“You’ll always be expected to know Chinese, and if you don’t, I’m afraid they will not respect you as much.”

You may be right in believing that if you study hard, one day you might become fluent in English.

Transcend your abuse and transform it into a source of courage, creativity and compassion.

Friendship develops even if a thousand miles apart. But should yuan fen be absent between two individuals

I am a child of destiny who will unite East and West and change the world.

Don’t trust anyone. Be a cold fish. I hurt no one. And no one can hurt me.

I’m afraid the chances of your getting a dowry are slim.

But you will still look Chinese, and when people meet you, they’ll see a Chinese girl no matter how well you speak English.

To my surprise I found her cheerful and free of pain, perhaps because of the small doses of morphine she was being given.

You must rely on yourself. No matter what else people may steal from you, they will never be able to take away your knowledge.

She was surrounded by neighbours and friends who congregated at her bedside day and night.

People with yuan fen are destined to like one another

In this cosy, noisy, gregarious world of the “all-chinese” sickbed, so different from the stark, sterile solitude of the American hospital room, her life had assumed the astounding quality of a continuous farewell party.

Suen Le! (it means, “Let it be.

Revenge is not worthy of you. If you concentrate on revenge, you will keep those wounds fresh that would otherwise have healed.

The future belongs to you. Should anyone insult you, tell yourself this:

At the age of three my grand aunt proclaimed her independence by categorically refusing to have her feet bound, resolutely tearing off the bandages as fast as they were applied.

Nobody wants to watch perfect people.

I was a wonderful parent before I had children.

One must also accept that one has ‘uncreative’ moments. The more honestly one can accept that, the quicker these moments will pass.

You know, as I’ve grown older, my ideas about sin have changed. I used to believe that sins were things you did, but I don’t think that now. I think sins are what you ignore.

When a child wants to be accepted, he’ll do anything.

At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool.

I’m of Nigerian descent, from the Yoruba tribe.

The house was run by my mother, and because there were 10 or so kids, there was no time for individual attention.