What does the chinese proverb "Falling leaves return to their roots" mean?

Question

The basis for the book's title is the Chinese aphorism "falling leaves return to their roots." How come Adeline Yen Mah chose this title? What does it mean in the context of her story..???

Answer 1

I think it's like...think of the roots as where it all started. Maybe your home town or maybe even your parents could be considered roots. When you start to stumble in life, you, the falling leaf, might be drawn back to places you're more familuar with, like where you grew up or people you used to know.

Answer 2

Leaves fall to the ground, decompose, and provide nutrition to the plant they fell from.
If leaves symbolize the children that fall from the parents, then the destruction of the leaves (children) feeds the parents? The plant gives life to the leaves, and the leaves give life to the plant? It's a cycle?

Answer 3

that is an usual thing that you return to your roots...
NO se si sabes hablar español, pero quiere decir que hay una especie de circulo en el que los padres e hijos se nutren los unos a los otros. Yo lei el libro y es un drama muy cruel... y además es autobiográfico..
linda novela.

Answer 4

my guess is that when u have a problem u need to go back to where the problem originated from in order to solve it

Answer 5

my guess: kids go away for a while but they return to their parents when needed

Answer 6

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