Oblivion

Name: Oblivion
ISBN: 9787547062784

Liang XiaoshengVolumes Publishing Company · ChinaJul 2026

4.0

Word count: 232K words
Chapters: 12
ISBN: 9787547062784

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Summary

Living on the "Dirty Street" at the edge of the city, Zhai Ziqing and Liang Ziyi, two brothers not related by blood, were as close as true siblings. Supporting each other, they made their way through an exceedingly difficult adolescence, only to be separated by vast distances later on. When they reunited years afterward, the tides of the times had brought many changes: Zhai Ziqing, who had once dreamed of relentless effort carrying him into university and on to becoming a writer, had transformed into a wealthy man and a thorough worshipper of money; Liang Ziyi, by contrast, had become a writer. After their reunion, the two brothers, once the closest of friends, could no longer be as intimate as in earlier days, divided by money, desire, temptation, and differences in thought. They held each other in contempt, wounded each other, envied each other, and in the end both felt a despair like annihilation...

Editor's review

Liang Xiaosheng tests the half-lifetime friendship of two "Dirty Street" brothers against the shifts of the times: Zhai Ziqing, a literary youth who dreamed of further study, becomes a thorough worshipper of money, while Liang Ziyi instead becomes a writer; after their reunion, money, desire, and differences in thought drive the two once-inseparable brothers to contempt, wounding, and envy, ending in an annihilation-like despair. The work's readability lies in refusing to reduce change to a simple contest of good and evil, letting readers see how circumstance, choice, and human nature fall out of alignment step by step; the more genuine the brotherhood, the more weight their later estrangement carries. Suited to readers willing to face reality squarely and ponder how a person should find their place within the times; as you read, note the contrasts between their youthful days and their words and deeds after reunion.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy Liang Xiaosheng's realistic fiction and care about social change
Fiction readers interested in brotherhood and the transformation of human nature
Adult readers who want to think through literature about the relationship between money and ideals
Teachers and students needing to discuss realist works in contemporary literature courses

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer light, warm stories and avoid the darker side of human nature
Readers expecting a happy reunion ending or an inspirational story
Younger readers not yet ready to grasp the complex relationships of the adult world

Reading tips

First hold on to the details of how the two spent their youth, then read the reunion section in contrast.
Note the turning points in Zhai Ziqing's and Liang Ziyi's respective choices, and consider where the change began.
After finishing, write a short review sorting out what "annihilation" points to in your own understanding.
If it feels oppressive, read chapter by chapter, interspersing lighter reading in between.

About the publisher

Volumes Publishing Company China · Founded in 2003

Volumes Publishing Company is a comprehensive publisher known for its titles on Chinese classics and literature and the arts. Its publishing covers classical literature, essays and miscellaneous writings, folk literature, foreign literature, and exam preparation books. Judging from the 269 titles in the database, the company emphasizes making classic works accessible to a broad readership. Representative books include Letters from Fu Lei to His Son, The Four Great Classical Novels, Teahouse, The Classic of Mountains and Seas, Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk, and Camel Xiangzi, with authors including Fu Lei, Cao Xueqin, Luo Guanzhong, Shi Nai'an, Wu Cheng'an, Lao She, Liu Xiang, and Liu Xin. The company has also developed series brands such as the Volumes Studio Chinese Classics and the Science Fiction Library, giving it a distinctive profile in organizing Chinese classics and promoting literary reading. Public information on its other publishing activities is limited.

版权信息
作者简介
有过，抑或没有（代序）
第一章
第二章
第三章
第四章
第五章
第六章
第七章
第八章
内容简介

FAQ

What is the book mainly about?

According to the synopsis, the novel centers on two brothers not related by blood, from supporting each other through hardship to wounding each other over money, desire, and differences in thought, presenting the misalignment and despair of human hearts amid the changes of the times; the focus is on the rupture of brotherhood and the human spiritual condition, not on mere plot suspense.

Why do the two protagonists' fates reverse?

The synopsis shows that Zhai Ziqing, who once wanted to become a writer through hard work, turns into a money-worshipping rich man, while Liang Ziyi instead becomes a writer. This reversal is tied to the tides of the times, personal choices, and differences in thought; the specific process must be felt in the reading, as the work offers no simple attribution.

Is it a heavy read?

The subject matter involves the temptation of money, mutual contempt, and a sense of despair, and the tone leans heavy and realistic. Readers who prefer light reading should be prepared; but precisely for this reason, it suits readers willing to think seriously about human nature and its relationship to the times.

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About the author

Liang Xiaosheng Author · Chinese · 1949

Liang Xiaosheng is a contemporary Chinese writer, born in 1949 in Harbin, with ancestral roots in Rongcheng, Shandong. His original name is Liang Shaosheng. In 1968 he went to the Great Northern Wilderness as a sent-down youth, and in 1977 he graduated from the Chinese Department of Fudan University. He later worked as an editor at the Beijing Film Studio and as a professor at Beijing Language and Culture University. Known for his novels about educated youth, he draws much of his material from his years in the Great Northern Wilderness and from the lives of ordinary people. His plain, substantial style intertwines personal fate with social change. His representative works include *Tonight There Is a Snowstorm*, *Snow City*, *The Ring of Years*, and *The Human World*; in 2019 he received the 10th Mao Dun Literature Prize. His writing also touches on themes of inspiration and personal growth and has reached a wide readership.