BiLan Liao DIARY OF THE DRAGON’S DAUGHTER
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iLan Liao is a contemporary Chinese artist, educator and motivational speaker. She was born and raised in China experiencing the many reforms under Mao Zedong from 1949 to 1976. The most common reform known in the West was called the Chinese Cultural Revolution, which would become the modern world’s greatest tragedy. During Mao’s period, it is estimated that over 45 million died. Even today, people are surprised to learn about this history of China under Mao’s dictatorship. BiLan Liao dealt with the pain of struggling through this difficult period in history by painting the story of her journey.
BiLan’s art and her stories are featured in her book Diary of the Dragon’s Daughter that follows her journey in China and offers an honest look at the political, social, and cultural issues of China for 50 years. She explores the relationships between her personal story, Chinese history, and fine art. Her paintings are dramatic,
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soulful and revealing, and they open a discussion to what it truly felt like to live through the worst holocaust in recorded human history. Her paintings are a window into a search for meaning, purpose, love, and the power of holding firm to your dream. BiLan’s father was a physician, and along with other professionals,
educators and business owners, they lost everything and were sent to work in the factories, on farms and many went to prison. BiLan’s father was “labeled a Capitalist,” and went to prison three times while Bilan along with her mother, grandmother, sister and brother went hungry with millions of Chinese. At the age of fourteen, Bilan went to