Sunny Day (Full Three Volumes) -- Chinese Contemporary Novel Collection

Author: Haoran
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-02-01
Features: From the founding of the People's Republic of China to 1966, China experienced a high tide of long-fiction creation and publication. Over a decade, a large number of works were produced, among which dozens had a far-reaching impact and reached the zenith of their time. These works adhered to the principles of socialist realism, employing enthusiastic and straightforward methods to celebrate the arduous struggles and vibrant spirit of the Chinese people during different historical periods, including the Land Reform War, the War of Resistance against Japan, the Liberation War, and the construction of socialism. They represented the highest achievements of long-fiction creation during that period and occupied an extremely important position in the history of contemporary Chinese literature. With their unique charm, they influenced generations of readers and have endured the test of time to this day. To present a more complete picture of the development of contemporary long-fiction and the state of long-fiction creation during that era, we have specially compiled and published the "Collected Works of Contemporary Chinese Long Fiction" series.
I. The series is based on the "Selected Works of Long Fiction" published by our press in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as the "Red Classics" series published in the 1990s, and strives to include as many outstanding works as possible.
II. The works in the series were published roughly between 1949 and 1965. Some multi-volume works have a longer publication process that extends beyond this period.
III. Due to various reasons, some works have had multiple revised editions. For this publication, we have selected the superior versions and conducted proofreading in reference to other editions.
This is a work based on the rural cooperative movement in China. With a grand scale and meticulous description, it authentically reflects the life patterns of rural society in China in the 1950s and showcases the spiritual of Chinese peasants during that time. It provides a precious specimen for us to understand history and allows us to appreciate the charm of art. The success of the work is primarily attributed to its unique structure and the portrayal of a gallery of characters.
The novel adopts a crisscross structure. In terms of the basic storyline, it narrates the events that unfold over about ten days during the wheat harvest season at Dongshanwu Agricultural Cooperative, following the chronological order of time: Before the harvest, Xiao Changjun returns to the village and struggles with Ma Zhyue, Wan Wanrou, and others, rejecting land dividends and formulating a distribution plan → Preparing for the harvest, Ma Zhyue and others unwilling to accept defeat, Xiao Changjun adjusts the leadership team, and the struggle intensifies → The harvest begins, class enemies deliberately disrupt, committing murder, stealing grain stores, and driving livestock, while Xiao Changjun leads the poor and lower-middle peasants to continue the struggle and achieve the final victory. However, during the narrative, the author consciously expands horizontally, describing the activities of different characters at different locations at the same time.
Chapters 2 to 32 of the second volume, nearly 300,000 words, depict events that occur over approximately 24 hours, from the night Xiao Changjun returns to Dongshanwu to the next night: While Xiao Changjun is busy gathering information, holding meetings, and seeking approval from Wang Secretary in the township, Ma Liben, under the direction of Ma Zhyue, is actively involved in various activities. Wan Wanrou and others shout that people are starving, cause trouble at the meeting, and sell grain. Young people like Jiao Shurong plant fruit trees by the river. Members of the cooperative, such as Jiao Erju and Jiao Zhenmao, go to check the wheat. Uncles like Wu'er and Ma Laosi, as well as the mute, focus solely on guarding the vegetable garden, livestock, and flocks of sheep in the cooperative. And so on. The second and third volumes of the novel also adopt the same method, with chapters 106 to 110 narrating stories that happen almost simultaneously. This crisscross structure greatly expands the scope of the novel, providing a panoramic view of rural life during that era.
When many characters appear, the author provides detailed accounts of their backgrounds and experiences, enriching the content of the novel. While showcasing the life of rural society, the novel portrays a series of characters from different social strata and personalities, each vividly brought to life.
Both Xiao Changjun and Han Baizhong are leaders who adhere to principles and have strong party consciousness. Xiao Changjun is wise and strategic, while Han Baizhong is straightforward and stubborn. Both Ma Zhyue and Ma Liben are profit-driven speculators. Ma Zhyue is cunning, treacherous, and worldly-wise, while Ma Liben is arrogant, impractical, and timid. Both Wan Wanrou and Ma Dapao are selfish middle peasants. Wan Wanrou is smooth and shrewd, while Ma Dapao is simple-minded and reckless. Both Jiao Zhenmao and Han Bai'an are conservative middle peasants. Jiao Zhenmao is serious and rigid, always following policy guidelines, while Han Bai'an is timid and weak. Even the backward element Sun Guiying leaves a deep impression. She is vain, clever, yet somewhat naive and unscrupulous. Due to her poor reputation, she gives up on herself, acting recklessly. But once everyone values her, she becomes more active than anyone else, always showing off her heroism.
The novel primarily shapes characters through their different ideological concepts, psychological activities, and behavioral patterns, while also vividly and individually portraying their language. When Wan Wanrou's chickens eat the cooperative's wheat and he is criticized, everyone asks why he cursed the agricultural cooperative. He is speechless and stamps his foot: "Just consider what I said as nonsense." This single sentence reveals his unscrupulousness and cunning. After Sun Guiying exposes Ma Fenglan's malicious intentions, she kicks her out, saying: "Less talk, just leave quickly! I'm furious, furious. You will never associate with me for the rest of your life! We are tigers from Yunnan and camels from Mongolia—none of us know each other!" This language reflects her boldness and sharpness. During a heavy rainstorm, the elderly widow of a martyred soldier, Wang Laotou, also comes to help with the wheat harvest. The cooperative members try to stop him, but he says: "Adding a toad still adds four ounces of strength—Second Master, I'm better than a toad!" This single sentence reveals the old man's stubbornness, enthusiasm, and wit.
In the process of shaping characters, the novel also reveals the traditional psychological characteristics and values of Chinese peasants. When Xiao Laoba's son, Xiao Changjun, is cursed by Ma Lianfu, Xiao Laoba gives Ma Lianfu's father, Ma Laosi, a hard look, even though Ma Laosi has long since separated from his son and started living separately. This reflects the traditional Chinese concept: "If a child is not taught, it is the parent's fault." When Wang Shizhong comes to his house for a meal, he feels ashamed because he cannot offer a good meal, reflecting the peasants' sense of self-respect and enthusiasm. The middle peasant Ma Liansheng is wealthy and looks down on others, but he becomes melancholic when he realizes he has no children. This is actually the influence of traditional ethical concepts.
Because the author is familiar with the countryside and its people, and has depicted rural life authentically and vividly, creating a series of peasant characters from different classes, the work has a strong rural atmosphere.