Dou Yuesheng 1. Author introduction Zhang Jie (1937-January 21, 2022), whose ancestral home is Fushun, Liaoning, was born in Beijing. He graduated from Renmin University of China. He is a famous contemporary writer and former vice chairman of the Chinese Writers Association.

Dou Yuesheng

1. Author introduction

Zhang Jie (1937-January 21, 2022), native of Fushun, Liaoning, was born in Beijing, graduated from Renmin University of China, famous contemporary writer, served as China Writers Guild Vice Chairman.

Her works take "people" and "love" as the themes, and explore the human spiritual world with strong emotional strokes. They are delicate, profound, elegant and mellow. She has won the Mao Dun Literature Award twice. Her representative works include "Love Can't Be Forgotten" "", "Ark", "Emerald", etc.

Zhang Jie lost his father when he was young and took his mother's surname. When I was in elementary school and middle school, I loved music and literature. He graduated from the Planning and Statistics Department of Renmin University of China in 1960 and went to work in the First Ministry of Machinery Industry. The following year, he joined the Chinese Writers Association. In 1982, he joined the International PEN China Center and went to the United States with a delegation of Chinese writers to attend the first Sino-American Writers Conference. Served as vice chairman of Beijing Writers Association. In 1992, he was elected as an honorary academician of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a member of the Chinese branch of PEN International, a member of the fourth, fifth, and sixth National Committees of the Chinese Writers Association, and an honorary member of the seventh session. Enjoy government special subsidy . He was a national first-class writer, a writer with special contributions awarded by the State Council[6], vice chairman of the Chinese Writers Association, vice chairman of the Beijing Writers Association, and a member of the Beijing CPPCC. " wordless " won the 6th Mao Dun Literature Award award-winning work in 2005.

novel " Heavy Wings " (won the 2nd National Mao Dun Literature Award, and has been translated into German, English, French, Swedish and other languages ​​and published).

The novel "No Words" won the 2nd Lao She Literature Award, the 3rd Beijing Literary and Art Award, and the 6th Mao Dun Literature Award.

"Selected Novels" 2001-2002 Excellent Novel Award, the 6th National Book Award , the 2nd Women's Literature Award, the 6th Mao Dun Literature Award.

On January 21, 2022, Zhang Jie passed away due to illness in the United States.

2. Original text explanation

"dig shepherd's purse "

Zhang Jie

I have a special feeling for shepherd's purse ...

When I was little, I was so greedy! I can eat the freshly cut rose branches that have not yet opened their buds. I can eat them as soon as I peel off the skin; I will put the freshly cut honey into my mouth together with the honeycombs; not to mention green corn cobs and Green dates , green peas . Therefore, whenever I go out and meet the rich man’s fat son, he will always follow me, clapping his hands, jumping up and down and shouting: “Glutty girl! Greedy girl!” I am so embarrassed that I can’t even lift my head. Dare to reply.

I feel ashamed, annoyed and wronged! Who in the family of a seven or eight-year-old girl would want to suffer such a reputation? But what can be done? I'm hungry! I really can’t remember when that feeling of hunger left me. Even now, whenever I recall the scene at that time, the most vivid feeling that remains in my memory is still hunger... I have never been caught bringing anything into the owner's warehouse. Not that I'm exceptionally lucky, but people probably don't want to seriously punish a hungry child. But one time, I was breaking corn cobs in the field of the rich man's house and was discovered by his butler. He immediately took a thick and straight wooden stick and chased me mercilessly. I ran for my life.I thought I must have been running very fast because the wind was whistling beside my ears. I don’t know whether I was frightened and fainted, or the familiar field roads were deliberately playing tricks on me. Why was there a small river in front of me? My pursuers were getting closer. I was so scared that I jumped into the river desperately.

The river is not very deep, but it is enough to cover my short body. I struggled and fluttered silently, losing my balance. The cold river water choked me so much that I almost lost my breath, but the river water was still flowing around me, flowing... In the consciousness that became confused due to terror, it was surprisingly clear. The cruel laughter of the man pursuing me on the shore.

