her aspirations, she famously stated that she wished to marry a great artist, specifically Pablo Picasso.

1.2. Education and Homeschooling

Sanmao found the restrictive nature of the Taiwanese school system challenging. Her preoccupation with reading led to her grades suffering in middle school, particularly in mathematics. After a humiliating incident where a teacher drew black circles around her eyes in class, Sanmao dropped out of formal education. Her father then took over her schooling, teaching her English and classical literature. Additionally, private tutors were hired to provide her with lessons in piano and painting, fostering her artistic and intellectual development outside the conventional academic environment.

1.3. Pen Name and Name Change

Sanmao adopted her pen name from the main character of Zhang Leping's renowned comic book series, Sanmao. There are several theories regarding the origin of her pen name; she herself offered various explanations, including its derivation from Zhang Leping's character, its connection to the ancient Chinese text I Ching, and a playful self-deprecating meaning of being "worth only three mao coins."

In English, she was also known as Echo or Echo Chan, a name she adopted from the eponymous Greek nymph. Since childhood, she reportedly found the traditional Chinese character for "Mao" (懋), part of her birth name Chen Mao-ping, too complex to write. Later in life, she legally changed her name to Chen Ping.

2.1. Studies Abroad and Early Career

In 1962, at the age of 19, Sanmao published her first essay, marking her initial foray into writing. She pursued a degree in philosophy at Chinese Culture University in Taiwan, driven by a desire to "find the solution to problems in life." Following a disillusioning early romance, she moved to Madrid, Spain, at the age of 20, where she continued her studies at the Complutense University of Madrid. It was in Madrid that she first met José María Quero y Ruíz, a Spanish marine engineer, who would later become her husband.

Sanmao subsequently moved to Germany, where she undertook an intensive study of the German language, sometimes dedicating up to 16 hours a day to her studies. Within nine months, she achieved a qualification to teach German and began studying ceramics. At the age of 26, Sanmao returned to Taiwan. During this period, she became engaged to a German teacher, but he tragically died of a heart attack before their wedding. In the aftermath of this shock, she returned to Madrid, where she began teaching English at a primary school and rekindled her relationship with Ruíz.

2.2. Marriage and Life in the Sahara

Sanmao married José María Quero y Ruíz in 1973 in the Spanish Sahara, which was then under Spanish control. Their life together in the Sahara Desert became the primary inspiration and setting for her most celebrated literary works.

2.3. "The Stories of the Sahara" and Literary Success

In 1976, Sanmao published The Stories of the Sahara (撒哈拉的故事_{Sāhālà de Gùshì}^Chinese), an autobiographical work based on her experiences living in the Spanish Sahara with José. This book, a blend of travelogue and memoir, quickly garnered immense success in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China, establishing Sanmao as an autobiographical writer with a distinctive voice and perspective. The profound impact of The Stories of the Sahara solidified her literary fame. Following its widespread popularity, her earlier writings were collected and published under the title Gone With the Rainy Season (雨季不再來_{Yǔjì Bùzàilái}^Chinese). She continued to write prolifically, drawing further material from her experiences in the Spanish Sahara and the Canary Islands, which were published in several subsequent books.

2.4. Subsequent Works and Travels

After José's death in 1979, Sanmao returned to Taiwan in 1980. In November 1981, she embarked on travels through Central and South America, commissioned by Taiwanese publishers, and these experiences were documented in her later works. Between 1976 and her death in 1991, Sanmao published more than 20 books. Her notable works include Weeping Camel (哭泣的駱駝_{Kūqì de Luòtuó}^Chinese), Scarecrow's Manuscript (稻草人的手記_{Dàocǎorén de Shǒujì}^Chinese), I Send You a Horse (送你一匹馬_{Sòng Nǐ Yī Pǐ Mǎ}^Chinese), 溫柔的夜_{Wēnróu de Yè}^Chinese (Tender Night), 夢裡花落知多少_{Mèng Lǐ Huā Luò Zhī Duōshǎo}^Chinese (Flowers Fall in My Dream), 我的寶貝_{Wǒ de Bǎobèi}^Chinese (My Treasure), 我的快樂天堂_{Wǒ de Kuàilè Tiāntáng}^Chinese (My Happy Paradise), 背影_Bèiyǐng^Chinese (Back View), 鬧學記_Nàoxuéjì^Chinese (Learning to Be Noisy), 高原的百合花_{Gāoyuán de Bǎihéhuā}^Chinese (Lily of the Plateau), and 談心_Tánxīn^Chinese (Heart-to-Heart Talk).

