Flowing Heguestai River: My Grassland Youth Labor Life: My Grassland Youth Labor Life

Author: Huang Xiaoyuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: When I was young and impulsive, I stumbled upon the vast grasslands of northern China inhabited by Mongolian herdsmen. By chance, I mounted the horse I had long dreamed of, and on its back, I left behind ignorance, weakness, and indifference. Who could have imagined that the thundering hooves of the horse and the wind of the wilderness would turn me into a foolishly innocent child, forgetting that there were even such things as humiliation and evil in the world. Later, I wandered far and wide, from the northwest of China to Africa, and then to Europe. I worked odd jobs along the way to earn my keep and traveled aimlessly, not knowing when I would finally settle down or where my would be. The outside world is not perfect, though I cherish every place I’ve been and the kind people there, what always stays with me is that ancient, vast grassland, the bumpy horseback, and the rider with his head always held high. I’m afraid I’ll never be able to fully explain the reasons behind it, just like love—once you make it too clear, it loses its beauty. But I know that those ten wonderful years infused my restless personality into this magical land. I may not have the talent to write novels, but I have the desire to share stories, so that people can know about this nation that chases the sun for a lifetime. A group of herdsmen—generous as earth, romantic as clouds, and fierce as eagles—a river that never stops telling the story of history, and a few naive urban youths. In today’s material world, those days are like a beautiful myth, revealing its ease, openness, and preciousness.