I simply don’t know how I climbed to the other side. What makes me even more frustrated is that one of the shoes on my feet fell off at some point. I really didn't have the courage to go back and look for the lost shoe, but I didn't dare to go home, I was afraid that my mother would know. No, I'm not afraid of her hitting me. I was afraid to see her sad eyes that had been tortured by a poor life and lost their luster. Those eyes will be even darker because I lost my shoes.

I wandered alone in the fields. The sun has set, and the city's colorful sunset gradually recedes from the horizon. In the distance, the temple bells rang through the thin curtain. The sheep bleated and were driven back into the circle by the shepherd children; the crows also quacked back to their nests. The night is getting darker and darker, and the villages, woods, potholes, and ditches all seem to have fallen into a mysterious silence. I heard my mother calling my name anxiously at the entrance of the village, but I didn't dare to answer. For the first time in my life, something more terrifying than hunger crept into my childish heart...

Having said this, people may understand why I have such a special feeling for shepherd's purse.

After a winter when there was nothing to eat and therefore seemed hungrier, the day when spring returns to the earth and everything revives has come again! The fields are full of various wild vegetables: snowwort , purslane , gray cabbage , wild onions... the most delicious one is shepherd's purse. Put it in the corn paste and add some salt flowers, it is really delicious! And the calm mood when digging shepherd's purse can be called a kind of enjoyment: carrying the basket, running with light steps towards the vast fields. The tender shepherd's purse waved their green palms in the breeze, greeting me and welcoming me. I no longer have to worry about anyone chasing me fiercely with a big stick. I can even look up from time to time to see the birds chirping in the sky, the flowers blooming on the trees and the white clouds in the blue sky. At that time, a fervent wish could not help but arise in my heart: I wish everything in this world belonged to each of us like shepherd's purse.

After liberation, I entered the city. Occasionally, you can also see artificially cultivated shepherd's purse for sale in large markets. They are fat and big, always half a foot long, clean and watery. A small bundle, a small bundle, neatly placed on the vegetable stall, and the price is not expensive. But I still miss the shepherd's purse growing in the wild, just like I miss the old friends who have shared hardships with me.

For many years, every spring, I always pick a sunny day and take the children to dig shepherd's purse in the wild fields in the suburbs. I understand that the reason why the children are jumping, running and whistling loudly beside me is mostly because it is an interesting game for them - the warm sunshine, the green fields, just like It appeared in front of them like a beautiful landscape painting, making them feel happy both physically and mentally.When they grew older, they accompanied me to dig shepherd's purses, and it seemed that they were accommodating me, just like those obedient young people accommodating their elders who have become a little eccentric because of their age. At this time, I felt deeply regretful: most of them could not understand my mood of digging shepherd's purse!

When I put a plate of shepherd's purse carefully prepared with refined salt, sesame oil, MSG and white sugar on the dining table (when I was a child, I never dreamed that my lovely shepherd's purse would enjoy such "prosperity and wealth" as it does today) "), they still had that kind of accommodating smile, and casually picked up a few shepherd's purses with chopsticks...

Looking at their lazy chopsticks, my heart felt like an overturned five-flavor bottle, what does it taste like? All. Because I know that this kind of flattering accommodation is not only reflected in the matter of digging shepherd's purse, but also in some of the opinions and behaviors of our generation. To them, some of our opinions and behaviors are like unearthed cultural relics displayed in museums—too far away from their real life to be useful. Naturally, I don’t think our opinions and actions are entirely correct. As long as they don't get bored, I'm even willing to talk to them about the detours we've taken in exploring life, so that they can avoid unnecessary costs. I really hope that we will not become two generations with a deep gap between us, but friends who are connected in spirit.

Children, let us talk more about our hearts. Let mom tell you more stories about when she was a "greedy girl". Think about the scene when your mother dug shepherd's purse, and you will cherish shepherd's purse and life. You will understand what happiness is and how to get happiness.

3. Creative background

"Digging for Shepherd's Purse" was written in 1978. At that time, the country was getting out of chaos, society was stable, economic development was on the right track, people's lives had improved significantly, and admissions examinations for colleges and universities resumed. The pain of the old society and the scars of the new society will always be engraved in the hearts of the parents' generation. Parents always hope that their children should not forget history and suffering, cherish the present, create a future, and have a new life that they have never lived before.

