The Returning Sheep

Name: The Returning Sheep
ISBN: 9787539667652

汪军Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaFeb 2022

3.4

Word count: 52K words
Chapters: 9
ISBN: 9787539667652

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Summary

This is a novella set in the A City of Yu Dafu's fiction and borrowing characters from Yu Dafu's "A City" series. Eight years earlier, the protagonist Yu Zhifu met a group of writers and courtesans in A City and formed deep bonds with them. One night, drunk, Yu Zhifu promises a woman that he will rescue her from prostitution, but the next day, due to war and other reasons, he hurriedly leaves A City. Haunted by this promise, yet unable to determine which woman he made it to, Yu Zhifu, after eight years of inner torment, returns to A City like a lost sheep to find the woman and seek redemption for his soul.

Editor's review

"Returning Sheep" is a novel by Wang Jun, marked by a strong sense of rural life and deep humanistic care. Set against the broad backdrop of rural change in China, it depicts through delicate prose the rise and fall, and the perseverance, of individual fates amid the currents of the times. Wang Jun's writing is plain yet full of tension; he does not deliberately heighten dramatic conflict but, through plain description of daily life and precise capture of the subtle recesses of his characters' inner worlds, builds a real, perceptible, and vital literary world. The book's exploration of the complex relationship between land, local attachment, traditional ethics, and the impact of modernity is especially thought-provoking. It is not merely a story of "return" or "departure" but a mirror reflecting the spiritual map of contemporary Chinese society, exploring the eternal themes of roots, identity, and spiritual belonging. In literary terms, its narrative is steady and restrained and its characters are roundly drawn; in today's somewhat restless creative environment, it shows a rare calm and solidity. For readers, reading "Returning Sheep" is an immersive journey into the texture of rural China, bringing thoughts about life and culture that go beyond the story itself.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in contemporary Chinese rural literature and the theme of social change
Literature lovers who appreciate delicate, steady narrative styles that emphasize psychological portrayal
Thoughtful readers who hope to understand, through literature, the tension between rural ethics and the process of modernization
Readers looking for a work that offers a calm reading experience and deep humanistic reflection

Not a good fit for

Entertainment-oriented readers seeking strong plot, fast pacing, and dense dramatic conflict
Readers completely unfamiliar with rural themes or lacking basic interest in them

Reading tips

It is recommended to read in a relatively quiet environment so as to better immerse oneself in the atmosphere and emotions the work creates.
Pay due attention to the descriptions of natural scenery and everyday details; they often serve as important reflections of the characters' states of mind and the themes.
After reading, it may help to reflect on your own understanding of hometown or tradition, which may lead to a more personal reading experience.

About the publisher

Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1984

Founded in 1984, Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House is a professional literary and art publisher. Its collection of 389 titles spans classic works, essays and miscellaneous writings, Eastern philosophy, folk literature, classical literature and design. Representative books include Lao She's Camel Xiangzi, Laozi's Dao De Jing, Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and the Shakespeare drama collection featuring Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth and Othello, with Zhu Shenghao's translations adding luster to the series. Its author resources range from classic Chinese and foreign writers such as Lao She, Laozi, Luo Guanzhong and William Shakespeare to translators and authors including Zhu Shenghao, Li Chensen and Liang Sicheng. The publisher is characterized by its balance of Chinese and foreign literary classics with traditional culture titles, combining scholarly value with popular reading. Public information is limited, and the above is based mainly on the books in the collection.

版权信息
第一章
第二章
第三章
第四章
第五章
第六章
第七章
第八章

FAQ

What is the main storyline of "Returning Sheep"?

The novel mainly revolves around the protagonist's wavering between countryside and city, his choices, and his spiritual return. Through the interwoven fates of several ordinary people, it portrays the changing landscape of rural society amid the development of the times and the process in which individuals seek identity and spiritual belonging.

What are the characteristics of Wang Jun's writing style?

Wang Jun's style is marked by plainness, steadiness, and delicacy. He excels at portraying characters' complex inner worlds through plain and precise language, and depicts rural life scenes in a calm and restrained tone, giving the work a deep realistic foundation and humanistic care.

How difficult is this book to read?

It is fairly literary, and its narrative pace is rather slow, requiring some patience and sensitivity to literary detail. It is not, however, obscure or hard to understand; as long as readers are interested in the subject, most will be able to follow the author's writing into the story and grasp its core themes.

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About the author

汪军 Author

Wang Jun is an author with a notably wide range of interests. Public information about him is limited, but his works show an engagement that spans finance and economics, construction, and social fiction. In his professional and economic writing, he is the author of Carbon Management: From Zero to Carbon Neutrality and The Carbon Neutrality Era: A Great Shift of Wealth in the Next 40 Years, which address carbon management methods, carbon neutrality, and the changes it brings to the economy and to patterns of wealth, reflecting sustained attention to trends of the times; Introduction to Smart Construction reflects his interest in technological development in the construction industry. At the same time, he has written a novel, Gui Yang, extending his pen to social themes and literary narrative. Four of his works are held in the collection, covering a considerable range: professional writing oriented toward real-world issues alongside literary attempts centered on storytelling, together presenting a writing profile that combines knowledge popularization with narrative.