Grain

Name: Grain
ISBN: 9787516225370

Yan KaiChina Democracy and Legal System Publishing House · ChinaJan 2026

3.7

Word count: 277 words
Chapters: 10
ISBN: 9787516225370

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Summary

This is a comic-book adaptation of the film Grain. In 1943, the War of Resistance Against Japan entered a stalemate, and the Japanese and puppet forces frequently faced food-supply difficulties.

Hearing that Kangzhuang had a bumper wheat harvest, Japanese squad leader Shimizu began scheming again. He sent the collaborator Si Heshang to the village to demand military grain, while the local puppet troops also sent men to the village for wheat, and the two sides fought over the grain. The village chief pretended to placate them while actually stoking conflict between the enemies. He secretly called on the masses to hide the summer grain and sent word to the base area. Eighth Route Army Commander Wang told him to exploit the friction between the Japanese and puppet troops and provoke internal clashes. One day, Shimizu came to the village in person to requisition grain, and the village chief countered with clever tactics, leaving no opening. In the end, the people of Kangzhuang used a diversion and a bluff to protect the grain and transport it to the base area.

Editor's review

This连环画-style book recreates the 1943 story of villagers in Kangzhuang outwitting Japanese and puppet troops to protect the summer grain. Its core value lies in turning the survival wisdom and struggle tactics of ordinary people in the War of Resistance into a visual, readable narrative. The highlight is the tight plotting: the village chief exploits the grain-grabbing rivalry between Japanese and puppet forces to sow internal friction, then uses hidden granaries and diversionary tactics to transport grain to the base areas. These layered stratagems let readers feel the careful organization and courage of the masses with every page turn. Adapted from a film, the illustrations feature vivid characters. It is suitable as an introductory read for young people to learn the concrete forms of behind-the-enemy-lines struggle during the War of Resistance, and also for family read-alongs to discuss the historical situation in which grain was the lifeline. When reading, do not look for grand battle scenes; instead pay attention to the village chief's verbal strategies and the details of the villagers' cooperation—this is where the book differs from ordinary War of Resistance stories.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Upper primary to junior high students, using the连环画 to intuitively understand behind-the-enemy-lines struggle in the War of Resistance
Adult readers who enjoy revolutionary-history-themed连环画 for nostalgia or collecting
Chinese teachers using it as supplementary material for revolutionary tradition education and classroom discussion
Families reading together, using the story to discuss food security and the wisdom of the masses

Not a good fit for

Researchers of War of Resistance history who prefer long-form textual depth analysis
Readers uninterested in the连环画 illustrated format who read only plain text
Very young children, as some struggle scenes require adult explanation

Reading tips

Look at the pictures first, then read the text, paying attention to the village chief's expressions and movements when talking with the enemy.
After reading, go through with your child which stratagems the village chief used and retell the story in order.
Discuss why the masses behind enemy lines had to hide grain, in light of the historical background of the 1943 stalemate phase of the War of Resistance.
On a second reading, focus on how the internal conflicts among the Japanese and puppet troops are gradually amplified.

About the publisher

China Democracy and Legal System Publishing House China · Founded in 1989

China Democracy and Legal System Publishing House focuses on professional legal publishing. Its output covers working materials for state organs of power, compilations of laws and regulations, legal popularization readers for the public, law textbooks and documentation on people's congress work, with law, politics and social sciences as common categories. Representative titles in the catalog include the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China, the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and the Ecological Environment Code of the People's Republic of China, alongside practice- and research-oriented works such as Legislators Explaining the Law: Li Yuan's Reports on Legal Interpretation and On Record Review and Constitutional Review. Its authors include Li Yuan, Qin Qianhong, the General Office of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and editorial teams. The press emphasizes accuracy in legal texts and the organization of practical people's congress materials, while also serving public legal education.

版权信息
编委会
剧情说明
演职员表
正文一
正文二
正文三
正文四
正文五
电影背后的故事

FAQ

What grade level is this comic suitable for reading independently?

The amount of text is moderate and the plot is clear. Upper primary school students can generally read it independently; for lower and middle grades, parents or teachers are advised to read along to help with historical concepts such as the Japanese and puppet forces and the base area.

What methods did the village chief use to protect the grain?

The village chief first pretended to placate both the Japanese and puppet forces who were fighting over grain, sowing discord among the enemy. He then secretly called on the masses to hide the summer grain and contacted the Eighth Route Army. Finally, he used feints and bluffs to transport the grain to the base area.

What is the relationship between the comic and the film?

This book is a comic adaptation of the film of the same name, recreating the film's story through sequential pictures with text. It is not a screenplay or shooting memoir; readers can treat it as an independent illustrated text.

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About the author

Yan Kai Author · Chinese · 1982

Yan Kai was born in Beijing in November 1982. He holds a master's degree and the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Armed Police. In 2007 he graduated from the School of Journalism and Communication at Renmin University of China with a specialization in communication studies, and subsequently joined the military. He formerly served as head of the organization and education section of the political department of the Haidian District Public Security Fire Brigade in Beijing. Long engaged in political and ideological work, he has served as chief editor of more than a hundred titles, including illustrated adaptations of classic red films, patriotic education series, therapeutic-diet cookbooks, and folk-culture readers. His representative works include Red Banner Spectrum, Wild Fire and Spring Wind Fighting the Ancient City, Haixia, Fighting North and South, Red Sun, The Visitor on the Iceberg, Grassland, and By the Jinsha River. Most of these are based on revolutionary history and adaptations of red classics, giving him a broad readership in social-science publications.