The novel is set at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China. It tells the story of the grievances and resentments of several generations of a businessman in Ye County, Shandong Province. It depicts the different choices of each character when facing life, love, and the nation in this chaotic and turbulent special period of the Republic of China.
The author was influenced by Chen Jie, the first person to write business in China (note: his works include "Da Ranfang" and "Dry Wharf"). The novel takes commercial competition as the main line and tells the story of the protagonist Zhang Jinglin's business war legend throughout his life. The plot is reasonable, ups and downs, and exciting.
Since the author is a woman, the character setting in the novel is more female-oriented. Several female characters in the play have distinct personalities and their own merits. Everyone treats love differently, presenting you with a different world of women.
In terms of language, more idioms and colloquialisms are used, and the character dialogues try to restore a sense of time and place. In addition, there are many couplets in the novel, and most of them are original by the author, which not only promotes the development of the plot, but also adds to the literary artistry.
The Republic of China was the most charming era in Chinese history. "Donglai in Troubled Times" will give you back the dream of the Republic of China!