South Pass Memoir / Eastern Confinement Chronicle · Wild Gourd Introduction (2 volumes in total) (6th Mao Dun Literature Prize Winning Work)

Author: Zong Pu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features:
Mao Dun Literature Prize Comment: Numerous character fates and worldly attitudes unfold gradually in seemingly ordinary life scenes and details, with an underlying grand and majestic structure. The novel portrays the dignity of high-level intellectuals, truly revealing genuine elegance rather than the hollow boasts and pretensions of pseudo-aristocracy. "The Wild Gourd Guide" is set against the backdrop of the Southwest during the Anti-Japanese War, vividly depicting the moral integrity and emotional worlds of several generations of Chinese intellectuals. The novel has a rigorous and well-proportioned structure, elegant and subtle language, a plot with hidden depths, and richly realistic characters. It is very engaging and a rare good work in recent years. "Across the River" follows the plot of universities in Beijing beginning to move south after the "July 7 Incident." These two years were spent struggling through. A person who could only scrape by after illness, with no talent for writing or a powerful pen, set out to write this long novel "The Wild Gourd Guide"—it was indeed overambitious. One should have just struggled through life. The struggle mainly occurred between the "wild gourds" and the real world. Writing requires full concentration, best immersing oneself in the wild gourds and forgetting the real world. This is blunt truth, yet it is not easy to achieve. I could try to compress the content of life, but I could not shirk my responsibilities to my parents and children, nor could I avoid eating. Also, due to slow inspiration, being in a creative state for a long period was exhausting, sometimes taking long breaks. As a result, I was always pulled out of the "wild gourds," often feeling the pain of being divided and confused. I always felt guilty about that period of history. Guilty about the characters in the book; and also because the characters in the book neglected real people, ignored family and friends, and were absent-minded, many things were handled improperly, which made me feel remorseful. Over the two years, there were rarely moments of joy and contentment. Overall, the novel does not deviate from the backdrop of the great era of war, which concerns the fate and future of humanity. The author occasionally lets out philosophical reflections in the hands of the characters. For example, when discussing the captured soldiers of the Japanese invaders, Meng Fei said, "They are also human, but under the drive of fascist policies, they have become tools and have been 'alienated.' We are fighting this war to defend our country and nation, not only to eliminate the anti-human fascist forces but also to restore 'humanity' to being human." "Restoring humanity to being human" is a big issue concerning the destiny of the people. How many philosophers throughout history have devoted their minds to this! The book also uses a lot of ink to describe the young people of that time, who are now over seventy years old. Each of them is civilized, intelligent, lively, innocent, educated, and idealistic. Their dialogues and expressions often reveal the influence of their parents in the face of the barbaric bombing of the enemy. I really like these descriptions. For example, the section where a group of young people, led by a biology teacher, go into the mountains and fields to collect plant specimens is both touching and picturesque. "The Wild Gourd Guide" is about intellectuals, and is mainly written for intellectuals. Especially about their integrity in the crucial moments of national survival, and how they steadfastly and loyally guard the sacred "frontier" of education, which concerns the future of generations. In short, it is a work that chronicles the lives of intellectuals. Zong Pu's writing style is very distinctive, with a style that is the person themselves—the moment you read it, you know it is Zong Pu, not anyone else's. The entire book is in short sentences, making it easy to read and flowing without any awkwardness. This is thanks to her cultivation in classical Chinese literature.