Through a vivid and moving story, this work portrays the sent-down youth movement and the decades-long lives of the educated youth who took part in it. The story follows its protagonists through more than ten years of hardship and suffering, until they return to the city to attend university, only to devote themselves wholeheartedly once more to the rural lands where they had originally been sent down.
After more than twenty years of painstaking effort and entrepreneurial struggle, they transform the land that had once filled them with fear and driven them to flee. By committing themselves body and soul, they change it from an ancient, ignorant, backward place into something astonishingly modern and vibrant. Particularly moving are the arduous journeys of the male and female protagonists as they return to the countryside and build their lives from nothing, along with their winding love story, marked by life and death. Their story is tragic, heartrending, and deeply moving.
The male protagonist, Liu Dali, spends more than thirty years struggling through life. His experiences of profound sorrow and joy, fleeing for his life, and achieving great things are all shaped by the striking aspects of his character.
The female protagonist, Huazhen, is an educated youth sent to the countryside. She endures hardship and suffering, yet stubbornly withstands one devastating blow after another. In an age and environment where ignorance and madness coexist, she brings together five brothers as one family through a rare combination of grace and generosity, becoming the heart of their little household.
Humble and kind, she remains true to the basic principles of how one should treat others. Though she repeatedly faces mortal danger, she survives as the ultimate victor through struggles against death in many different forms.
This book is very contemporary and the story is real and moving. I especially like the male and female protagonists in the book. I admire their perseverance in difficult circumstances. In terms of plot, the author showed a picture of life in that special era by describing their struggle and love story, which gave me a deeper understanding of history. All in all, this is a great book worth reading!
This chapter objectively reflects the social background of that special era and the life course of most of the educated youth. It also tells people that the third generation of junior high school and college became the backbone of the second half of the twentieth century and the beginning of this century. The writing is smooth and emotional, the characters are rich, but the conception of some events is far-fetched. All in all, it is a very good literary work.
This book is really well written and rich in content. The author has really put a lot of effort into it. I give him thumbs up for the wonderful content he wrote. It is worth recommending.
May our lost youth be kept in my heart forever!
The fun continues, the plot is gripping
The plot of this book is vivid, vividly depicting the passionate life and fighting spirit of the educated youth at that time, and praising the new chapter of reform and opening up. It is an unforgettable song that we old educated youth miss the most!
Very wonderful and beautiful
This book is so beautiful
Very good looking and classy
Beautiful, highly recommended