However, although the children who were born in the new society and grew up under the red flag have encountered the "Ten Years of Catastrophe" to some extent, their life is always beautiful, making them feel happy both physically and mentally. They have seen the hardships and ups and downs of their parents' life, and they are unwilling to follow the path their parents have walked, and they do not want to live the hard and unscrupulous life of their parents. They even blame their parents for why they live like this. Parents' expectations of their children and children's incomprehension of their parents constitute the so-called "generation gap." As for how to fill this "generation gap", some people advocate not filling it. The deeper the "generation gap", the better. If the "generation gap" is not deep enough, we will not be able to make big strides forward. Some people "looking at the ditch to rejuvenate the Han Dynasty" have no choice but to blame the children for "the hair on their breasts has not faded", "the smell of their milk has not dried up" and they are not familiar with the world. These propositions and ideas are actually biased. The author believes that at this moment of changing times, the two generations are not opposed to each other, nor is there an insurmountable gap between them. Parents should be patient, follow the guidance and have heart-to-heart conversations, so that their children can learn from the past and avoid detours. Children must respect their parents, correctly understand their parents' opinions and behaviors, and learn lessons from the paths their parents have taken. In this way, the gap between the two generations can be eliminated and the two generations can become close friends, thereby uniting and forging ahead to create a better future.

4. Theme sentiments

By telling daily stories about digging and eating wild vegetables, it illustrates the meaning of life from bitter to sweet, and expresses the feelings of loving life, exploring life, pursuing happiness, and creating a better future.

5. Artistic characteristics

1. Write new ideas on old themes. Remembering the bitter and thinking of the sweet is an old theme, carefully designed by the author to reflect new ideas of contemporary significance.

2. Skillfully foreshadowing. The first half focuses on remembering suffering, while the second half emphasizes cherishing the present. The front is foreshadowing, and the back is the finishing touch.

3. Application of comparison. Compare the two different emotions of "me" towards the shepherd's purse in the vegetable market and the shepherd's purse in the field; compare the different attitudes and moods of "me" and the children towards digging and eating shepherd's purse.

4. Use "love" as a clue throughout the text. The author uses "my" special feelings for shepherd's purse as a clue throughout the entire text. It has the artistic effect of narrating with emotion, combining emotion and reason, emoting people, and educating people with emotion.

6. Related Reading Appreciation

Spring Equinox: Flowers are small dimples inlaid on the cheeks of spring beauties. We share smiles with spring
Dou Yuesheng
A peach blossom brightens the cheeks of spring.
A peach blossom, is it a dimple inlaid on spring’s cheek?
has small dimples, and if doesn't tickle , he will smile happily. Without tickling, Chun will laugh so hard that he laughs forward and backward.
Spring Equinox, this wonderful season arrives uninvited, let us share the smile with spring!
Have you ever seen the "Li Yugang Bird"? I have seen the "Li Yugang Bird"!
It happened to be the day of the Spring Equinox. The poet Wang Dongzhao and I happened to meet the "Guqin couple" and "explored spring" in Lotus Hot Spring.
Yes, we came to visit our old friend "Spring Equinox" by chance.
On the "Longevity Avenue" in Lotus Hot Spring, where a photo of a 100-year-old star is hung for introduction, there is a row of willow trees with "ten thousand green silk ribbons hanging down", and their long hair is swaying "wavy snake waist".

The sandbank with chirping birds and fragrant grass has become a paradise for birds.

There was a beautiful bird that kept singing.

I looked up at the birds. It amazed me.

Oh my god, is this a magical bird?

first sang with a masculine baritone, and then transformed into a clear soprano.

A bird sings in two tones: male and female, male and female, male and female.

I conclude that this bird is called "Li Yugang Bird"!

If this bird goes to the burrow, the appearance fee will be at least 20,000 yuan.

If this bird went to compete on the "Avenue of Stars", it might be able to win an annual championship or something.

