Love in the Mountains

梓话Jinan University Press · ChinaNov 2015

Rating 3.2
Word count
417K words
Chapters
40
ISBN
9787566813770

Tags

Social Fiction Country LifeMountain Village TeachingSocial ChangeStruggle Against FateFate of the TimesLove TriangleInnocent LoveSpecial EraSent-Down Youth Era

Summary

Centered on a simple love story, this novel traces how people rubbed against and adapted to society, and struggled against fate, in the turbulent historical environment of the 1960s and 1970s. The hero, Li Honglei, is a village educated youth sent down to the countryside; the heroine, Yuan Xinyan, returns to rural life with her “rightist” father, and the two teach children together at the school of the remote mountain hamlet Shiban'ao. In the embrace of the mountains, the young couple gradually falls in love. When university enrollment resumes for the first time, both are recommended by the poor and lower-middle peasants—yet on the way to receive their admission tickets, an accident leaves Li Honglei blind. Soon afterward, the Party's rehabilitation of “rightists” offers Yuan's family a chance to return to the city, and the lovers' lives are irrevocably changed. Drawing on the author's ten-plus years at the grassroots, the book meditates on human nature and fate, portraying stubborn, persistent “small people” who refuse to drift with the current yet must bow to destiny. Woven from purity and beauty, it creates a pastoral paradise—Shiban'ao—that modern society can no longer find.

Editor's review

Mountain Love is a literary work by Zi Hua set in a mountain village, published by Jinan University Press. With delicate strokes, the book depicts the profound connection between people and nature and the emotional stories that unfold in the mountains. In her distinctive narrative style, Zi Hua skillfully blends natural scenery with characters' inner worlds, creating a quiet and far-reaching reading atmosphere. In content, the book is not only a literary work but also a philosophical reflection on the relationship between nature and human nature. For readers who enjoy regional literature and nature-themed writing, it offers rich imaginative space and emotional resonance. Note, however, that the narrative pace is relatively slow and the plot may not move tightly; it is suited to being savored slowly in a quiet setting. Overall, Mountain Love is a work worth reading with calm attention, especially for readers seeking spiritual solace and literary beauty.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Not a good fit for

Reading tips

  1. Read in sections in a quiet environment to better absorb the atmosphere
  2. Relate the reading to your own experiences of nature for association and reflection
  3. After reading, consider recording your impressions to deepen understanding

About the publisher

Jinan University Press China · Founded in 1989

Jinan University Press is a comprehensive university press known for publishing in language and writing, history and culture, and medicine. Judging from the 2,481 titles in the database, its publishing focuses on language and writing research, the compilation of unearthed documents, Chinese culture and Eastern philosophy, traditional Chinese medicine, and grassroots medical standards. Representative books include the Chinese Dictionary (Second Edition), the series on the collected interpretation and modern translation of Warring States documents from the Language Services Series and the series on the language of unearthed documents, Chinese Cultural Psychology (6th Edition), Illustrated Compendium of Traditional Chinese Medicine Processing Techniques, and Construction and Technical Standards for Standardized Bronchoscopy Rooms in Primary-Level Pediatrics. In terms of authors, scholars such as Zhu Cheng, Zhang Yujin, Wang Fengyan, Zheng Hong, Cao Hui and Ma Zhiguo form its author base in language and documents, cultural psychology, and traditional Chinese medicine. In terms of publishing characteristics, the press emphasizes the collected interpretation and modern translation of unearthed documents and language service research, while also systematically organizing cultural psychology and medical techniques. Public information on specific matters such as overseas Chinese-language education is limited and is therefore not elaborated here.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 自序
  3. 第一卷
  4. 第一章
  5. 第二章
  6. 第三章
  7. 第四章
  8. 第五章
  9. 第六章
  10. 第七章
  11. 第二卷
  12. 第八章
  13. 第九章
  14. 第十章
  15. 第十一章
  16. 第十二章
  17. 第十三章
  18. 第十四章
  19. 第十五章
  20. 第十六章
  21. 第十七章
  22. 第三卷
  23. 第十八章
  24. 第十九章
  25. 第二十章
  26. 第二十一章
  27. 第二十二章
  28. 第二十三章
  29. 第二十四章
  30. 第二十五章
  31. 第二十六章
  32. 第二十七章
  33. 第二十八章
  34. 第二十九章
  35. 第三十章
  36. 第三十一章
  37. 第三十二章
  38. 第三十三章
  39. 尾声
  40. 后记

FAQ

What is the book's main theme? It mainly explores the relationship between people and nature, along with emotional and philosophical reflection set against a mountain backdrop.
What is the background of the author Zi Hua? Zi Hua is a writer focused on regional literature, skilled at revealing nature and human nature through delicate narrative.
Is this book suitable as a gift? It is suitable for friends who enjoy literature, nature, or seek peace of mind, and has distinctive reading value.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

梓话 Author

Zihua: currently, public information is limited, and details such as the author's English name, nationality, and dates of birth and death cannot be confirmed. According to the library's holdings, Zihua has one work to date, Shanlian (Mountain Love), commonly classified as a social novel. A single work makes it difficult to sketch a complete creative trajectory, but it does show that the author turns to realistic society and uses fiction to observe human emotions and social relationships. The character "shan" (mountain) in the title suggests a story possibly set in mountainous rural areas, while "lian" (love) points to an emotional thread; together they give the work both a regional atmosphere and an emotional narrative. Based on the available information, Zihua's writing is still at a stage of initial recognition by readers, and its choice of subject matter and narrative orientation are closer to the social novel tradition, focusing on ordinary people's circumstances and feelings. Because more works and public information are lacking, this article makes no assertions about the author's writing style, creative process, or literary influence, pending further materials.