Ferry of Time cover

Ferry of Time

Rating 2.6
Word count
123K words
Chapters
126
ISBN
9798235170100

Tags

Summary

Follow the footsteps of the four seasons and encounter the beauty hidden in everyday life and poetry. This collection of essays takes the scenery of the four seasons as its main thread, linking mountains and rivers, the passage of time, classical poetry, and nostalgia.

With a gentle and delicate pen, the author slowly unfolds the breathtaking scroll of spring, summer, autumn, and winter before the reader: misty rain over spring mountains, leisurely breezes through summer lotus, the quiet beauty of falling leaves in autumn woods, and proud plum blossoms in winter snow. Reading these chapters, readers not only encounter the distant mood of classical poetry and come to understand the aspirations and sentiments of past literati; they also revisit old memories of home, feel the warmth of courtyard lanes and family companionship, and touch the simple, down-to-earth beauty of daily life in every bowl of porridge and every object. The book also records the inner journey of keeping company with books and cultivating stillness, enriching the heart amid the fragrance of ink and awakening to poetry.

The writing is plain yet lively, blending the scenery of the four seasons, classical elegance, past memories, and spiritual reflection into one. One flower, one world; one morning, one year—between the lines there is nothing but composure and calm. The beauty of nature, of poetry, of family affection, and of life interweave and merge layer upon layer, accompanying us as we quietly watch the seasons turn, return to our true inner selves, and savor the endless joy in ordinary days.

Editor's review

Time's Ferry is an essay collection organized around the turning of the four seasons. With a gentle, delicate touch, Wang Lan unfolds spring mist and rain on the hills, summer lotus and clear breeze, autumn leaves in the woods, and winter snow and cold plum, letting the natural scenery become the breathing rhythm that runs through the book. The book does not stop at scenery: it weaves in the distant mood of classical poetry and the aspirations of earlier scholars and writers, so that readers, while savoring the seasons, can also reconnect with the poetic tradition. Childhood memories of home, small courtyards and lanes, and warm moments with family bring the writing back to the everyday world, where a bowl of congee, a meal, an object, or a utensil all reveal plain and deep feeling. The author also records the inner journey of keeping company with books and cultivating quiet attention, giving the book, beyond scenery, elegance, and memory, a further layer of introspection. The prose is plain but not bland, lively but not flashy, suited to slow reading on a quiet afternoon or before sleep, letting the beauty of the seasons and the warmth of life seep gently into the heart and helping readers recover a calm, unhurried way of seeing amid a fast-paced life.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Readers who love prose and essays and hope to relax through writing about the four seasons
  • Readers interested in classical poetry and traditional culture who enjoy approaching elegance through reading
  • Readers who cherish memories of home and value family ties and the warmth of daily life
  • People seeking a quiet reading experience in a busy life and a return to their true inner selves

Not a good fit for

  • Readers who prefer strong plot, fast-paced narrative, or mystery and detective fiction
  • Readers expecting systematic poetry appreciation or academic cultural research
  • People insensitive to lyrical prose who value practical knowledge acquisition more

Reading tips

  1. Read chapter by chapter in the order of the four seasons, pausing after each season to recall life memories of that time
  2. When encountering a poem quoted in the book, look up the original poem and move back and forth between the essay and the poetry
  3. Choose early morning or bedtime to read two or three pieces at a time, with a cup of tea or a quiet moment, letting the words settle naturally
  4. Keep a pen to mark sentences that move you, and after finishing, write down your own seasonal fragments in response

