Shen Yang does not legally exist. Born in Shandong as the second of four daughters, she is one of millions of "invisible children" who were forced to live in the shadows of society due to China's one-child policy. She spent her entire childhood away from her family, suffering neglect and humiliation at the hands of her volatile relatives while taking on a new identity. Her new memoir More Than One Child: Memoirs of an Illegal Daughter is a heartfelt and inspiring record of her upbringing as part of a hidden generation.

About the Speaker:

Amidst a troubled childhood, Shen Yang found solace in literature and graduated in Applied English. She has since completed a scriptwriting course in Beijing Film Academy, and now lives in Shanghai where she is crafting her latest works.

This event is organised jointly with China Crossroads​.