"The Age of Awakening" is a passionate work of feeling the enthusiasm of youth, feeling the responsibility and responsibility, and continuing the strength of struggle, and the experience and enlightenment in it are worthy of in-depth exploration and summary.
The author of this article is Yan Jingming, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Writers Association
More than a hundred years ago, a group of awakened Chinese consciously became the revolutionaries who rose up in the freedom and liberation of the toiling masses; today, a hundred years later, their deeds have crossed the centuries and won the people's high recognition, understanding, touching and reverence in passing on the torch. In 2021, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year, the TV series "The Age of Awakening" written by the famous party history expert Long Pingping has aroused continuous hot reviews, of which the screen image has become an indispensable part of contemporary spiritual life.
In 2022, on the occasion of the arrival of the New Year, the "Age of Awakening" rekindled the hot spot, and the long historical novel "The Age of Awakening" created by Long Pingping officially met with readers. This is also a rare long-form masterpiece, which will surely stir up the layers of social waves again.
The novel "The Age of Awakening" keenly and accurately captures the biggest key word in the period of historical transition: awakening. The earliest awakened people, they did not pursue self-help, not escape, not personal comfort, but true knowledge and truth, which is the best way to liberate the nation. Relying on profound education, profound research, and exquisite ideas, Long Pingping accurately grasped the core of "awakening" and launched a long history of social changes caused by the fierce collision of new and old concepts and Chinese and foreign cultures.
The novel recreates the germination of thought on the eve of the great historical changes. Based on a new historical perspective, the work traces back to Chinese society a hundred years ago, traces the trajectory of the changes in modernity at that time, and goes deep into the soul of the characters, shaping the image of Li Dazhao, Chen Duxiu, Cai Yuanpei, Lu Xun, Hu Shi and other intellectuals who are struggling to find a way out for a disaster-stricken China, showing the unremitting struggle and courageous sacrifice of this group in the struggle of ideology, culture and reality.
Their concepts are different from each other, and their views are sometimes conflicting, but they all have clear life goals, strong cultural responsibilities and strong feelings of home and country, and they are all looking for a new way for the dark old China. The struggle between the old and new camps, the conflicts of the same camp, and the contradictions of the personal inner world are intertwined in the novel, and the Chinese cultural pains in the new cultural tide of the May Fourth Movement are vividly depicted.
The novel unfolds a rich and three-dimensional picture of social life. The open and secret struggles between warlords and the vivid scenes of the "May Fourth" parade make people want to read them endlessly.
The depiction of the scene of the burning of the Zhao Family Building is the most sensual and detailed description of this historical event that I have personally seen. This kind of writing that integrates documentary, drama and novelty comes from the author's familiarity with historical facts, emotional investment and maturity of skills. The novel highlights the storms of the times in the fireworks of the world, and writes the unique beauty of life in the "age of awakening".
Zhao Shulan to Li Dazhao, Gao Junman to Chen Duxiu, Jiang Dongxiu to Hu Shi, and the fictional young woman Liu Mei to Chen Yannian, these women, no matter how different their origins, ages, education level, and participation in social struggles, all reflect clear or hazy righteousness and responsibility.
The novel's depiction of Chen Yannian and Chen Qiaonian's unremitting pursuit of ideals and clear and straightforward personalities, the narrative of the Chen father and son from fierce conflict to the same direction, and the portrayal of the villain Zhang Fengzai, etc., all strengthen the novel's storytelling and dynamic intensity. At the same time, the novel's vivid description of food, clothing, calligraphy and painting, and language very truly restores the historical scenes of more than a hundred years ago, which is undoubtedly a wonderful fusion of history and literature.
Through the vivid depiction and vivid display of historical pictures, "The Age of Awakening" naturally reveals the real bones and grand themes it pursues: the birth of the Communist Party of China is a historical necessity, and the dedication of a generation of intellectuals and enthusiastic young people is precisely the ideological, cultural and political preparation for this groundbreaking event. The works integrate ideological charm, cultural charm and artistic charm, combine real history, characters, events and vivid artistic depictions, and produce aesthetic power with great impact, shock and appeal.
There is no shortage of variations and story interludes in various themes, and there are also branches and branches without plots and the shuttles and intersections of characters, but readers can get a holistic view, and the reason is that because of the distinct themes running through it, all stories have strong bones.
"The Age of Awakening" is a passionate work of feeling the enthusiasm of youth, feeling the responsibility and responsibility, and continuing the strength of struggle, and the experience and enlightenment in it are worthy of in-depth exploration and summary. (Yan Jingming)
Other reading lists:
The complete biography of Chen Duxiu (Tang Baolin);
Novel "Comedy" (Chen Yan)