This book presents the coming-of-age stories of one or even several generations of Chinese women. The "elder sister" in the novel was born in the 1970s in Huzhen, an ancient town in Zhejiang province with a history of over a thousand years. Amidst the ringing bells of the thousand-year-old stupa and the sounds of washing clothes along the riverbank in the early morning, she toiled for her bedridden mother and tirelessly worked on house-building. She experienced the warmth and care of her aunt, Aunt Ping, Wang Han, and others, but also endured her father's harsh personality and disdain for "girls." She encountered budding, innocent love and was forced to bear the gossip following her troubled marriage. Breaking free from confusion and hardship, she ventured out into the world, enduring pain and facing prejudice, moving towards the light and a wider horizon in life.
本书作者向我们呈现了一代甚至几代中国女性的成长故事。小说中的“姐姐”出生于20世纪70年代浙江的一个千年古镇——湖镇。伴随着湖镇上千年舍利塔的铃声和清晨江边的洗衣声，她为卧床的母亲操劳，为造房的家事奔波；她感受着姆妈、瓶姨、王汉等人身上的温润体贴，更承受着父亲的粗暴性格与对“女孩子家”的轻视；她遇到青涩懵懂的爱情，也开始被迫承受婚事不顺后的流言蜚语。从迷茫和困境中出走，去闯荡，“姐姐”忍着痛，迎着偏见，往生命的光亮处和更开阔处走去。
本书作者向我们呈现了一代甚至几代中国女性的成长故事。小说中的“姐姐”出生于20世纪70年代浙江的一个千年古镇——湖镇。伴随着湖镇上千年舍利塔的铃声和清晨江边的洗衣声，她为卧床的母亲操劳，为造房的家事奔波；她感受着姆妈、瓶姨、王汉等人身上的温润体贴，更承受着父亲的粗暴性格与对“女孩子家”的轻视；她遇到青涩懵懂的爱情，也开始被迫承受婚事不顺后的流言蜚语。从迷茫和困境中出走，去闯荡，“姐姐”忍着痛，迎着偏见，往生命的光亮处和更开阔处走去。
