Space Radar Image of Taipei, Taiwan (1999-04-15) by NASA/JPLNASA
A genre-defying writer, traveler, linguist, and translator, Sanmao lived a life that was unlike any other. Keep reading to discover more about her incredible journey.
13-Sanmao
Early life
Born Chen Mao-Ping in 1943 in Chongqing, China, her family moved first to Nanjing and then to Taiwan. As a young girl, Sanmao developed a love of literature, reading books from all over the world.
By Howard SochurekLIFE Photo Collection
High school drop out
In fact, her love of reading was so intense that her grades began to suffer, and she dropped out of school entirely. Her father home-schooled her in English and classical literature, and she took painting and music lessons from tutors.
PLAZA MAYOR IN MADRID (2016-04-07) by -Agencia EFE
Becoming a writer
Despite having no formal qualifications, she published her first essay aged just 19. She then went on to study philosophy at the Chinese Culture University in Taiwan. However, later she decided to move to Madrid in Spain, taking on the pen name Sanmao.
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Romance and relocation
Here she would meet her future husband José María Quero y Ruíz. But she would be on the move again soon, relocating to Germany where she studied the language 16 hours a day. After briefly returning to Madrid, she moved again to Spanish-controlled Western Sahara.
Earth Observations taken by the Expedition 21 Crew (2009-10-22) by Jeffrey WilliamsNASA
First success
Here she would publish her first major work, The Stories of the Sahara. This established her as a major travel writer with a unique voice and gained her an audience around the world. She continued to travel and write, moving to the Canary Islands for some time too.
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Tragedy and returning home
Following the sudden death of Jose in a tragic accident, she returned to Taipei. She would write a further 20 books about her experiences abroad as well as teaching at her former university.
Legacy
Sanmao has become an inspirational writer around the world, with her most famous work Stories of the Sahara selling over fifteen million copies.
85199 (1970-09) by John OlsonLIFE Photo Collection
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