Turning Point

Wanling He

ESL 100 CE

October 7, 2019

Turning Point

            Because my niece lives in this age of technological development, she has never thought that life was so hard in the past. I still remember when my grandfather told me that he did not have any television, computers, and lacked delicious food when he was a child. In addition, in order to support my grandfather’s family, he needed to share the housework and take care of his sisters and brothers who were younger than him when he was eight years old. This was all because of Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution which caused the slow development of productivity, a widespread famine, and the disruption of education between 1966 to 1970. After this difficult period, the government decided to adopt reform. It vigorously developed productivity and conducted education. Because the Economic Opening of China by Deng Xiaoping in the late 1970s, my family’s lives became easier and more comfortable.

            My parents had a good opportunity to work in a factory and earn money to improve the life at home after the Economic Opening of China. At that time, because the economy was developing very fast, a lot of factories were built. After that, my parents seized the opportunity to work in a factory because they needed to earn more money to support their family. They worked hard for me, so I could eat well and stay warm with my brother. In addition, they always sent money to me when they got paid. Moreover, they would buy some new things for us when they came back home, such as beautiful dresses, cool toys, and delicious food which we could not find in a village. The Economic Opening of China made my family’s life more comfortable.

            Moreover, due to the increase in salary, my grandfather was able to buy a bicycle, so he saved more time when he went to places. My grandfather was born and lived in a village, which was small and far from the city, so the transportation was not convenient. After the Economic Opening, if my grandfather wanted to buy and sell some things, he had to walk two to three hours and carry heavy goods to the big market which was the nearest store to his village. After the Economic Opening, my grandfather bought a bicycle which could not only save the time on the way to a market, but also reduce the hard work of carrying goods. My grandfather told me that he was very happy after he had a bicycle because he could have extra time to play cards with friends. A bicycle reminded my grandfather of the happy stories of those years.

            Furthermore, I could go to school with my brother without working. My brother and I were very lucky because my parents gave us money to go to school. Therefore, we did not have any financial pressure that could limit our education. However, when my parents were children, they needed to make money by themselves to go to school. At that time, my parents needed to do the housework and follow their father to go to the market to sell things to earn money. Life was difficult, so many children like their age did not have a chance to go to school and choose to drop out school. My father always said that my brother and I should be glad that we were born in an era of economic improvement.

            In conclusion, with the development of the economy, my family members’ lives become richer and more comfortable. We have been pursuing high-tech products which were beautiful clothes that came from big cities, delicious food which came from the world, and convenient transportation which could save more time. Looking back, my family members should be grateful for the Economic Opening of China because it guided them to the right path. It allowed my parents to find a better job, my grandfather to have faster transportation, and my brother and I to have a comfortable learning environment. I think the Economic Opening was a turning point which made my family members’ lives better and better.