Wang Shixiang Find your own piece of land

Author: Li Hui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-06-01
Features: This series of books adopts a combined form of text and images, with concise text explaining the pictures and rich images annotating the text. Those frames of famous people's life snapshots, those precious old photographs from the past, hold profound meanings that cannot be fully described in words. If there were only pictures without text, it would be like a silent movie. "It is precisely through these concise texts that help interpret the images that can better inspire readers to imagine and more stimulate their interest in reading, giving readers a three-dimensional sense of the characters and making them more real, vivid, and rich. As the saying goes: 'Images are the eyes of the text, and the text is the voice of the images.' This book series "has achieved this effect, where the text becomes real because of the images, and the images become vivid because of the text. The two complement each other and enhance each other. In terms of writing, the author has also broken free from the conventional biographical approach of following the chronological order of the subject's growth. By focusing on "key moments," the author highlights the character's personality traits, interspersing relevant remarks from the subject and comments from others as needed, presenting the characters in a multi-faceted and multi-layered manner. For example, in reading "Ding Cong's World Unfolds Like a Scroll," the author first writes about his memories of visiting Ding Cong in an old Shanghai alley during a late autumn rain, where Ding Cong lived from the age of eight or nine, creating a poetic atmosphere as the focal point. Using a cinematic montage style, the author takes us back into Ding Cong's life world. Reading the text and looking at the images, it feels as if they have stepped out of the book and into our midst. I found that reading this series of books is quite enjoyable, as it not only enhances people's literacy and quality of life but is also relatively light-hearted and engaging.
Times are evolving rapidly. As we cross the river of history and look back at our century's home, we discover that the characters in this book series—Huang Yongyu, Liang Sicheng, Deng Tuo, Lao She, Ba Jin, Yang Xianyi, Wang Shichang, Ding Cong, and others—are outstanding representatives of intellectuals in the 20th century, all cultural elites of their time. Examining them is essentially examining intellectuals in the present. "They are all there to highlight the living conditions of different characters in the historical scene." (Preface) This book series can inspire people to reflect on history, deepen their thoughts on the present, and pay attention to contemporary intellectuals, especially the intellectual elites of the era.
By reviewing the thoughts, lives, and pursuit of art and truth throughout their lives, we can see a common point: they all faced hardships, risks, and tribulations, yet they smiled in the face of adversity, embracing life's challenges with the positive attitude of a wise person and a simple heart. They transformed suffering in the crucible into a joyful way of life, expressing their vibrant and colorful lives with humor and optimism. From this, we gain insight into the essence of life, absorb a fresh breath of air, and maintain a sense of peace and freedom in our lives.
Especially when reading those precious old photographs preserved for decades, it is as if we are seeing a burst of life's sparks. These old photographs are the most vivid and brilliant parts of their lives, exerting a strong visual impact. This creates a special effect when we understand the meaning of life expressed by these characters, giving us profound reflections on the times, history, and the meaning of existence. It leaves us with a very real and vivid impression, clearly revealing the diverse souls and figures of these cultural icons of the era, who placed great emphasis on integrity, character, academic style, personal conduct, and the art of living. It also allows us to more deeply and authentically glimpse their inner world, which was devoted to people, scholarship, family, and the nation with unwavering loyalty and passion. Reading this book series will undoubtedly give you great inspiration, enlightenment, wisdom, and benefits.
This book is part of the "Elephant Figures Collection" series. Through historical photographs and image materials, it introduces Wang Shichang to readers. Each living scene, each portrait, and even every page of manuscript contains richer and more special content. It captures the reader's interest and stimulates their imagination.