2005 China Annual Prose

Author: Wang Jianbing
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Notes on the Origin of World Civilization, starting from visiting Buddhist sacred sites in the Ganges River basin in India, now selecting over thirty from a pile of papers to share with friends who wish to read them (Yu Qiuqing, "Remnants of the Ganges"). "The Cultural Revolution lasted for ten years, and I planned to write only for one day. We often say that our nation is forgetful, yet rarely blame ourselves for it. But the events of that day were indeed true, witnessed by nearly ten thousand people, with a grand scale. I once wrote about it in the novel Habitual Death, which has been translated into over twenty languages, but all readers treat it as a fictional story (Zhang Xianliang, "Beauty")." Zhang Ping, renowned in literature for works like The Choice, writes a personal account of accompanying the police to rescue two hostages, who had been imprisoned by villagers for fraud, theft of food, and human trafficking. The intense struggle between emotion and law leaves readers deeply moved (Zhang Ping, "The People Make Your Heart Tremble").
Trapped in bed or a wheelchair, but "I" long for the night, for the night, for the arrival of freedom in the silence, even for standing until death to see life (Shi Tiesheng, "Gently Walking and Gently Coming").
Seventy-one writers, including Yu Qiuqing, Zhang Xianliang, Shi Tiesheng, Li Cunbao, Jia Pingwa, Li Guowen, Fan Zeng, Shu Ting, Han Meilin, and Ye Qijing, contribute seventy-one works. Whether delving into unforgettable experiences in the vast river of history, reflecting on the meaning of life, being moved by familial and romantic love, rejoicing in the simplicity and tranquility of returning to the countryside, or singing in sorrow or playing the flute softly, their quiet contemplations or passionate emotions offer readers immense aesthetic pleasure.
Selected and compiled by authoritative figures in China's prose circle, the 2005 Annual Prose Anthology is meticulously chosen from tens of thousands of essays published in hundreds of literary journals across the country, totaling nearly hundreds of millions of words. It aims to review the creative achievements of the year's prose and objectively select the best works that are representative and influential in terms of both thought and artistry.
"From an ecologist's perspective, Shangri-La remains one of the most beautiful places in the world." Shangri-La was originally the ideal kingdom of the Buddha. Its charm lies in being a paradise where human dreams can be stored, yet it is still a distant, unattainable utopia. Since we have turned a beautiful dream into a tangible existence, transformed the divine Shangri-La into a worldly one, and identified its location, we should then protect its purity and sanctity with the same religious determination, piety, and reverence that the Tibetan people hold for nature. — Li Cunbao, "Lupine Flowers on Pure Land"
What will the protagonist of the true story I am recounting be like today? She had "experienced" that "history" in her childhood. I can hardly imagine her living a normal life, let alone if she were still alive and happened to read this article, whether it would touch her hidden pain or provoke new stimuli. But I imagine if it were the latter, she would be as strong as I am, perhaps even stronger. She would surely stand up and speak for herself, and her account would undoubtedly be more powerful than mine. I hope so! — Zhang Xianliang, "Beauty"
That is to say, I am walking gently, my soul is leaving this broken body, step by step, bidding farewell to this world. At this moment, I don’t know what others might think, but I recall the mystery of "gently coming," such as the changing sunlight of dawn, noon, and evening, a vast blue sky, a quiet courtyard, a gentle breeze that washes over me, as if it has always carried the soft whispers of my mother and grandmother. — Shi Tiesheng, "Gently Walking and Gently Coming"
Our lives come from our parents, but what about our parents' lives? Perhaps in the late Northern Song Dynasty, on the banks of the Yangtze River, a few fishermen rescued a drowning person. This was your ancestor. Then, in the Qing Dynasty, a group of generals prevented a war that was about to destroy an entire village, a village where your ancestors lived. And so on. Over the centuries, long-forgotten items like a cold garment, a bowl of thin porridge, a dose of medicine, a stepping board, or a walking stick may all be connected to your life. — Yu Qiuqing, "Remnants of the Ganges"