Wang Dongzhao and I decided to visit the "Stone Village" and Yunyang Peach Garden.

"Guqin couple" are with us all the way. I named them "Romantic Poet", "Guqin Beauty", and "Guqin Handsome Guy".

First we went to "Stone Village" for a walk.

Red magnolia, white magnolia, purple magnolia surround the quaint village.

There is a dense bamboo forest with green branches and leaves on one side of the stone bridge.

The "guqin beauty" wearing a pink gauze skirt held the guqin and played the song "Hua Yanran". The melodious music of

made the whole Stone Village fall into a whirlpool of laughter.

"Handsome Guy with Guqin" was busy taking pictures.

A "romantic poet" who works as a reporter on a TV station directs the photography and framing.

We had a great time in "Stone Village".

Then go to Peach Garden. Because we arrived a little early and the peach blossoms were still relatively sparse.

However, the shepherd's purse and wild spicy vegetables under the peach blossom forest are green and delicious.

We simply dug wild vegetables in the peach blossom forest.

I still miss the peach blossom.Although the peach blossoms are not blooming enough to be indulgent, you can just appreciate the color, posture and mood of the peach blossoms.

They dig their wild vegetables, and I appreciate my peach blossoms.

Those peach blossoms are dark, almost rose-colored. There is a dark color, similar to rouge color. There are light colors, like cherry blossoms .

Some of those peach blossoms are in full bloom, some are half-opened, some are in love for the first time, and some are in their sleep.

Those dazzling peach blossoms gradually change from deep to light from stamens to petals; from branches to treetops, they gradually change from large to small.

The color of peach blossoms is the most vivid among spring flowers.

If you look carefully, the peach blossoms are so painful that your eyes hurt, and stars are piercing your eyes.

The petals are as thin as cicada wings and as smooth as silk.

In the soft wind, the trembling appearance is as graceful as flying, playful and cute.

For the first time, I discovered that a peach blossom is like a dimple on a beautiful woman’s cheek.

The peach blossoms are inlaid on the spring cheeks, with a "calm" smile.

On the thousands of peach blossom trees, there are "smiles", which make the whole spring and the whole March "smiling".

I am just admiring the peach blossoms. They dug wild vegetables infatuatedly.

I laughed at them: It’s too extravagant for you to travel so far to dig wild vegetables. You can buy a lot of shepherd's purse at the wet market for 2 yuan.

"Guqin Beauty" giggled, and the bird's laughter traveled through the peach blossom forest.

She retorted to me: Brother Dou, you can’t settle accounts like this. How can this feeling of digging wild vegetables be compared with the business in the vegetable market? When you look at the peach blossoms, is it the same as buying a bouquet of peach blossoms and putting them in a vase?

We were chatting and laughing, and the "Guqin Beauty" took a group photo of the three of us men in the peach blossom forest.

Wow, I, the "romantic poet", and the "guqin handsome guy" are three men, just like "the three brothers in Taoyuan". Awesome!

"Guqin Beauty" is a teacher who teaches Guqin playing. She started a guqin practice class.

She and a group of beautiful sisters who love Guqin often go to the wild and take pictures wearing gauze skirts and holding Guqin. Sharing the smile of spring!

She has special research on making dumplings with shepherd's purse: wild vegetables mixed with eggs, plus salt and finely ground sesame oil , without any other condiments.

This will be the original flavor, or it will lose the nature of wild vegetables.

Especially, I went all the way to the peach blossom forest of "Pastoral", dug the wild vegetables with my own hands, and brought home the smiles of spring!

So, this kind of wild vegetable dumplings taste really different.

I suddenly understood: " A lonely man in a boat and a coir raincoat , fishing alone for snow in the cold river" - the voice-over of "What I'm fishing for is not fish, what I'm fishing for is not snow, what I'm fishing for is loneliness."

Then, let’s enjoy peach blossoms and dig wild vegetables. What I enjoy is not peach blossoms, and what I dig are not wild vegetables. What I enjoy are smiles and dimples, and what I dig are moods. What I enjoy is poetry.

In March, let’s go to Yunyang to enjoy the peach blossoms.

Let us share our smiles with spring!