Humanities Reader for Junior High School Volume 6

Author: Peng Changzheng
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-10-01
Features: Several years ago, a graduate student from a famous university in Beijing, before going abroad for 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 time. These moving words inspired the editors to launch a column called Heartfelt Voices, seeking "resonance with shared aspirations" among readers. At the same time, they strongly conveyed a message—the advent of the information age and the rapid changes in social life had brought confusion and disorientation, making more readers yearn 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 with Mr. Deng Liangping of Guangdong Zhenxin 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 it 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. Later, the difficulty shifted to selecting appropriate articles. After several editorial meetings, it was finally decided to center the reader on 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 thousands, even tens of thousands, of submissions. These articles range from works by renowned authors to those by ordinary writers, with many contributions from 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, such as "There Will Always Be a Window Open for You" in the High School Volume 4, "Seeing Chinese Literature Through a Third Eye," and "The Voice of History." They are filled with poetic charm and rational reflection. As the ancients said, "Through countless efforts, though arduous, the pure gold will emerge after the sands are blown away." The editorial process was both a challenge in discovering gems and a struggle against the limitations of judgment, leaving behind some hidden treasures.
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 volume, hoping to gain insights from wise minds. 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 Yexin, Bi Shumin, Cheng Damei, and Liu Yanmin, all Reader’s contracted writers whose works have had a far-reaching impact; Su Zhongjie, a prose writer with a strong sense of justice; Deng Liangping, who embodies both a businessman and a thinker; and Zhang Lijun, a national-level teaching expert. These editors bring deep observations and experiences of human mental growth and societal development, offering unique perspectives on the compilation 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 volume. 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 insightful, like darts piercing the soul’s most private thoughts, or like sweet rain nourishing parched hearts. They accompany students in their joys and sorrows, breathing with them and feeling with them. These philosophical texts add depth and memorability to the Reader Humanities Reader.
The Reader Humanities Reader, a product of collective effort, is about to be published. While some articles may not meet everyone’s expectations, it remains a pioneering effort 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 noble moral sentiments and making a tangible contribution.
With this, 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 lost, confused, yet yearn for healthy growth! Children who love Reader will not go astray! Literature alone is not enough in language education; humanity is essential! A feast for the soul, the Reader Humanities Reader, compiled from 23 years of Reader’s, offers middle school students an unparalleled literary experience.
The Reader Humanities Reader is a series designed to nurture the spiritual growth of middle school students, modeled after the world-renowned American Reader, with a stronger emphasis on humanity, reason, and wisdom. It 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 middle school students can perceive, addressing the questions they care about—such as family, friendship, love, teacher-student relationships, society, life, life, ethics, history, culture, education, morality, war, peace, science, environmental protection, rural issues, reform, democracy, the rule of law, self, nation, human rights, and freedom. The depth of exploration aligns with the cognitive level of middle school students.
For each age group and educational stage, one 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 Kindness," "Childhood, Passing Through the Sky," "Wings of Imagination," and "Shining Hearts" cater to the spiritual needs of this stage. In the second semester of the third year of high school (Grade 12, Second Semester), units like "Farewell Middle School Days," "Windows of the World," "My University," and "Carrying a Bouquet Forward" are both touching and inspiring.
The literary styles are diverse—prose, poetry, lyrics, news reports, commentaries, political essays, fables, satirical essays, speeches, manifestos, and fiction—all included. The emotional depth, artistic expression, and stylistic brilliance are interwoven, creating a rich, profound, and moving experience. The selections are vast and varied, 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 oceans. Each has its unique charm.
Because the Reader Humanities Reader is rich, profound, moving, and deeply resonant, it was quickly embraced by Focus Interview on CCTV. The program received an overwhelming response, with daily calls from all over the country, and Zhenxin Enterprise’s business grew rapidly.
The Reader Humanities Reader: A Land of Literary Talent—The Role of the Reader Humanities Reader in Language Education
When people think of literary talent, they often feel a sense of mystery. But in essence, literary talent means knowing a lot, knowing deeply, expressing accurately, and expressing vividly. China’s long-standing language education has been ineffective, with students lacking reading and writing skills. One major reason is that traditional language textbooks are rigid in thought, failing to provide students with new spiritual nourishment. Without fresh perspectives, students struggle to understand, perceive, and recognize, leading to poor expression. This is a severe flaw in traditional Chinese language education, and overcoming it is one of the key goals of the Reader Humanities Reader’s selection process: to broaden students’ knowledge and deepen their understanding, thereby inspiring them to express and, through expression, train their minds to achieve accuracy and vividness.
In terms of "broadening students’ knowledge," the Reader Humanities Reader covers a vast range of topics, almost. 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, rural issues, reform, democracy, the rule of law, self, nation, human rights, and freedom. The depth of exploration aligns with the cognitive level of middle school students. It 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 "deepening students’ understanding," 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." These words embody the core spirit of the Declaration of Independence, as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. They express ultimate human values, which are also the values of the Reader Humanities Reader.
While countries and cultures differ, all humans share the same ultimate values. Thinking about the above topics through this lens leads to fresh insights, breaking free from outdated notions and penetrating the essence of things, thereby providing rational foundations for nurturing literary talent.
At the same time, the Reader Humanities Reader also encourages students to reflect on how to express themselves better. The series includes a variety of literary styles—prose, poetry, lyrics, news reports, commentaries, political essays, fables, satirical essays, speeches, and manifestos. The units are not limited by genre, with each theme explored through multiple styles. This not only familiarizes students with different literary forms 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 Desired by the Times—A Chronicle of the Reader Humanities Reader
On September 8, a set of books was placed on the table in the Focus Interview studio of CCTV. As the close-up camera focused on the books, viewers could clearly see that they were the Reader Humanities Reader, a 12-volume series. The off-screen voice of the host declared, "This is a good book!" The reason the Reader Humanities Reader was featured on Focus Interview was first and foremost due to the promotion of the Reader magazine. But it also received special attention because it is a book much needed in today’s society, a book desired by the times!
The Reader Humanities Reader 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. Therefore, the content is arranged based on phenomena middle school students can perceive, addressing the questions they care about—such as family, friendship, love, teacher-student relationships, society, life, life, ethics, history, culture, education, morality, war, peace, science, environmental protection, rural issues, reform, democracy, the rule of law, self, nation, 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, and anxious to establish a humanistic spirit that drives progress. For the moral education of adolescents, it is truly a rare gem. The series is divided into Middle School and High School volumes, totaling 12 books. It is the latest offering from Zhenxin Enterprise, in collaboration with Reader magazine, another "bowl of soul-nourishing soup" for middle school students.
Modern people need modern spiritual sustenance. Modern middle school students need humanities to guide their growth. 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 fosters modern perspectives in middle school students, broadens their cultural horizons, and enriches their aesthetic tastes.