Literature & Literary Studies
A Village of One’s Own
by Liu Liangcheng
The book provides a poetic portrayal of plants, animals, wind, nights, moon and dream in a village from the angle of 'an idle person', who only regards sunrise and sunset, the blooming and fading of flowers as big things and feels the dignity of everything in the world in a free and natural living situation, instead of being busy with spring sowing and autumn harvest. All the gazing and touching of everything in the world as well as dialogue with them fill the book with vitality and spirituality. It becomes a modern classic allowing people to get rid of the noisy social life and return to natural living situation. The prose collection A Village of One’s Own has great popularity all over China. It has been perceived as a must-read for those who want to experience the culture and tradition of Chinese rural scenery and life. From the perspective of an “idle person”, the author poetically depicts the woods, animals, winds, nights, moonlight, and dreams in this village. This “idle man” subordinates sowing and harvesting to observing the sun’s rising and setting, as well as the flowers’ booming and withering.He indulges himself in a natural way of living to feel the dignity of the universe. He lies down on the broad fields, listening attentively to the hum of insects, and smiles at a flower in this desolate place. He finds out the donkeys that push carts and work for human beings are sophisticated intellectuals, and the rats that are busy collecting foods may also joyously celebrate their gains...All these stares into, touches upon, and conversations with every living thing on the earth have breathed life into the book, hence rid this contemporary classic of chaos of the secular society, but let it embrace a natural way to survive and thrive.