2.5. Translation and Screenwriting

Beyond her original literary output, Sanmao also engaged in translation work, notably translating the popular Argentine comic strip Mafalda from Spanish into Chinese. She also contributed her talents to the film industry as a screenwriter, most notably for the 1990 film Red Dust (滾滾紅塵_{Gǔngǔn Hóngchén}^Chinese), which depicted the love story of writer Zhang Ailing and was co-written with Yim Ho.

2.6. Teaching and Lectures

From 1981 to 1984, Sanmao returned to her alma mater, Chinese Culture University in Taiwan, where she taught and delivered lectures. After this period, she decided to dedicate herself fully to writing, continuing her engagement with students and readers through public lectures.

3.1. Marriage and Husband

Sanmao's relationship with José María Quero y Ruíz began during her studies in Madrid. They reconnected and married in 1973 in the Spanish Sahara. José's unwavering support and their shared life in the desert formed the backdrop for her most famous works. On September 30, 1979, José tragically drowned in a diving accident. His death had a profound and lasting impact on Sanmao, leading her to return to Taiwan and significantly influencing her subsequent life and literary output.

4.1. Circumstances of Death

On January 4, 1991, Sanmao died by suicide at Taipei Veterans General Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan. She was found to have hanged herself with a pair of silk stockings. At the time of her death, she was hospitalized for endometrial hyperplasia.

4.2. Speculation and Contributing Factors

Her apparent suicide came as a significant shock to her many readers and was met with widespread public expressions of grief across the Chinese-speaking world. There has been much speculation regarding the reasons behind her decision to end her life. Theories include a recent cancer scare, disappointment over losing the Golden Horse Award for her script for the film Red Dust (a loss she reportedly took very poorly), or lingering depression over her husband José's death 12 years earlier. Some fans, notably Zhang Jinran, even claimed that her death was a murder rather than a suicide. Sanmao was buried at the Chin Pao San Cemetery.

5.1. Literary Achievements and Popularity

Sanmao's books, which primarily chronicle her personal experiences studying and living abroad, were exceptionally well-received not only in Taiwan but also in Hong Kong and mainland China, and they continue to remain popular. From 1976 until her death in 1991, she published over 20 books. Often referred to as a "vagrant" or "wandering writer," Sanmao's adventurous spirit and unique perspective resonated deeply with readers. She remains an object of longing and admiration for Chinese readers. In a 2007 survey of "100 most beloved modern Chinese authors," Sanmao ranked sixth, following literary giants such as Lu Xun, Cao Xueqin, Ba Jin, Jin Yong, and Li Bai. A comprehensive 27-volume collection of Sanmao's works has been published by Taiwan's Crown Culture Publishing.

5.2. Posthumous Recognition and Commemoration

Sanmao has received significant posthumous recognition. On March 26, 2019, Google commemorated her 76th birth anniversary with a Google Doodle. In the same year, she was featured in The New York Times' "Overlooked" posthumous obituary series, specifically for her book The Stories of the Sahara. Her work is widely lauded for its enduring appeal across generations, inspiring young Taiwanese and Chinese women to seek independence from conservative cultural norms. English-language editions of The Stories of the Sahara were subsequently published by Bloomsbury Publishing, following an agreement with Crown Culture Publishing, making her work accessible to a broader international audience.

5.3. Criticism and Controversy

While widely celebrated, Sanmao's life and death have also been subjects of discussion and speculation. As noted, some fans, such as Zhang Jinran, have put forth claims that her death was a murder rather than a suicide, contributing to ongoing debates surrounding the circumstances of her passing.

6.1. Film