"Break the railings"

Author: Liang Heng / Jiang Hui / Li Li (editors and annotators)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: This book collects over fifty exquisite essays written by the renowned prose writer Liang Heng in recent years, showcasing the author's spiritual realm and cultural taste. The works primarily focus on writing about people. There are tales of armored horses and fierce warriors, such as the great poet Xin Qiji, who rose to power through martial prowess and later dedicated himself to literature. There is also Lin Zexu, the last crime-sentenced official of ancient China, who was also one of the most influential figures in modern Chinese history. There is Qu Qiubai, who governed through literature and, after his political failures, reflected on life and faced it head-on. There is Zhou Enlai, with a broad-minded heart, who forged a life of "greatness" through his lifelong commitment to "nothingness." There is Wang Luobin, a man of wandering life but always pursuing the distant and beautiful west. And there is Marie Curie, a great woman who stood on the pinnacle of wisdom, sacrificing her entire youth, faith, and life for the discovery of radium.
Works included in this book, such as "Striking the Rails Wide" ("Bǎ Gān Lán Pāi Bàn"), "Seeking the Ferry, Seeking the Ferry, Where Does the Ferry Take You?" ("Mì Dù, Mì Dù, Dù Hé Chù?"), "Great Nothingness, Great Greatness—Zhou Enlai" ("Dà Wú Dà Yǒu Zhōu Enlai"), "Jinci Temple" ("Jìn Cí"), and "Reading Liu Yong" ("Dú Liǔ Yǒng"), have been widely celebrated since their publication, becoming masterpieces and selected for various textbooks and teaching materials. Additionally, the book includes a collection of Liang Heng's highly individualistic and humanistic landscape essays. The author excels at highlighting the background of the entanglement between literature and politics in his portrayals, skillfully employing rational analysis and vivid imagery. As a result, his works often boast a grand perspective and a powerful, majestic tone. The works integrate "great events, great emotions, and great principles," possessing a strong sense of reality and contemporary relevance while also endowing the works with exceptional artistic and aesthetic value.