A mere distance to the celestial face, yet a challenge to face

Author: Jin Kemu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: The articles collected in this volume titled A Glimpse of the Heavenly Countenance and Navigating Difficulties are primarily literary or cultural essays, which are the most distinctive part of Mr. Jin's writings. Secondly, there are some miscellaneous reflections or short essays, most of which are not long but have a unique charm, with a relaxed and effortless writing style. It must be noted that in the "Reminiscing the Past and Cherishing People" section of this book, several excerpts from Traces of an Old Nest are selected. Traces of an Old Nest is a novelistic memoir published under the pen name "Xin Zhu" by Mr. Jin, recalling his early education in knowledge and life as a member of a feudal family. The original book of Traces of an Old Nest consists of 56 chapters plus an epilogue, without individual chapter titles, while the selected excerpts have chapter titles added by the editor. As a scholar, some of Mr. Jin's essays resemble academic papers, while some of his academic papers resemble essays. Reading his works requires patience—some can be read while lying in bed, while others may need to be read while sitting at a desk in a quiet study. The selected works presented to the readers are basically organized by theme, differing from other anthologies.