Humanities Reader for Junior High School 3

Author: Peng Changzheng, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-10-01
Features: Several years ago, a graduate student from a famous university in Beijing, before going abroad for further studies, sent a postcard to the Reader magazine. It read: "The school has taught me the knowledge to survive, and Reader has taught me the principles of being a person. Thank you, editors!" Reader magazine receives similar letters every day, especially around the Spring Festival and graduation seasons. These moving words inspired the editors to launch a column called Heartfelt Voices, aiming to resonate with readers and seek common ground. At the same time, they strongly conveyed a message—the advent of the information age and the rapid changes in social life had left many readers confused and lost, yearning for responsible media to focus on the growth of their minds and the solace of their spirits.
Two years ago, while on a business trip to Guangzhou, I discussed this matter with Mr. Deng Liangping of Guangdong Serious Enterprise Company. He shared the same sentiment and proposed compiling a series of humanities readers suitable for middle and high school students. Upon returning to Lanzhou and discussing with colleagues at the magazine, everyone agreed that this was a worthwhile endeavor. Thus, the editorial work for the Reader Humanities Reader Middle School Edition was launched simultaneously in Lanzhou and Guangzhou in August 2002. Over the past two years, the editorial process has undergone multiple revisions.
Initially, the challenge lay in structuring the format of the Reader Humanities Reader. Subsequently, the difficulty shifted to selecting appropriate articles. After several editorial meetings, it was finally decided to center the content around the growth of middle school students, with a focus on humanities-inspired insights. Each topic would address specific issues the target audience faces or will face, with one theme per unit. The Reader Humanities Reader is divided into two volumes—middle school and high school—each containing six books, totaling 220 units. Each unit includes 3-7 articles, carefully selected from hundreds or even thousands of candidates. These articles feature works by renowned authors, as well as contributions from ordinary writers and middle school students. The pieces vary in style—some profound and majestic, others concise and elegant, some passionate and vibrant—each imbued with a strong humanistic spirit.
The titles of each unit are designed to be engaging. For example, in the high school volume, Book 4 includes titles such as "There Will Always Be a Window Open for You," "Seeing Chinese Literature Through a Third Eye," and "The Voice of History." These titles are poetic yet thought-provoking. As the ancients said, "Through countless efforts, though laborious, the gold will eventually be revealed after the sands are blown away." The editorial process was both a challenge to discern true gems and a journey filled with passion, as well as a struggle to avoid missing out on brilliance.
To ensure the Reader Humanities Reader addresses the needs of middle school students, we invited 12 cultural figures from diverse backgrounds to serve as chief editors for each book, hoping to gather wisdom to guide the selection process. Among them are Hu Yaquan and Zheng Yuanxi, founders of Reader magazine; Chen Shaoquan, who served as editor-in-chief of Reader for eight years; Sha Ye Xin, Bi Shumin, Cheng Demei, and Liu Yanmin, all renowned writers; Zhou Guoping, a scholar; Deng Kangyan, editor-in-chief of Phoenix Weekly; and Zhang Lijun, a national-level teaching expert. These editors have deeply observed and experienced the growth of human minds and societal development, offering unique insights into the editing and refinement of the Reader Humanities Reader.
To help middle school students find the best reading path, the chief editors wrote prefaces and chapter introductions for each book. The prefaces vary in approach—some use stories to guide readers through the richness of life; others summarize life experiences with rationality; still others share personal reflections on life’s meaning. The concise introductions are like darts, piercing the deepest parts of the soul; they are like nourishing rain, moistening parched hearts, accompanying students in their joys and sorrows. These profound and thought-provoking texts have added much color and depth to the Reader Humanities Reader, leaving a lasting impression.
The Reader Humanities Reader, a product of collective effort, is now ready for publication. While some articles may not be perfect, it represents an attempt by Reader magazine to publish beyond its usual scope. In line with the recent call by the Central Committee and the State Council to strengthen and improve the moral education of minors, we hope the Reader Humanities Reader will enhance students’ ability to discern right from wrong, beauty from ugliness, and good from evil, fostering a pursuit of high moral standards.
We dedicate the Reader Humanities Reader to the future pillars of the nation, to this era that cannot do without humanistic care, and to all those who are confused, seek growth, and yearn for a healthier life! Children who love Reader magazine will not go astray! Literature alone is not enough in language education; humanistic thought is equally essential!
A feast for the soul—Reader Humanities Reader, a collection of 23 years of Reader magazine’s, offered to middle school students! The most readable middle school language reader.
The Reader Humanities Reader is a series designed to nurture the spiritual growth of middle school students, modeled after the world-famous American Reader, with a stronger emphasis on humanity, reason, and wisdom. It represents another milestone for Reader magazine. The book encompasses everything middle school students observe, feel, agree with, oppose, think about, question, struggle with, and hope for, encouraging them to reflect on these issues through the lens of universal human values, thereby gaining spiritual nourishment.
The content is arranged based on phenomena that middle school students can perceive, addressing the problems they care about—such as family, friendship, love, teacher-student relationships, society, life, life, ethics, history, culture, education, morality, war, peace, science, environmental protection, the "three rural issues," reform, democracy, the rule of law, self, country, human rights, and freedom. The depth of exploration aligns with the cognitive level of middle school students.
