Sixth Tone published an excerpt from Chinese writer Zha Shiyire’s book preface, titled 'The Room Within,' about her Yi childhood in southwestern Yunnan province. [1]
Zha, born in 1990, is a Chinese writer and pre-veterinary science student based in the United States. She is a member of the Yi ethnic group. [1]
She wrote about growing up in a zhaizi, a traditional stockaded village, before later attending a Han-majority primary school. In the excerpt, she said, "There is a part of my inner world that I can’t directly share with others, a place they have no way of entering." She added, "Only I know it exists, and I’ve been drawing energy from it ever since." [1]
Her debut essay collection, 'I Grew Up in a Zhaizi,' was published in August 2025. The book was later named a 2025 Top 10 Book on Douban and recommended by numerous Chinese media outlets. [1]