The Ups and Downs of the Commoners book cover

The Ups and Downs of the Commoners

This non-fiction novel tells the life of ordinary commoners in the middle of the 20th century in China, from the series of movements such as "Land Reform", "Great Leap Forward", "Cultural Revolution" and "Educated Youth Going to the Countryside" to the early days of Reform and Opening-up. The book has four volumes, and was published by Hong Kong Chinese International Publishing House in 2015. The protagonist of this book, Fang Zhengben, was born into a bankrupt family of landowners. Their family has lived in Taiqing Town for generations. When he was six years old, he left Taiqing Town with his parents and came to Longyun Mountain, where the mountains overlap. From then on, he began an unusual life: their family hard work, but they couldn't eat enough; he yearned for reading, but he has dropped out of school three times before graduating from junior high school; he is diligent and studious, with excellent grades, but the door of colleges is


Year:
2015
1,382 Views

Submitted by zefu_g on January 13, 2021
Modified by zefu_g on September 24, 2024


								
Introduction to the novel " The ups and downs of the commoners " Description:(continued) he is diligent and studious, with excellent grades, but the door of colleges is closed to him for no reason; he was a teacher, but he in the morning stood on the sacred podium still, In afternoon he became a prisoner of the "dictatorship of the masses"; no girl in the village dared to associate with him, but he miraculously gained the love of a girl from the city; he was completely desperate for the future , But his fate has changed after ten years. After more than ten years of hard work, he reached the peak of his career. The stories in this book include: the great famine caused by false reports and exaggerations in the "Great Leap Forward"; after the "Great Leap Forward", a student's difficult journey to school; in the "Cultural Revolution", people criticize and fight each other, and killed each other; Urban middle school students are not allowed to go to school and are forced to go to the countryside to be farmers; The mutual care and love of family members, the honesty and friendliness of relatives, friends, classmates and neighbors, and the mutual help; Like the seventh fairy, she came to the world from heaven and fell in love with Dong Yong, but was forced to break up, leaving a tragedy; Like Zhuo Wenjun, she boldly followed Sima Xiangru and eventually became a happy marriage; The prosperity brought by reform and opening up to society. Welcome to the memorable stories! The Ups and Downs of the Commoners By Dongshan Yishi (China) People say that "The Qingming Festival this day drizzle does not stop", this year's Qingming Festival, the weather is particularly sunny. In the early morning, the sun had just risen over the eastern horizon, and a "Beijing Hyundai" brand sedan in which the near 70-year-old Fangzhengben was riding was already speeding on the highway from Longcheng to Chengdu. Fang Zhengben retired from a middle school in Longcheng City 8 years ago, and today, accompanied by his wife Lin Xinlan, he returned to Longyun Mountain to sweep and worship the graves of his parents who had passed away for many years, and an unfortunate little brother who lost his life at a young age. In less than two hours, the sedan had crossed Lingjing County, leaving the county seat behind. Hearing that the road from Xinghua Town to Taiqing Town was under construction, they decided to take the next exit and exit the highway. Through a long tunnel, the sedan has entered the Territory of Huachang County. Exit the expressway from Yong'an exit, and the majestic Longyun Mountain is already within easy reach. Lin Xinlan sighed and said, "It's so fast! When we went to the countryside in here, it took two days to go back to Longcheng, and we had to stay in the county seat of Lingjing County for one night. Now, it only takes two hours!" At this time, through the sedan window, they see is one after another vineyards, citrus groves, aquaculture gardens, leisure resorts and one building after another villa-style houses yellow walls red tiles. The neatly arranged street lamp poles on the side of the road, the well-designed and culturally charged bus stops, the various amusement facilities close to the village, and the carefully cultivated various flowers and plants make Fang Zhengben and Lin Xinlan sitting in the sedan unable to find a trace of the countryside of in their memory. Fang Zhengben said: "Look at the changes in this rural area over the years. It is really turned the world upside down!” As the two people are talking, a golden glazed tile gatehouse with the words "Loquat Expo Garden in Western China" came into view. Behind the gatehouse, Eriobotrya japonica trees of the hills full of are hung with loquats, like emerald sparkling, enviable. Not much time, the sedan arrived at the foot of Longyun Mountain, and they saw a large yellow cloth hanging on the road, on which was written a few red big words: "Beautiful Dong Mountain① Welcomes you!" Sedan continued to crawl up the winding, but perfectly clean, concrete road, and soon reached the middle of the hill. Here, there is a long white wall inside the road. Behind the wall and across the yard, there is a neat row of buildings. On the top of the building stand the four big words "Yunya Mountain Villa". On the side of the road in front of the wall, stood a huge billboard with the words "Dong Mountain Yunya Rabbit breeding Base". Below the big word, there is a line of small word: "Grazing on the Mountain, High Quality". At both ends of the wall and connected to it is a wire mesh, and its two extremity is invisible to the human eye. Hordes of gray rabbits and white rabbits were skipping under the trees behind the buildings and having fun. After crossing the ridge, at once entered the boundary of Lianghekou in Linjin County. Familiar Yanwo Rock, Yueya Ridge, Laifong Peak, Puxian Peak, Jinzi Peak, Cuiping Mountain running over face to Fang Zhengben. In the area of a few miles of mountain village, warm spring breeze whisk, group mountains be wrap green; Among the pines and cypresses, the small buildings decorated with glazed tiles gleamed in the sun; In Layer of upon layer terraced fields, rapeseed, peas, wheat will have a good harvest. "Stop the car!" Sedan stopped in front of a small building with a sign that said "Mountain Village Farmhouse Happy". As soon as Fang Zhengben and Lin Xinlan got out of the car, they were seen just by Meng Yongxiu, the hostess of the "Farmhouse Happy ". She shouted loudly: "Oh, it's Fang Zhengben and Lin Xinlan who are back!” Some old men were drinking tea and playing mahjong below the Farmhouse, hear that Fang Zhengben and Lin Xinlan were back, they came out of the building to meet the couple. Fang Zhengben and Lin Xinlan see Fang Xinyou, Fang Xinlin, Ying Shuze, Lin Jiliang, Lin Jifa and other old acquaintances, also warmly greet them. Lin jiliang sees Fang Zhengben with white hair, but wearing a suit and leather shoes, his face is rosy. "Now you and your family are very happiness!" he says. Fang Zhengben with a smile, meaningfully and said, "It should be said that everyone has been happiness than before these years. I see you guys have a great time too!" "That's true." Everyone said, "Now we don't work all day like used to, and we're always short of food and clothes!” Meng Yongxiu scrambling said: "Now every family has surplus grain, even old grains a few years ago still there, even put the plow on hold and three years do not cultivate, there is no lack of food to eat; Clothes, follow the trend, even those that were thrown away, were much better than what they had worn before; Houses, you see, many houses are new buildings." Fang Xinyou, who has retired the village party secretary, said: "In a word, the current government's reform and opening policy is good. You see, now farmers do not have to pay public grain (agricultural tax), and the government no longer assigns tasks to farmers, stipulate that they have to sell grain to the country at low prices, instead give subsidies. If there is no reform and opening up, can all this happen?" Meng Yongxiu looked at Lin Xinlan, asked: "Have you met a few educated young people who went to the countryside with you?" Lin Xinlan said: "Often see, they are all very well." Meng Yongxiu said again: "You're having lunch here today! I treat!" Everyone all invite Fang Zhengben and Lin Xinlan to their home. Fang Zhengben said: "Thanks! Thanks! We first go to the cemetery to pay mourn. Then we to Taiqing Town to visit our elderly brother and sister-in-law!”
Rate:4.0 / 1 vote

