Our humble souls

Author: Xiong Zhengliang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: Looking at Xiong Zhengliang's novels, one can see his narrative skills and artistic level, reaching a high point among his contemporaries. His handling of themes, his grasp of structure, and his penetrating portrayal of human nature and fate all demonstrate the extraordinary qualities of Xiong Zhengliang. I have not encountered another Chinese writer who uses such oil-painting-like brushstrokes and perspectives to depict our world. In this regard, he is very similar to Claude Simon, but this is due to his innate talent—as he was originally a painter—rather than imitation of Claude Simon. This kind of novel born from "the eye" and its visual narrative is a product of pure personal experience, making it almost impossible to find a similar work. In Xiong Zhengliang's novella Our Humble Souls, we see the radiance of the souls of humble people. They are obscure, they toil tirelessly, they dream of happiness, and they helplessly endure the whims of fate. However, when a father bravely defends his family, or when a group of elderly bravely defend children, certain fundamental values suddenly become clear and striking: justice, dignity, courage, and kindness. —To straightforwardly and solemnly articulate the basic values of human life is the persistent spiritual orientation in Xiong Zhengliang's novels. He seems to be calling on us: to bravely face our hearts, our blood, and our bones.