A unique historical and cultural essay with a unique vision

Forty Degrees North Latitude: by Chen Fumin; published by Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House.

Writer Chen Fumin brings the grand and rough northern atmosphere into our literary vision with his new work "Forty Degrees North Latitude". In historical and cultural prose writing, different writers have different characteristics, some are good at summarizing the rise and fall of a dynasty, some pay attention to the dramatic tension of specific historical scenes, and some establish biographies for historical figures. The author takes "forty degrees north latitude" as the object of the narrative, providing a possibility of understanding.

In his view, "forty degrees north latitude" is not only a physical geographical concept, but also a cultural geography concept. It is an area where farming and nomadism meet, and it is also an important area for the integration of civilization and culture. "Forty Degrees North Latitude" traces the history from 300 BC to the end of the 17th century, focusing on important historical scenes such as Zhaojun Outsai, Emperor Xiaowen's relocation of the capital, and Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures, going deep into the historical context of the continuous integration and growth of the Chinese nation, presenting the dynamic cultural relations within Chinese civilization, and responding from this perspective to why Chinese civilization has survived over the years and is full of vitality.

The creation of historical and cultural essays must have both a historical vision and effort, as well as literary conception and writing, and "Forty Degrees North Latitude" strives to have both. Authenticity is the life of historical writing. If the historical materials used are not rigorous enough, they will reduce the credibility and persuasiveness of the writing and lose the foundation of historical and cultural writing. The author continued to study history for many years, and in order to write the book, he went through the "Twenty-Four Histories" and other related materials in the history of dynasties, professional history, historical theory, and notes of the ancients. These desk kung fu fall on the pen, which is the way of writing in "Forty Degrees North Latitude" with the main reference of the main reference. For the same period of history, the author carefully draws on the narratives in different historical sources and analyzes them, choosing to be as appropriate as possible in the historical context. For example, when commenting on the famous Western Han Dynasty general Li Guang, the author quoted the "Historical Records" and the "Historical Atlas of China" respectively, and examined the administrative division and latitude position of "Xiaoguan". Because of reliable historical materials, vivid literary narration has a solid foundation.

The author relies on historiography to complete the historical cognition and material trade-off, and literature gives him the talent to tell historical stories well. Like a curious connoisseur, the author swims through history, gazing at important moments and important figures in history, imagining their life circumstances and fateful choices. For example, he wrote a literary description of the state of mind of Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei when he moved the capital to Luoyang. In the face of Pingcheng, who was born and grew up in Si, emotionally, Emperor Xiaowen may feel that his homeland is difficult to leave, but rationally speaking, going south is more conducive to the lives of the people. He had to go, and even had to make sacrifices. Through the author's sincere narration, the image of a reformer enters the reader's heart. In this sense, "Forty Degrees North Latitude" combines vivid language, delicate descriptions, appropriate psychological analysis and rigorous historical materials in content, and talks with readers, "looking at the ancient and modern in the past and the present, and touching the four seas in a moment." Balancing the authenticity of history with the imagination of literature is not an easy task, and the new horizon of "Forty Degrees North Latitude" is eye-catching. However, as an interdisciplinary study and writing, the book's grasp of historical events and historical figures also needs to be placed in a larger historical orientation and can withstand the test of different disciplines.

Speaking of the original intention of the creation, the author said: "Taking history as the scripture and the geographical belt of 40 degrees north latitude as the latitude, to unfold a 'participatory' map of the ancient rivers and mountains, this is my long-term wish. As he narrates, the picture unfolds slowly before us.

People's Daily (20 december 28, 2021, 20th edition)