Four Journeys

A second-born child during the height of China’s one-child policy, Louis Hothothot returns home to reconcile decades of guilt and familial discord.

China introduced its draconian policy in 1979. In 1986, Hothothot was born. The illegality of his existence cost his father three times his annual salary and the end of a promising political career. The profound guilt Hothothot felt over what his life cost his family, along with unspoken resentment that simmered between them failed to abate. Four Journeys sees him return to China to reconcile with his loved ones, only to be surprised by their demands. It also grapples with the legacy of the law, and the impact both Maoism and the Cultural Revolution had on Chinese family life.