Sadness Expressed for Chinese Couple’s Lost Son--and Daughter

Re: “Silent Pain” by Ching-Ching Ni (Dec. 21), I would like to compliment Ching-Ching, not only for the vivid and touching portrayal of the Hui Liu family, but because the article provides a personal insight into the Chinese immigrant experience.

There are many such stories in the Chinese community--stories of hope for a better life in America, that are met by challenge, adversity and, sometimes, tragedy. The brave manner in which such families face these challenges is the “bright side,” which Ching-Ching Ni was able to portray.

--MICHAEL MINA

Via e-mail

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As a mother, I cannot imagine anything worse than losing a child, and for this reason my heart goes out to Mr. and Mrs. Liu. Equally as unimaginable, however, is the complete lack of value these parents place on their daughter. Evidently, while it was devastating for them to lose a male child, it was no problem at all to give away a female child. It is her loss of loving and appreciative parents that I mourn.

--DEBRA KING

Los Angeles

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My heart goes out to the Lius in the loss of their son, Charlie. They still cry for him nearly two years later. Where are the tears for their 3-year-old daughter, who was conceived in hopes of using her bone marrow, then shipped off to China when it was not compatible? They seem far more interested in the son who will soon be born than the daughter whom they are considering bringing home from China. It appears that girl babies are still unimportant to a lot of Chinese, even those who hope for a better life in the U.S. The worst sadness of all is that the Lius love their dead son more than their living daughter.

--PAT HOFFMAN

Santa Maria