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Author: Zhang Licheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: The publication of "Dukou" can be considered a major event in the publishing world of 2006. Its debut injected a breath of fresh air into the chaotic state of current literary publications and provided a popular definition of "good writing." This "gray book" that blends seriousness and humor has gained increasing love and popularity among readers of all levels. Originally a "niche" publication, it quickly won the preference of the masses, from initial word-of-mouth and friend recommendations to widespread praise from the media and literary circles today. "Dukou" can be said to have created a miracle. Today, reading "Dukou" has become a trend. University teachers and students recommend it to each other, elites give it nods of approval, the petite bourgeoisie can't help but adore it, and grassroots readers cheer it loudly. It can be said that today's "Dukou" has its own fans, and many readers have even started collecting this extraordinary publication. It is a book that can change people's reading biases and even their reading habits. The authors of the articles are masters of words, free from the stiffness of many translated articles and the pretentious elegance of fashionable petite bourgeoisie magazines. The language is straightforward, the content is substantial, unexaggerated, and unpretentious. Interest, marginality, privacy, folk nature, and thoughtfulness add numerous reading thrills to the book. "Dukou" was placed as a "featured recommendation" in two stores in Beijing, "Photosynthesis," and last week ranked 6th on the list at the Sanlian Taofen Book Center. Notable articles in this issue include "Russian Collection of Khara-Khoto Paintings and My Western Xia Affection." In the early 20th century, Russian explorer Kozlov unearthed Western Xia treasures that had been lost for seven centuries at the Khara-Khoto ruins along the Ejin River, shocking the world. This large collection of artifacts has become a treasure trove for studying Western Xia civilization, with its paintings vividly recreating a colorful historical panorama of the Western Xia era for the world to see. (Note: The study and excavation of Western Xia history are currently a major focus in both domestic and international historical and archaeological circles.) Mr. Wu Huanyu, the author of this article, after seeing these artistic treasures at the Winter Palace Museum in St. Petersburg, began to copy them, hoping that the Chinese people could witness the splendid charm of Western Xia culture. Back then, Chinese princes traded dozens of rapid-fire guns for a large number of national treasures, but now, only an old man with his brush can bring the long-lost Russian Collection of Khara-Khoto paintings back home. This issue of "Dukou" specially color-prints thirteen of Mr. Wu's almost lifelike copies, and the emotions behind them are beyond words.