A Record of Growing Grain

Name: A Record of Growing Grain
ISBN: 9787580800947

李桂平Jun 2026

3.6

Word count: 187K words
Chapters: 21
ISBN: 9787580800947

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Summary

This novel is set against the backdrop of rural revitalization. It focuses on Gucun, a village in southern China known as "China's No. 1 Village of Imperial Scholars"—a community that produced 78 jinshi, 115 juren, and more than 260 gongsheng and other degree holders, all descendants of the Li clan. The protagonist, Li Xiaoqing, gives up a lucrative executive salary to return home and grow grain, pursuing a dream of family revival. His wife becomes a "child companion mother" and founds a youth wellness center, drawing attention from all sectors of society. Influenced by the couple, successful figures such as Li Xiao and Li Dongsheng join the industrial projects one after another. Each faces different life challenges on their own paths, yet together they paint a vivid picture of deep agricultural-tourism integration on the stage of rural revitalization.

Editor's review

种粮记 places the grand theme of rural revitalization on the concrete choices of a couple returning to their village: the protagonist Li Xiaoqing gives up a corporate executive's salary to go home and grow grain, while his wife sets up a children's companion mother program and a youth wellness center. One line manages industry, the other people's hearts, and together they form the book's most solid part. The author does not write the return home as a smooth inspirational story; Li Xiao, Li Dongsheng, and other characters each enter with their own life difficulties, and the human entanglements and clashes of ideas in advancing the industry project are written concretely. The Gu Village clan background of the "First Village of Jinshi" gives the word "revival" historical depth and makes the protagonist's motivation more than an economic calculation. The book suits readers concerned with rural reality and interested in agricultural-tourism integration; it does not feel detached. Those expecting strong dramatic conflict may find the pacing rather plain.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in rural revitalization and returning-home entrepreneurship
Readers of long-form fiction who like realistic style and group portraits of characters
Grassroots workers interested in agricultural-tourism integration and rural industry practice
Readers who want to understand the cultural background of southern clan villages

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking strong plot conflict and fast-paced narrative
Readers who prefer urban themes and lack interest in rural life
Practical readers hoping for details of agricultural techniques

Reading tips

Clarify the Li family relationships in Gu Village first; the chapters on advancing the industry project will then be clearer.
Read the two lines of Li Xiaoqing and his wife in parallel to see the author's dual consideration of "industry" and "people's hearts."
When reading about each character's life difficulties, pause to consider their real motives for joining the project.
Use the book's depictions of agricultural-tourism integration to reflect on rural experiences you know.

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
第九章
第十章
第十一章
第十二章
第十三章
第十四章
第十五章
第十六章
第十七章
第十八章
第十九章
第二十章

FAQ

Is this book nonfiction or fiction?

It is a novel. Gu Village and the characters are literary creations; although set against the reality of rural revitalization, the plot and relationships are fictionalized and should not be read as a local gazetteer or research report.

What is the function of the "First Village of Jinshi" setting?

It provides historical grounding for Li Xiaoqing's dream of "family revival" and makes returning home to grow grain not just an economic choice but one with cultural inheritance, adding depth to the character's motivation.

On what aspects do the main characters' disagreements center?

They center on whether returning home is worthwhile, how the industry project should be implemented, and how to balance personal life difficulties with collective undertakings. Different characters participate from their own circumstances, and the disagreements arise more from practical considerations than simple good-versus-evil opposition.

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About the author

李桂平 Author

Li Guiping: publicly available information is limited, and details of the author's life, such as place of origin, dates of birth and death, and educational background, remain unclear. The works held in the collection nonetheless offer a general picture of this writing. Six signed works are currently known, including Seed Grain Notes, City Planting Notes, The Eighteen Shallow Rapids of the Gan River, Notes on the Eighteen Shallow Rapids of the Gan River, Green Mountain Notes, and The Gan River Flows North. They are commonly classified as social fiction and prose miscellany. Judging by the titles and categories, the writing centers on rural society, grain production, and urban-rural change in the Gan River region of Jiangxi, combining fictional narrative with documentary prose. The work has a distinct regional character and attends to the everyday experience and real circumstances of ordinary people. Overall, Li Guiping is a writer rooted in local life who moves between fiction and prose; the body of work is modest, and fuller information is awaited for a more complete understanding.