The Old Mill

Name: The Old Mill
ISBN: 9787506396516

马自天Writers Publishing House · ChinaAug 2026

3.4

Word count: 180K words
Chapters: 10
ISBN: 9787506396516

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Summary

This collection comprises nine novellas and short stories: "Old Mill," "A Tale of Two Fish," "Little Darling," "The Fiery Eye in the Devil's Tent," "Dream of Falling Flowers," "The Crescent Girl," "The 100th Ear," "I'd Rather Not Tell Her," and "Dreams Left at Jialing." It tells readers stories of a past steeped in blood and tears—blood and tears mingled, soul-stirring. Fair falling flowers drift away in dream-shadows on the mournful torrent, while the orphaned children of martyrs carry on the fight along their parents' bloodstained trail. How many heroic and moving stories has history left us…

Editor's review

This book gathers nine novellas and short stories by Ma Zitian: "Old Mill," "A Tale of Two Fish," "Little Darling," "The Fiery Eye in the Devil's Tent," "Dream of Falling Flowers," "The Crescent Girl," "The 100th Ear," "I'd Rather Not Tell Her," and "Dreams Left at Jialing." Judging by both titles and content, the works draw largely on a past weighted with history—stories steeped in blood and tears, falling flowers drifting away in dream-shadows on a mournful torrent, orphaned children of martyrs carrying on the fight along their parents' bloodstained trail. The author does not shy away from suffering, yet does not linger in a display of it; instead, the soul-stirring past is interwoven with the characters' fates, forming a narrative with a lyrical quality. The nine pieces share similar subject matter from different angles, and read together they convey a coherent historical retrospection. For readers who enjoy fiction with a strong sense of period and high emotional intensity, this book offers space for immersive reading; read piece by piece, it suits those who prefer to enter it slowly over unhurried stretches of time.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy fiction with a strong sense of period and historical retrospection
Readers drawn to lyrical narrative and emotionally intense works
Those accustomed to reading novella and short-story collections
Literature lovers curious about Ma Zitian's fiction

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking only light, humorous, purely entertaining reading
Readers sensitive to narratives of suffering and prone to low moods
Readers who prefer a single continuous novel-length plot

Reading tips

Start with "Old Mill" to set the tone, then dip into other pieces as interest dictates
Leave a few minutes after each piece to let the emotions settle; avoid forcing yourself through them back to back
Note the recurring imagery of "dreams" and "falling flowers" across the pieces
Can be read alongside oral histories from family elders for comparison

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.

版权信息
老磨
双鱼记——2005·春天的故事
小亲亲
魔帐里的火眼
落花梦
新月姑娘
第100只耳朵
先不要告诉她
嘉陵遗梦

FAQ

Which pieces are included in this book?

Nine novellas and short stories in all: "Old Mill," "A Tale of Two Fish," "Little Darling," "The Fiery Eye in the Devil's Tent," "Dream of Falling Flowers," "The Crescent Girl," "The 100th Ear," "I'd Rather Not Tell Her," and "Dreams Left at Jialing." The subject matter relates mostly to a past weighted with history, each piece from a different angle.

What is the overall tone of the collection?

The tone is somber and lyrical. The book writes of a past steeped in blood and tears, of falling flowers drifting away on a mournful torrent, of orphaned children of martyrs carrying on the fight along their parents' bloodstained trail. The author does not shy away from suffering but interweaves the past with the characters' fates, so it reads with emotional intensity rather than as a mere catalogue of hardship.

Is it suitable for reading in one sitting?

Not really. The nine pieces share similar subject matter, and the emotional intensity is high; reading them consecutively can be emotionally draining. A better approach is to read them slowly, one at a time, leaving time for the feelings to settle after each so the differences between the pieces can emerge.

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About the author

马自天 Author · China

Ma Zitian is a Chinese author about whom little public information is available; neither his birth and death dates, his educational background, nor his writing career have been clearly recorded. The only work by him confirmed in our database is Lao Mo (The Old Mill), which is classified as a classic work and serves as the main basis for understanding his writing. Judging from the title and this common classification, the work may well deal with rural life, everyday labor, or folk memory, and may have a plain, realistic quality; however, its specific subject matter, narrative approach, and style are difficult to determine with certainty because of the lack of further texts and critical materials. As a writer with only one traceable work, Ma Zitian is not active in the public eye, and his influence rests chiefly on this single work, Lao Mo. Readers who wish to know more about him and his writing must still rely on the original text and on materials disclosed later.