Impermanence

Name: Impermanence
ISBN: 9787539665566

赵焰Anhui Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaNov 2021

3.8

Word count: 177K words
Chapters: 10
ISBN: 9787539665566

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Summary

This is a novel. The story is divided into four parts and blurs time and narrative setting, telling a story of Huangshan centered on four women named Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. It includes both ancient martial arts tales and modern business stories; a hidden cycle of fate links the characters together. The four women finally achieve revenge and fulfill their wishes, or undergo distortion of human nature under the impact of the commodity economy, and together these strands reveal the meaning of life.

Editor's review

Wuchang is a collection of essays by Anhui writer Zhao Yan, comprising more than sixty pieces written in recent years. A writer long devoted to Huizhou culture and historical narrative, Zhao Yan displays a broader vision and deeper reflection in this book, extending his reach from his familiar homeland to philosophical inquiry into history, culture, life, and even the cosmos. The title "Wuchang" (Impermanence) precisely captures the book's core sensibility: a profound awareness and calm acceptance of the flux of worldly affairs and the transience of life. The prose is polished and charged with tension, offering fresh interpretations of historical figures such as Cao Cao and Ji Kang as well as delicate sketches of everyday scenes and fragments of life, all ultimately converging on meditation on the eternal theme of "change." Zhao Yan's writing does not offer answers; rather, it invites readers to walk, question, and feel alongside the text the complex and genuine texture of life between certainty and uncertainty. For readers seeking a moment of tranquillity and deep thought amid a fast-paced life, this book is like a cup of clear tea: slightly astringent at first sip, sweet in aftertaste, leading us to step away for a while and examine the relationship between the inner self and the world.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers of contemplative, philosophically rich literary essays
Readers interested in personal interpretations of history and culture
Those seeking inner calm and intellectual depth amid a hectic life
Readers who appreciate concise, elegant prose with lingering resonance

Not a good fit for

Readers looking for strong plots, fast pacing, or dramatic conflict
Readers seeking clear knowledge or practical guidance

Reading tips

Need not be read in one sitting; ideal for dipping into an essay or two in spare moments and savoring them quietly
Read alongside your own life experience and reflections, in quiet dialogue with the author
If intrigued by the historical figures or events mentioned, use the book as a starting point for further reading

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
总序
本卷序
第一季春之侠
第二季夏之缘
第三季秋之禅
第四季冬之真
尾声
附录
后记

FAQ

Is this book a novel or essays? What is it mainly about?

It is a collection of essays. Rather than a continuous story, it offers fragmentary reflections and insights on history, culture, life, and the everyday, centered on the concept of impermanence, with a philosophical and literary emphasis.

What is the author Zhao Yan's writing background?

Zhao Yan is a writer from Anhui who has long devoted himself to the study and writing of Huizhou culture. His works include Thinking Huizhou and Zeng Guofan of the Late Qing, and he excels at blending historical narrative and cultural reflection into elegant prose.

How difficult is this book to read?

The language itself is not difficult, but its intellectual depth and cultural richness require patience and a quiet frame of mind; it is better suited to slow reading and deep thought.

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About the author

赵焰 Author

Zhao Yan is a versatile Chinese writer. Public information about him is limited, but the ten works held in the library show interests spanning essays, fiction, and travel writing. Taking Huizhou as a central image, he wrote works such as Thoughts on Huizhou: Six Lectures on Huizhou Merchants and A Thousand-Year Dream of Huizhou: Old Huizhou, blending local history, merchant culture, and personal observation. Traveling the Xin'an River: The Taste of Huizhou and Wind Sweeping the Huai and Yangtze Rivers place footsteps alongside taste and rivers, presenting the customs of the Jianghuai region. The essay collection Peach Pink, Pear White, Rapeseed Yellow has a fresh, lucid style close to daily life, while The Sorrow at the Edge of Human Nature, Impermanence, and Walking with a Cobra turn to social fiction, attending to the subtleties of human nature and real-life predicaments. Overall, his writing combines regional depth with a reflective temperament and will appeal to readers interested in Huizhou culture, travel essays, and contemporary social narrative.