Discuss this The Ups and Downs of the Commoners book with the community:

0 Comments

    Translation

    Translate and read this book in other languages:

    Select another language:

    • - Select -
    • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
    • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
    • Español (Spanish)
    • Esperanto (Esperanto)
    • 日本語 (Japanese)
    • Português (Portuguese)
    • Deutsch (German)
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • Français (French)
    • Русский (Russian)
    • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
    • 한국어 (Korean)
    • עברית (Hebrew)
    • Gaeilge (Irish)
    • Українська (Ukrainian)
    • اردو (Urdu)
    • Magyar (Hungarian)
    • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
    • Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Italiano (Italian)
    • தமிழ் (Tamil)
    • Türkçe (Turkish)
    • తెలుగు (Telugu)
    • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
    • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
    • Čeština (Czech)
    • Polski (Polish)
    • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Românește (Romanian)
    • Nederlands (Dutch)
    • Ελληνικά (Greek)
    • Latinum (Latin)
    • Svenska (Swedish)
    • Dansk (Danish)
    • Suomi (Finnish)
    • فارسی (Persian)
    • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
    • հայերեն (Armenian)
    • Norsk (Norwegian)
    • English (English)

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this book to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Ups and Downs of the Commoners Books." Literature.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 8 Oct. 2024. <https://www.literature.com/book/the_ups_and_downs_of_the_commoners_1033>.

    We need you!

    Help us build the largest authors community and books collection on the web!

    Autumn 2024

    Writing Contest

    Join our short stories contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    1
    month
    22
    days
    11
    hours

    Our favorite collection of

    Famous Authors

    »

    Our awesome collection of

    Promoted Books

    »

    Quiz

    Are you a literary expert?

    »
    In which novel does the character Ishmael appear?
    A The Odyssey
    B Heart of Darkness
    C The Old Man and the Sea
    D Moby Dick