Ray Hu was born in Taiwan to Mainland Chinese parents and grew up in the United States. A passion for Chinese history drew him to travel and explore every conceivable corner of China over the past 15 years. His wanderings expanded onwards to 50 other countries around the world.

Ray studied Geological Science and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Texas and acquired an MBA at the University of Southern California. He continues to blaze a trail across China while working as an Infrastructure Manager for a multinational corporation that contributes to China’s modernization efforts by supplying to dam and highway construction in remote corners of this ancient land. Based in Hong Kong, he is also involved in charity works that build schools in rural China.

Brave Land, his first book, is a memoir of his travels and of relatives who have lived through the turbulence of twentieth century China. Although a family history, it also mirrors the Chinese experience at large, since each individual is inevitably caught up in the events of his time. Out of these events, Ray focuses on the Sino-Japanese War (World War II) period due to its impact on his family, and also due to its utmost importance in Chinese history. Outside of China, the Sino-Japanese War is often ignored or overshadowed by the conflicts in Europe and the Pacific. Even today, one scans through Chinese history bookshelves in the United States and finds that most of the books are about the Cultural Revolution. Brave Land is an attempt to put the events in their proper places in the currents of world history.

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