Unit 3 - Contexts | Reflection about  San Mao (Echo Chen)

Sanmao crafted a romantic realm, replete with the ebbs and flows of life and love, tales of mortality and passion, and an enchanting, exotic ambience. Unfettered by convention, Sanmao embarked on desert odysseys, realizing dreams that most dare not chase, a feat that drew the admiration of many. While I admire Sanmao's distinctive writing style, it's her life experiences that truly resonate with me. I've always sensed a deep kinship with her, sharing a belief in psychic abilities and a conviction that everything possesses an animistic essence. My affection for Madrid, Spain, runs deep as if it were a love carried over from a past life, much like Sanmao's own connection to the city, where she also delved into philosophy.

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Furthermore, a striking commonality between Sanmao and myself is our charisma and our shared commitment to love as a primary pursuit. In essence, we both consider the pursuit of love to be a paramount goal in life. Sanmao's life journey has silently imparted a wealth of inspiration to me.

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Her experiences and her personality compel me to contemplate my own approach to love and the world. She lived life on her own terms, possessed unwavering faith in the universe, and exuded an undying sense of romanticism. Her attitude towards life aligns with what I'd describe as my own "hedonism," a philosophy of delving into the inner world to find equilibrium with the external, a balance that endured until the tragic loss of her beloved altered everything.