Wandering between notepads, computers, night trains, small hotels, and coffee shops, they honestly record the stories and sights along their journey, exploring spiritual and inner values while witnessing the tenacious survival skills of ordinary people.
— People’s Daily Online

Mu Xin said, “All eternal and great love must experience despair once, vanish once, and even die once before it can be reborn and rediscover the value of life.” Such words suddenly illuminate the darkness and let one smell the fragrance of flowers in the mist.
— Recommended reading list by Yu Minhong, renowned entrepreneur and chairman of the New Oriental Education Group

Having once held a job you didn’t really like was a kind of luck; leaving it behind to travel the world was another kind of luck; gaining your parents’ understanding was yet another; and having a loved one accompany you on that long journey is truly fortunate.
— Recommended reading list by Li Tuoyuan, a post-90s double-top student and beloved “national senior”

“At a time when I had become utterly disillusioned with love, they made me believe again in its existence and its power.”
— Director Lin Yuxian on Fu Zhen’s works

“Everyone says they want to travel the world, but Fu Zhen and Mingji actually did it—and they gave up glittering careers to do so. It’s not that they’re more romantic; they’re simply braver. When life gradually turns into a machine running on inertia, they chose to give themselves another chance to fall in love with living all over again.”
— Writer Liu Yu on Fu Zhen’s works

“Because the world is out there, they had no choice but to go. Beneath the world’s visible surface, passion and curiosity reveal its deeper, richer side—but that requires a different way of interpreting time and life. Fortunately, Fu Zhen has both. Pausing what we call ‘time’ and ‘career planning’ isn’t for a vacation; it’s about finding your way home.”
— Internet writer He Caitou on Fu Zhen’s works

Along the way, she witnessed firsthand much poverty and injustice, yet people still embraced life with optimism and enthusiasm, calmly fulfilling their purpose. They didn’t grow bitter or resentful; instead, they remained peaceful and sang happily as if beating drums.
— Wang Yibo, popular Weibo influencer and photographer, on Fu Zhen’s works

“The stories are engaging and informative, while also inspiring reflection and broadening one’s horizons. It’s a rare good Chinese book in recent years.”
— Personal recommended reading list by @Wanwan Sister, popular Weibo influencer and fashion expert

★ A heartfelt work by Fu Zhen, author of the long‑selling classic “The Tibetan White Paper,” this novel is a seven‑year labor of love. It was named one of Douban’s(Chinese Goodreads) Top Chinese Books of 2022, recommended by 120,000 readers, and garnered 420,000 views under its Weibo topic. It has also been featured and praised by People’s Daily Online, NetEase, Sina News, Shidian Dushu, and Fandan Reading.
★ Drawing on the author’s own real‑life experiences, this novel uses the plight of fertility as its lens to tell the story of a 32‑year‑old Chinese woman who endures three recurrent miscarriages and travels alone to Thailand in search of medical help. It gently unfolds a remarkable journey of reconnection in a foreign land, uncovering hidden truths, and rediscovering oneself.
★ This long novel explores contemporary women’s bodily autonomy, marital relationships, and the reconstruction of self‑worth. It lays bare the unique physical toll, deep shame, and self‑doubt that motherhood imposes on women, confronting the heavy burden of modern women’s inability to fully control their own bodies.
★ The narrative delicately portrays the fractures in intimate relationships when faced with the hardships of childbirth, questioning the identity constraints imposed by the intertwined expectations of marriage and motherhood. Amidst cultural clashes abroad and shared resonance with others, the protagonist continually looks inward: Is her longing for a child truly from her heart, or merely the result of society’s conditioning of women? The title “Zebra” serves as a central metaphor, symbolizing the complex state of life where fate is woven with both light and darkness, and desire coexists with loss.
★ The novel’s redemption does not lie in successfully having a child, but in the rebuilding of the self. The protagonist gradually frees herself from obsession, coming to realize that a woman’s worth need not be defined by motherhood. Through the personal journey of a Chinese woman, the book addresses universal issues facing women worldwide: bodily autonomy, the myth of motherhood, and inner reconciliation.

The debut novel by bestselling author Fu Zhen, penned over seven years and partly inspired by her own experiences, opens with the story of a 32-year-old Chinese woman who has endured three recurrent miscarriages and travels alone to Thailand in search of medical help. It gently unfolds a remarkable journey of reuniting with others abroad, unraveling long-held secrets, and discovering oneself.

After suffering three consecutive miscarriages, 32-year-old Su Ang finds herself at odds with her husband, Pingchuan, over their desire to have children. Driven by both her yearning for motherhood and her quest for self-discovery, Su Ang sets out on her own, heading to Thailand to seek the assistance of PGS technology. Along the way, chance encounters and unexpected reunions unveil a vibrant world brimming with wonder and the unknown.

In this tropical city where religion, desire, and diverse cultures collide, she is no longer merely waiting for a medical miracle. She meets women from around the globe, each grappling with their own fertility struggles; she reconnects with old acquaintances; and she plunges into an unfamiliar, chaotic, yet profoundly alive foreign society. Amidst painful treatments, complex interpersonal encounters, and cultural clashes, she is forced to confront her deepest obsession: Is this longing for a child an instinctive drive, or a lingering resentment born of societal conditioning and unfulfilled desires? The narrative avoids the simplistic resolution of “having a child brings completeness,” instead chronicling a woman’s inward expedition—navigating physical pain, marital rifts, and questions of identity—to ultimately achieve reconciliation with herself and spiritual redemption.

Fu Zhen

Born in Nanchang, Jiangxi. She previously worked as a financial analyst at an investment bank and now writes full-time. Her best-selling works include “A Boat That Never Ties Itself Down,” “The Best Thing Is to Trade My Golden Turtle for Wine,” and “The White Book of Tibet,” among others.