Based on the examples from the novel, analyze what effects the One Child Policy had on the social fabric of China in the late 1990s and early 2000s.  

Li-yan’s attitude towards her identity as an Akha is non-linear throughout the story. Explain how and why it shifts, and what consequences it has on her life. 

When Li-yan sees her tea grove for the first time, she can’t hide her disappointment. Yet her mother is very protective and proud of the place. What is the significance of the tree grove, and especially of the mother tree, in the novel? Why is it passed down the female line in a culture that is strongly patriarchal?