Hou Bo

3.5587 learners

Set in the rugged rural hills of northern China in the 1940s, amid the chaos of the Chinese Civil War, *Peace Under Heaven* follows the journey of Ren Yuexiu, a spirited young farmer’s daughter. What starts as a joyful Lantern Day filled with yangko dances quickly unravels into a fight for her future: betrothed in childhood to a kind but poor boy, Qian Chengcheng, her greedy father tries to marry her off to a wealthy, abusive gambler for a large bride price. Fueled by the new Marriage Regulations of the Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Region, Yuexiu defies her father and old traditions, navigating family feuds, forced abduction, wartime raids, and crippling famine. As she grows from a naive girl into a bold community leader, she fights for her love, rescues her village from starvation, and stands against both corrupt local bullies and invading Nationalist troops. The novel weaves a vivid tale of resilience, love, and the struggle for freedom in a time of upheaval.