Volunteer Gate

Author: Tian Ran
:
: 2003-03-01
：This is a long novel that leaves readers deeply moved, written by a high school student named Tian Ran. The literary writings of high school students seem to be a trend nowadays. From Yu Xiu in the past to Han Han in the present, they have added new dimensions to our literature. Now, Tian Ran and his Volunteer Gate have joined the list. As an autobiographical novel, Volunteer Gate allows us to glimpse a different psychological world and pursuit compared to adults—that of a high school student. It reveals the entire psychological characteristics and spiritual world of a high school student—this is truly a realm that we and our education struggle to approach. For all high school students, their parents, teachers, relatives, friends, and anyone who truly cares about them, this book offers a window through which to observe and understand our children: life is truly difficult for them; yet in this pressure and hardship, they somehow teach themselves how to find joy in life, enrich and expand their knowledge, and nourish their spiritual world, giving rise to heartfelt reflections—Life is wonderful.
At the same time, I feel that at such a young age, with limited life experience and literary accumulation, Tian Ran still achieves remarkable artistic perception and skillful writing. His unique teenage mindset and spiritual depth create a text that provides a thought-provoking example for contemporary novels. In Volunteer Gate, Tian Ran narrates his experiences during the short few months leading up to and after the high school entrance exams. What literary stories could a high school student tell beyond their studies, under such intense preparation? In my imagination, the daily routine of studying from day to night would be difficult to construct the complex narrative required for a novel. However, Tian Ran finds the essence of literary narration in the seemingly ordinary life: these stories not only include the dramatic tale of all those who knew he was sure to pass the exam but unexpectedly failed, but also the naturally literaryized, mundane daily lives of high school students, forming a text grounded in vivid, authentic reality.