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 第一章 春雨沁墨香
  3. 白朴的春山
  4. 细雨慢煎一壶春
  5. 谁人赠你一枝春
  6. 春临小巷
  7. 春风从诗词中归来
  8. 养就胸中一段春
  9. 种下一院春
  10. 雨落千年皆是诗
  11. 且寻一树梅
  12. 夜读书心向清明
  13. 雨沁墨香
  14. 光阴如箭,月季怡情
  15. 陌上听风少年时
  16. 一树梨花落晚风
  17. 第二章 雨打梧桐夏更新
  18. 风吹过的夏天
  19. 穿越千年来看你
  20. 夏日黄昏里住着乡愁
  21. 艾草飘香
  22. 盛夏美如画
  23. 雨打梧桐夏更新
  24. 蒲扇轻摇慢时光
  25. 诗意黄昏
  26. 人活草木间
  27. 夏夜风情
  28. 风从荷间过
  29. 夏渐深,在诗词中慢煮光阴
  30. 绿意有几重
  31. 风一缕饮夏色
  32. 牵一缕暗香走过夏
  33. 第三章 秋天的思绪
  34. 一窗秋色
  35. 沐一场秋风
  36. 秋之况味
  37. 秋韵意款款
  38. 淡然对秋声
  39. 秋天,我们活成草木
  40. 秋天的思绪
  41. 抬头望向辽阔的秋
  42. 秋叶不凋零
  43. 寒露凝,秋渐浓
  44. 常在诗中觅秋色
  45. 秋之韵味
  46. 木叶动秋声
  47. 满载一船秋色
  48. 秋雨梧桐总撩人
  49. 秋日缤纷,且听风吟
  50. 万木霜天红烂漫
  51. 人间秋色暖
  52. 秋雨夜半来敲窗
  53. 第四章 冬日,在安静中回归
  54. 读懂冬天
  55. 冬日恋歌
  56. 初冬,邂逅一场花开
  57. 静默之冬
  58. 诗意大雪
  59. 冬日,在安静中回归
  60. 行走在冬野
  61. 冬韵悠然
  62. 初冬又见芦花白
  63. 诗中冬日有百味
  64. 冬日寂寂有清欢
  65. 期待漫天飞雪时
  66. 冬至日,阳始生
  67. 冬的尽头是盎然的春
  68. 携文字走进冬天
  69. 文人笔下的冬天
  70. 水墨忍冬
  71. 感悟冬天
  72. 第五章 白云起处是故乡
  73. 清明至,乡情浓
  74. 白云起处是故乡
  75. 枕着秋声入眠
  76. 梦里故园秋
  77. 古意秋天思乡切
  78. 故乡冬日
  79. 日子在墨香里红火
  80. 冬日,恋上一个村庄
  81. 母亲“考验电梯”
  82. 冬日炉火记忆
  83. 胡同的冬天
  84. 冬日有雅趣
  85. 冬日里读诗
  86. 时光住在黄昏里
  87. 月下箫声远
  88. 我俩的面条时光
  89. 第六章 在书香中闲掷光阴
  90. 在文字里我们永远年轻
  91. 在书香中闲掷光阴
  92. 与文字相伴
  93. 流淌的岁月
  94. 旧时梅花
  95. 太行深处小巷幽
  96. 有诗心,落叶亦风景
  97. 一壶茶在手
  98. 有书陪伴,岁月安暖
  99. 只此一身青春
  100. 最爱一袭白
  101. 老歌如昨
  102. 读宋词,发现生活之美
  103. 春天已经醒来
  104. 春天真好
  105. 古人踏春诗意浓
  106. 春从柳上归
  107. 大地春来早
  108. 最美春色是雨水
  109. 春天之美
  110. 品读一季春
  111. 春日醉书香
  112. 山野是春天的水彩画
  113. 拈一枝春
  114. 生命的春光
  115. 温一壶春色
  116. 静待花似锦
  117. 梨花一枝春带雨
  118. 走进春天
  119. 海棠依旧
  120. 一缕清风弄花影
  121. 静听垂柳戏荷风
  122. 流年似水不负光阴
  123. 花间一壶酒
  124. 一树楸花品清雅
  125. 时光深处海棠红
  126. 轻捻一缕春光

FAQ

Is this book a novel or an essay collection?
It is an essay collection, with the scenery of the four seasons as its main thread, linking mountains and rivers, years, poetry, and nostalgia. It is not a work of fiction. The pieces mostly center on natural scenery, classical poetry, memories of home, and reflections on reading, and are suited to readers who enjoy essays and lyrical writing and who prefer to read slowly and savor them.
Can I understand it without a foundation in classical poetry?
Yes. Although the book incorporates the mood of classical poetry and the feelings of literary figures, it unfolds mainly in an essayistic style, with plain and lively writing, and does not depend on specialized knowledge of poetry. Even readers unfamiliar with poetry can enter the scene through the descriptions of seasonal scenery; if a line interests them, looking it up on their own may add to the pleasure of reading.
When is a good time to read it?
It suits slower-paced times, such as early morning, afternoon, or before sleep. The writing is gentle and delicate, and the pieces are ordered by the four seasons. There is no need to read continuously; reading two or three pieces at a time makes it easier to enter the unhurried atmosphere the author creates and to connect the reading experience with one's own life.
What can readers gain from this book?
Readers can relax through the descriptions of seasonal scenery, approach traditional elegance through the mood of classical poetry, revisit the warmth of ordinary life in memories of home and moments with family, and draw inspiration for quiet introspection from the author's journey of keeping company with books. Overall, it is a reading experience of returning to plain days and savoring the beauty of life.

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About the author

王岚 Author

Wang Lan (English name, nationality, and dates of birth and death unknown) is a Chinese author with a notably diverse range of subjects; public information is limited and biographical details remain difficult to establish. Thirteen of the author's works are held in the collection, spanning popular science, history writing, world history, classic works, Eastern philosophy, and modern poetry. Representative titles include Interstellar, The Interstellar Navigation Manual, A Universe from Nothing, and Everything Makes Sense: Physics in Astronomy, indicating a sustained interest in the cosmos, astronomy, and physics; The Collected Works of Chen Zi'ang and Shuanghuai Suichao point toward the study and compilation of classical texts; and Emperor of the World: Rulers in World History and The Birth of Japanese History reflect a scope extending to world and Japanese history. Overall, Wang Lan's writing crosses science and the humanities, combining knowledge popularization with the reading of classics, and suits readers seeking multiple paths of knowledge from a single author.

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