Each unit focuses on a single theme, presenting a new spiritual perspective. For example, in the first semester of the first year of middle school (Grade 7, First Semester), units like "Unforgettable Teacher’s Gratitude," "Childhood, Passing Through That Sky," "Wings of Imagination," and "Shining Hearts" cater to the spiritual needs of this age group. In the second semester of the third year of high school (Grade 12, Second Semester), units like "Farewell to Middle School," "Windows of the World," "My University," and "Carrying a Bouquet Forward" are designed to move readers emotionally while inspiring them to strive forward.
The text includes a variety of genres—prose, poetry, lyrics, news, commentaries, political essays, fables, satirical essays, speeches, manifestos, and fiction. The emotional depth, meaning, and language all complement each other, creating a rich, profound, and moving experience. The selections are diverse, with styles ranging from elegant and refined to profound and solemn, from magnificent and beautiful to simple and sincere, from dynamic and powerful to subtle and gentle, from flowing like springs to roaring like tides—each unique and captivating.
Because the Reader Humanities Reader is rich, profound, moving, and deeply resonant, it quickly gained attention. After its publication, calls to Focus Interview’s studio were constant, and the business of Serious Enterprise surged daily.
The Reader Humanities Reader—a fertile ground for literary talent
When people think of literary talent, they often feel a sense of mystery. In reality, literary talent means knowing a lot, knowing deeply, expressing accurately, and expressing vividly. China’s traditional language education has long been ineffective, with students lacking reading and writing skills. One key reason is that traditional textbooks are rigid in thought, failing to provide students with new spiritual nourishment. Without fresh perspectives, students lack depth in knowledge, accuracy in expression, and vividness in creativity—this is a severe flaw in traditional language education. The Reader Humanities Reader addresses these shortcomings by expanding students’ knowledge and depth, sparking their desire to express, and using that desire to enhance their thinking, ultimately achieving accurate and vivid expression.
In terms of "expanding students’ knowledge," the Reader Humanities Reader covers a vast range of topics—almost everything. It includes everything middle school students observe, feel, agree with, oppose, think about, question, struggle with, and hope for: family, friendship, love, teacher-student relationships, society, life, life, ethics, history, culture, education, morality, war, peace, science, environmental protection, the "three rural issues," reform, democracy, the rule of law, self, country, human rights, and freedom. The depth of exploration aligns with the cognitive level of middle school students. This fully addresses their current reflections, evokes life memories, broadens their cultural horizons, and ignites their desire to express, providing a cultural, spiritual, and moral foundation for nurturing literary talent.
In terms of "knowing deeply," the Reader Humanities Reader is compiled based on universal human values. Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of the United States, once said, "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." This statement reflects the core spirit of the Declaration of Independence and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It embodies the ultimate values of humanity, which are also the values of this book.
While countries and cultures may differ, as humans, we share the same ultimate values. Thinking about the above topics through this lens leads to fresh insights, breaks free from outdated notions, and penetrates the essence of things, thereby providing rational foundations for nurturing literary talent.
At the same time, this book also helps students reflect on how to express themselves better. The text includes a variety of genres—prose, poetry, lyrics, news, commentaries, political essays, fables, satirical essays, speeches, and manifestos. The units are not limited by genre, with each theme being expressed through multiple styles. This not only familiarizes students with different genres but also helps them understand various ways to express the same content.
This is the linguistic educational role of the Reader Humanities Reader: to cultivate students’ literary talent!
A book that the era yearns for—Reader Humanities Reader
On September 8th, a set of books was placed on the table in the Focus Interview studio of CCTV. As the close-up lens focused, viewers could clearly see that the books were the Reader Humanities Reader, a 12-volume series. The voice-over from the host declared, "This is a good book!" The reason the Reader Humanities Reader was featured in Focus Interview was first due to the promotion of Reader magazine. However, it received special attention because it is a book much needed in today’s society, a book that the era yearns for!
The Reader Humanities Reader includes everything middle school students observe, feel, agree with, oppose, think about, question, struggle with, and hope for, encouraging them to reflect on these issues through the lens of universal human values, thereby gaining spiritual nourishment. Therefore, the content is arranged based on phenomena that middle school students can perceive, addressing the problems they care about—such as family, friendship, love, teacher-student relationships, society, life, life, ethics, history, culture, education, morality, war, peace, science, environmental protection, the "three rural issues," reform, democracy, the rule of law, self, country, human rights, and freedom. The depth of exploration aligns with the cognitive level of middle school students.
Thus, in this era of social transformation, the Reader Humanities Reader can help those who are suffering, confused, anxious, and uncertain to establish a humanistic spirit that pushes for progress. For the moral education of adolescents, it is truly a rare gem.
The book is divided into middle school and high school volumes, totaling 12 books. It is the second "" that Serious Enterprise has jointly published with Reader magazine after New Language Reader. Modern people need modern spiritual sustenance. Modern middle school students need humanistic thought to grow. The book includes everything middle school students observe, feel, agree with, oppose, think about, question, struggle with, and hope for, encouraging them to reflect on these issues through their own values, thereby gaining spiritual nourishment. It helps establish modern concepts in middle school students, broadens their cultural horizons, and enriches their aesthetic tastes.