Human gatherings and partings

Author: Guan Zhihua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-06-01
Features: This is a collection of essays, (notes), and short pieces by Guan Zhihua. The first piece, "On Middle Age," discusses the experience of being in middle age, "to enjoy the composure and rhythm of life, to listen to the whispers of the heart." Guan Zhihua is a journalist, and the articles he writes have the characteristics of newspaper interviews. The articles are not long, but they have a memorable feature: "simple, down-to-earth, and substantial." For example, in the piece "Will the 'Shanghai Alleys' Disappear?," he not only explains the origins of Shanghai alleys but also describes their historical evolution and looks ahead to their future, making readers living in the alleys today or in similar environments feel a sense of familiarity. Guan Zhihua's short pieces are not only simple but also practical and targeted. The piece "Shanghai Bus Etiquette" makes readers smile in understanding when they think of the people who once squeezed onto public buses in Shanghai. Among the seemingly impromptu essays, Guan Zhihua often shares his unique insights on topics that interest readers. Even in pieces like "The 'Honest Officials' Cannot Defeat the 'Corrupt Officials'" or "Zhu Yuanzhang's 'One Well' Theory," which discuss history and current affairs, he writes in a way that is enlightening.