Essays by Famous Writers

Author: Zhang Yonghong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: From The Book and Sword to The Deer and the Cauldron, in these novels, I am most concerned with characters and emotions. Wei Xiaobao is not a deeply emotional person. The Deer and the Cauldron is not a book that emphasizes emotions. The special emotions depicted in it are the relationship between Kangxi and Wei Xiaobao as ruler and subject, which involves both conflicts and complex feelings of friendship and camaraderie. This seems to be something that has not been written about in other novels. Wei Xiaobao possesses many common strengths and weaknesses of the Chinese people, but of course, he is not a typical Chinese person. Nationality is a broad concept, and Wei Xiaobao is a unique and individual person. Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhuge Liang, Cao Cao, Ah Q, Lin Daiyu, and so on all possess certain characteristics of the Chinese people, but none can be said to represent the typical Chinese person. The character of the Chinese people is too complex to be fully captured in ten thousand novels. Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing are not human, but they also possess certain characteristics of the Chinese people, because the creators of these mythical beings are Chinese.
The target readers of this collection of essays are primarily middle school students. Currently, there is no unified definition of essays, making the selection process quite challenging. The author has only selected articles that generally meet the criteria for essays based on my understanding and reading experience, hoping to provide middle school students with a fresh perspective on essays. This is quite important for broadening their horizons, enhancing their knowledge, and improving their critical thinking skills.
Modern China is developing at an unprecedented pace, and middle school students are increasingly exposed to information. However, reading books remains fundamental. China has a rich history of classical texts, and a significant portion of ancient Chinese culture was built upon this prosperity. At the same time, the Chinese people have a long history of reading, leaving behind many famous quotes and lessons about reading, all of which are worth learning from.
Reading for enjoyment is a slogan I have always advocated. I hope that middle school students who have the opportunity to read this will practice it themselves and share it with others. Only in this way can they live up to life’s expectations and contribute to society.