Talking About Things

红日May 2025

3.4

Word count: 154K words
Chapters: 70

Summary

This collection of novellas and short stories centers on rural love and moral ethics, set against the urban and rural landscapes of northwestern Guangxi. It depicts the lives and living conditions of grassroots officials from townships up to the county and city level, as well as ordinary people, during China’s social transformation, reflecting complex human relationships and explaining objective phenomena of life. The content is wholesome, filled with humanistic care and human warmth.

Editor's review

*Shuo Shi* is a collection of novellas and short stories by Hong Ri that turns its gaze on the everyday folds of urban and rural life in northwestern Guangxi. Rather than relying on sensational plots, the works use rural love and moral ethics as entry points to depict the living conditions of grassroots officials from the township to county and city levels and of ordinary people, presenting the complexity of human relations and the objective logic of life during a period of social transformation. Its value lies in a plain, unobtrusive narrative stance: it writes of conflict but also of the human heart, and between the lines there is understanding and warmth toward ordinary people. The author knows grassroots life well; the characters' words and deeds carry the flavor of real life, the details are solid, and readers can easily see reflections of reality in the choices of a certain official or a certain household. It suits slow reading in quiet hours, with pauses between pieces for reflection; it also serves as a literary reference for readers concerned with rural society, grassroots governance, and changing ethics. Those seeking strong plot or the excitement of urban themes may find it not to their taste.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literary readers interested in rural society and grassroots life
Readers who enjoy novellas and short stories and are used to the short-form rhythm
Those interested in themes of rural love and moral ethics
People who want to understand changes in human relations during social transformation through fiction

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer strong plot and fast-paced suspense stories
Those who only want to read urban workplace or fantasy fiction

Reading tips

Read piece by piece, leaving a few minutes after each to reflect on the characters' situations.
Pay attention to the dialogue between grassroots officials and ordinary people, and observe how the author uses speech to portray relationships.
You may compare the stories with your own impressions of township life; there is no need to rush to judge the characters' choices.

版权信息
时代特征与地域文化背景下的个性化叙事（代序）
说事
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
蟒蛇生活在热带水边
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
后记
被叫错名字的人
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
黑夜没人叫我回家
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
我的远房叔叔英明
01
02
03
04
05
动弹不得
01
02
03
04
影子
01
02
03
04
05
越过冰层
01
02
03
04
05
06
再版后记

FAQ

Does this book need to be read in order?

As a collection of novellas and short stories, the pieces are relatively independent and need not be read strictly in order. You can start with whichever interests you, or follow the table of contents; if you want to feel the continuity of themes and background, reading in order will be smoother.

Where is the story set?

The material indicates a setting in the towns and countryside of northwestern Guangxi, pointing to China's period of social transformation, with characters ranging from grassroots officials at the township, county, and city levels to ordinary people; it depicts life and living conditions in this environment.

Is it suitable to read in one sitting?

A collection of novellas and short stories is better read in installments. Each piece has its own characters and situations, and reading continuously can blur them together; reading at intervals makes it easier to appreciate the different emphases on ethics and emotion in each piece.

Comments

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About the author

红日 Author

Hong Ri is an author about whom limited public information is available; the author's real name, dates of birth and death, and nationality have not been clearly recorded and require further verification. Nine works by Hong Ri are held in the collection, spanning social fiction, war and military themes, classic works, and modern romance, which suggests a fairly broad range of writing. Representative works include Village Residency Notes, Hong Ri: A Literary Federation Trilogy (3 volumes), Approval for Reimbursement, Speaking of Matters, Please Take a Seat, The Wharf, Fishing, and Work Report. Judging from these titles, Hong Ri's writing often draws on real social life and grassroots experience, focusing on everyday people and affairs and on the changes of the times, with a plain and life-oriented narrative tendency. Because verifiable biographical materials are insufficient, a full picture of the author's creative output and literary influence still awaits more complete documentation.