Hi there!
The primary theme of Ha Jin’s “A decade” is the need to revisit one’s past to determine a path for the future.
“A Decade” is one of the twelve brief stories of Ha Jin’s Under the Red Flag, which takes place during the Cultural Revolution of China. Between 1966 and 1976, young people - some even teenagers - from China rose up to purge ancient culture, old habits, old ideas and old ways to determine a new path for a better future.
Hope this helps!