Roots and Branches: A Family’s Journey through the Sent-down is a graphic novel inspired by my family’s real experience of being sent down during the 1970s in China. Using an anthropologist approach of Family Oral History, I interviewed my mother and grandmother, interweaving their stories with my own recollections. Dedicated to my grandfather, who I never met but learned about through my family members’ narratives, I used his voice as the guiding thread throughout the ten years in the countryside. With approximately 100 pages, the graphic novel captures the challenges, sacrifices, and resilience of an ordinary family during that tumultuous time, aiming to depict how common people coped with the changes that occurred in this significant chapter of China’s history while fostering empathy and understanding.
With a background in Anthropology and Religion, Kaylee Lu brings a unique perspective to illustration. Fascinated by culture, history, and social studies, she employs anthropologist methods to explore diverse human experiences. With a passion for storytelling, Lu’s work engages and provokes, aiming to deepen our understanding of the human condition.