At the end of “This Is a Land of Wonders,” Liang Xiaosheng reflects, “We have endured the immense hardships and joys of cultivating this miraculous land. From now on, whether we leave or stay, no hardship or adversity will ever strike fear into our hearts, nor will it make us surrender…”.
Shi Tiesheng, in his narrative of the rural re-education movement, “The Story of Being Sent Down,” touches on a poignant truth when he addresses skepticism about the feelings of educated youth. He writes: “When you search your conscience, you are at a loss for words. What can you say? That ‘I would go back if my legs weren’t paralyzed, or I wouldn’t have left in the first place’? Such statements would not convince anyone. It is this frankness that carries through to his later work, “Me and the Temple of Earth,” and gives his stories a profound impact on readers.
Although “The Story of Being Sent Down” is a novella, its depth often causes readers to pause and reflect deeply. Wang Xiaobo and Ah Cheng may weave stories with more legendary elements, but the characters penned by Shi Tiesheng are compelling in their authenticity. Coupled with his occasional poetic or critical observations, his writing skills are undeniably impressive.
To the post-80s generation, the educated youth movement may seem like a distant legend, and to those born in the 2000s, it’s even more of a myth. Shi Tiesheng observed, “History moves forward on its own terms, oblivious to others. If you’re interested in our past, in rural life, or in thinking about our origins and our future, The Story of Being Sent Down is a novel not to be missed.