Unprecedented

Name: Unprecedented
ISBN: 9787506342872

He JianmingWriters Publishing House · ChinaJun 2023

3.9

Word count: 132K words
Chapters: 14
ISBN: 9787506342872

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Summary

Chronicles the entire process of the Party Central Committee led by Deng Xiaoping's 1978 decision to open China's offshore oil to foreign cooperation.

Editor's review

Following works such as Tears Are Gold and China's College Entrance Examination Report, Breaking New Ground is another major work of documentary literature by He Jianming, focusing on a major historical process in Chinese society. The book takes as its core narrative thread the difficult exploration and ice-breaking practice of opening the country, introducing foreign capital and technology in the petroleum industry during the early period of China's reform and opening up. Through extensive solid frontline interviews and archival research, the author vividly recreates an era of intellectual ferment and the courage to be "the first to eat crab." The book not only portrays the hesitation and resolve of decision-makers and executors when facing the constraints of the old system and mindset, but also delicately depicts the trajectories of ordinary builders' fates amid the tide of the times. Its prose continues He Jianming's characteristic depth and warmth, injecting human temperature into a grand historical framework, enabling readers to go beyond simple policy interpretation and deeply perceive how reform advanced step by step through concrete dilemmas, negotiations, and human choices. The book's value lies in that it is not a distant history textbook, but a deep cross-section of a key moment in China's modernization process, offering a literary reading with a strong sense of scene and intellectual inspiration for understanding how today's China came to be.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the history of China's reform and opening up, especially reform in the industrial sector
Readers who enjoy documentary literature and value the historical value and humanistic care of works
Researchers who hope to understand the complexity of macro-policy implementation and execution through specific industry cases
Readers who prefer He Jianming's writing style, that is, the interweaving of grand narrative and individual destiny

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking purely fictional plot conflicts and fast narrative pacing
Readers expecting highly theoretical or academic analysis of economic reform

Reading tips

It is recommended to read alongside background materials on the early period of reform and opening up to better understand the context and significance of the characters' actions in the book.
When reading, pay attention to the portrayal of "people" in the book; reform is not only policy provisions, but also the courage, wisdom, and sacrifice of countless individuals.
The book involves a large number of professional dialogues and historical details; readers may appropriately slow down to appreciate the weight of documentary literature.

About the publisher

Writers Publishing House China · Founded in 1953

Writers Publishing House is a Chinese publisher focused mainly on literary publishing. Its output covers classical literature, foreign literature, folk literature and Eastern philosophy, with some extension into popular reading such as social fiction and parenting books. Its catalogue contains more than 900 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber and its edited editions, Shakespeare's Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream, and foreign literary classics such as The Brothers Karamazov and Lost Illusions. In terms of authors, it includes classical writers such as Cao Xueqin and Gao E, foreign masters such as William Shakespeare, Dostoevsky and Balzac, and translations by translators such as Zhu Shenghao, Geng Jizhi and Fu Lei. Overall, its publishing profile balances Chinese and foreign literary classics, emphasizes quality translations, and serves both academic and general readers; publicly available information on its specific publishing plans is limited.

引言
第一章国门悄然开启
第二章墨西哥湾的海风
第三章美国人的诡计：“道德上的战争”……
第四章北京百姓惊呼：怎么一下来了那么多高鼻子、蓝眼睛……
第五章政府授权：可以签约
第六章发往华盛顿的急电
第七章 “石头”终于摸到
第八章谈判一波三折
第九章 “渤海二号”事故的冲击波
第十章空前的“渤海论证会”——
第十一章总书记震怒
第十二章破天荒后尽是春……
后记

FAQ

What period does Breaking New Ground mainly tell the story of?

The book mainly focuses on the early period of China's reform and opening up, specifically narrating the pioneering process of the petroleum industry's first foreign cooperation and introduction of funds and technology.

What is the writing style of author He Jianming?

He Jianming excels at creating large-scale documentary literature, with a deep and weighty style, emphasizing archival research and on-site interviews, and is skilled at portraying individual destinies against grand historical backgrounds; his works are full of a sense of the times and intellectual tension.

How is this book different from a novel?

This is a work of documentary literature; all figures and events have real prototypes and historical evidence. Its core appeal lies in literary narration based on facts rather than fictional plot creation, with greater emphasis on historical authenticity and inspirational significance.

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About the author

He Jianming Author · China · 1956

He Jianming, born in December 1956 in Suzhou (Changshu), Jiangsu Province, is a prominent contemporary Chinese writer of reportage. He has served as vice chairman of the China Writers Association, director of the management committee of the China Writers Publishing Group, and president of the Writers Publishing House, and is currently president of the Chinese Reportage Society. He began publishing in 1974 and has released more than thirty full-length works of reportage, including Urgent Republic, Fundamental Interests, The Minister and the Nation, The Founder, Breaking New Ground, Red Wall Guards, and Youth "Peony Pavilion," as well as Wang Ganchang: I Wish to Devote Myself to the Country. His writing focuses largely on major social realities and political themes, with forays into biography and cultural subjects. A three-time winner of the Lu Xun Literature Prize and five-time winner of the Five-One Project Award, he exerts wide influence in the field of documentary literature.