Elephant

Name: Elephant
ISBN: 9787559934024

Yang ZhijunNew Star Press · ChinaJun 2024

3.8

Word count: 474K words
Chapters: 13
ISBN: 9787559934024

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Summary

The winding Lancang River and dense primeval forests bear witness to generation after generation of people of many ethnic groups living in harmony with nature. When a young elephant, Phoenix Tree, accidentally falls from a cliff, the young man Mao Guanhua spares no effort to save it, and so begins a journey through the tropical rainforests of the Tropic of Cancer in search of, rescue of, and love for elephants… It tells the story of several generations of elephants from the Burmese Rosewood family, separated for decades, reuniting, migrating north, and then returning to their habitat. With a poetic and graceful touch, the novel presents in full Yunnan's wondrous tropical rainforest ecology, its rich flora and fauna, and its colorful ethnic cultures; it celebrates the people who selflessly devote themselves to protecting elephants and building an ecological civilization; it highlights the ecological civilization idea that 'humans and nature are a community of life'; and it showcases the grand vision, unremitting efforts, and brilliant achievements of China in the new era as it 'builds a modernization of harmony between humanity and nature.' Between us and the elephants, at last, in this way, we meet, come to know, nurture, and accompany one another, taking in the sentient harmony of all things living together and listening to a song of life that transcends death.

Editor's review

Elephant is a novel by Yang Zhijun that, following his Tibetan Mastiff series, turns its focus to ecology and philosophical reflection on life. It continues the author's deep engagement with animals and nature, but its narrative scope and spiritual core are markedly broader. Centered on an Asian elephant named Kun, the novel uses his legendary life course to weave a vast canvas stretching from the rainforests of Yunnan to the battlefields of Myanmar and to city zoos. This is not merely a story about an elephant; it is also a mirror held up to human civilization, desire, and ethical dilemmas.

Yang Zhijun's touch is quiet yet powerful. He fuses solid field research with abundant literary imagination, so that Kun rises above a mere animal protagonist to become a symbolic presence bearing dignity, memory, and suffering. The relationship between elephants and humans in the novel is complex and subtle: from an early reverence and coexistence, to being drawn into war as tools, to being imprisoned in the cages of modern civilization. This process is depicted with breathtaking force and points directly at the crude intervention of anthropocentrism in the order of nature. The author does not preach simple morals; through delicate portrayals of fate, he leads readers to feel a wordless yet immense pain of life and the weight of existence.

In terms of reading value, Elephant is a work that combines literary beauty with intellectual depth. It offers a window onto knowledge of the elephant species and the historical changes along the border, and, more profoundly, it stirs reflection on fundamental questions of the right to life, ecological responsibility, and what civilization is for. In an age of accelerating species loss and worsening ecological crisis, this novel, through its distinctive narrative, completes a mournful and solemn memorial to life and an inquiry into the soul. It does not offer an easy reading experience, but it gives in return a long-lasting spiritual echo.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a strong interest in animal literature and nature writing
Thinkers concerned with ecological ethics and the questions of the Anthropocene
Literature lovers who appreciate quiet, powerful, and richly symbolic narrative
Readers hoping to understand history and human nature through an unusual perspective

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking fast-paced, plot-driven entertainment
Readers who feel strong discomfort at descriptions of animal suffering

Reading tips

Slow your reading pace and immerse yourself in the grave atmosphere and detailed description the author creates
It may help to watch documentaries or read material on the current situation of Asian elephants, to deepen your understanding of the work's real-world background
As you read, consider the hidden connections between Kun's fate and the human condition

About the publisher

New Star Press China · Founded in 1989

New Star Press focuses on classic works, mystery and detective fiction, science fiction, history, foreign literature and art, and its 602 titles in the library show a balance between popular reading and humanistic depth. Representative books include The Complete Works of Shakespeare: Illustrated Collector's Edition, And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, The Player of Games, Local Government in Qing China, A Good Man Is Hard to Find and A Collection of Fine Ukiyo-e Prints, spanning classic literature, detective fiction, science fiction, local history and visual art. Its authors and contributors include William Shakespeare, Agatha Christie and Iain M. Banks, as well as translators such as Zhu Shenghao and Su Fuzhong and illustrators such as John Gilbert and George Cruikshank. Known for the detective series Midnight Library and for social-science and humanities titles, the press emphasizes edition design and reading experience; public information is limited, so this profile highlights the publishing features reflected in the library's books.

版权信息
第一章北回归路之歌
第二章缅桂花之歌
第三章勐巴拉娜西之歌
第四章蝴蝶坝子之歌
第五章黎明城之歌
第六章美登木之歌
第七章 “绞杀植物”之歌
第八章澜沧江之歌
第九章龙血树之歌
第十章聚果榕坝子之歌
第十一章北上之歌
尾声孔雀桥之歌

FAQ

Is this book similar in style to Tibetan Mastiff?

Both focus on animals, but Elephant has a grander scope and deeper philosophical reflection. Its narrative center shifts from praising a certain spiritual quality to a complex examination of life's vicissitudes and civilization's dilemmas, and its literary technique is more restrained and symbolic.

Is the story too heavy and sad?

The novel does have a mournful tone, following Kun's forced departure from home, his experience of war, and his loss of freedom. But this heaviness is not for sentimentality; it reveals real ecological and ethical dilemmas, and at its core lies a deep lament for, and call to, the dignity of life.

Is it suitable for young readers?

The book is strongly literary and intellectual and deals with heavy themes such as war and captivity, requiring some life experience and capacity for empathy to absorb. It is recommended for mature upper-secondary or university students, read with guidance from parents or teachers, where it can prompt deep discussion about life and responsibility.

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About the author

Yang Zhijun Author · China · 1955

Yang Zhijun was born in Xining, Qinghai, in 1955, with ancestral roots in Mengjin, Henan, and now lives in Qingdao. Having spent over forty years on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, he draws deeply on this land for his writing. His works span social fiction, documentary literature, mystery and suspense, essays, and inspirational growth, with ten titles in the collection. His representative works include the novels Tibetan Mastiff, Crumbling Around the Lake, and The Great Sorrowful Plain, which focus on plateau life and the relationship between humans and nature. In 2023, he won the 11th Mao Dun Literature Prize for his novel Snow Mountain and Great Earth. Other works such as The Shoreless Sea, The War in Tibet, and The Elephant continue his attention to frontier life and ecological themes, with solid narrative and a steady style.