Kong Dingji
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Summary
Later, when the crew was allocated a tractor for transport, the workers killed and ate the black donkey. He and the crew were left with a grudge between them. With the leadership's help, he was transferred to a new production crew. During an oil-well emergency he performed a great service. Clerk Wang from the publicity department wrote up his heroic deeds, which were published in the Petroleum Battle News, and he became a model worker for the whole oilfield.
He soon joined the Party and was promoted to a member of the Party committee of the production command. In the great tide of reform as the planned economy turned into a market economy, he became a laid-off worker and bought out his years of service. He lost his source of livelihood and joined the ranks of unemployed old oil workers demanding benefits for their later years.
Clerk Wang, now a Xinhua News Agency reporter, came to the oilfield to conduct social research. She told Kong Dingji that a national social security system would soon be established, and asked him to wait patiently and to take good care of his health.
Editor's review
In literary terms, the book's narrative experimentation deserves attention. It breaks linear time and intersperses a great deal of academic textual research, internet fragments, and interior monologue; this collage technique is itself a metaphor for the form of knowledge in an age of information explosion. The protagonist's obsession with ancient books and his incapacity in reality create a powerful tension, prompting readers to reflect: when traditional humanistic spirit encounters a reality logic that puts utility above all, should its way of existing be compromise, extinction, or rebirth in some distorted form?
Reading Kong Dingji requires a certain patience; its rhythm is not that of a smooth popular story but is full of pauses, backward glances, and speculation. This is precisely its value—it does not offer answers but raises questions: about how we place our relationship with the past, and about where the dignity of “useless learning” and those who uphold it lies in today's world of prevalent pragmatism. The book is better suited to readers willing to linger among the words, savor complex flavors, and take an interest in the spiritual state of intellectuals during a period of cultural transformation.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Literary enthusiasts interested in Lu Xun's works and modernist adaptations
- Readers concerned with the living conditions and spiritual predicament of contemporary intellectuals
- Readers who enjoy fiction with a speculative and socially satirical bent
- Readers able to appreciate non-traditional narrative structures and experimental texts
Not a good fit for
- Readers of popular fiction seeking light entertainment and fast-paced plots
- Readers expecting a completely faithful reproduction or simple continuation of a classic
Reading tips
- You may first revisit Lu Xun's “Kong Yiji” and read the two in comparison to appreciate the intertextual echoes and variations
- Pay attention to how academic textual research, internet language, and the main narrative thread intertwine, and consider the meaning behind this form
- There is no need to rush the plot; focus more on the subtle fluctuations of the protagonist's inner world and the sharp conflicts with his external environment
About the publisher
Universal Publishing House is a comprehensive publishing institution headquartered in the United Kingdom. It focuses on publishing Chinese-language books, primarily for overseas Chinese authors, and its range covers literary genres such as wuxia novels, mystery and suspense, and social fiction, as well as law, art, and essays. Its catalogue currently contains about 220 titles, with representative works including Ximen Ding's complete Yidao Yunyan and the Shanmao Wangsen series, along with Burden of Proof in Medical Damage Liability Disputes in the Civil Code Era and Aesthetics, Calligraphy, and Miscellaneous Notes. Other representative authors include Tuo Mingsheng, Cao Lihua, Qian Baohuai, Zi Fei, Chen Yading, Ou Zhaoping, and Cang Er. Public information is limited; based on the books in the catalogue, its publishing direction leans toward genre fiction, humanities and social sciences, legal practice, and popular art books, and it offers authors one-stop publishing services including editing, typesetting, and distribution.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 作品简介
- 作者简介
- 故事梗概
- 前言
- 黑驴之恋
- 一
- 二
- 三
- 四
- 五
- 六
- 七
- 八
- 九
- 十
- 十一
- 十二
- 十三
- 十四
- 十五
- 十六
- 十七
- 油井抢险
- 一
- 二
- 三
- 四
- 五
- 六
- 七
- 八
- 九
- 十
- 十一
- 劳动模范
- 一
- 二
- 三
- 四
- 五
- 六
- 七
- 八
- 九
- 十
- 下岗工人
- 一
- 二
- 三
- 四
- 五
- 六
- 七
- 八
- 九
- 十
- 十一
- 十二
- 十三
- 十四
- 十五
- 后记
FAQ
What is the relationship between this book and Lu Xun's “Kong Yiji”?
Is the novel's narrative style obscure and difficult?
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About the author
Lü Haozhan is an author about whom little public information is currently available, and a fuller picture of his writing remains to be filled in by further materials. According to the information at hand, only one work of his has been collected, namely Kong Dingji, which is classified as a classic work. Judging from the title alone, “Kong Dingji” closely resembles “Kong Yiji” in form and readily brings to mind the well-known literary figure created by Lu Xun; the book may therefore engage with the classic through homage, parody, or reinterpretation. In the absence of more textual information, it would be inappropriate to speculate excessively about its plot, characters, or themes. What can be confirmed is that the work has been organized and collected as a classic-type work, suggesting that it occupies a certain place in relevant reading and collecting contexts. For readers interested in contemporary Chinese writing and the reception of classics, Lü Haozhan and Kong Dingji offer a case that still awaits further reading and discussion.
