My bookshelf

To make annotations, then read and summarize again

What is Jianghu? What are the ways of the world? Through deep and clear observations, and interesting descriptions of Jianghu tactics, all are presented in colloquial language aimed to admonish the common people not to be greedy for small gains, to avoid deception, to shun evil paths, and to follow righteousness. The work targets ordinary individuals, depicting the societal evolution within a closed, vast geographical and cultural space, pushing the philosophy of jungle survival to an extreme: exploiting differences in information, human weaknesses, and psychological control techniques to deceive, treating humans as prey to extract maximum value, and putting in great effort to hone these deceitful skills, even turning it into a spectacular art form. Using covert terms not only avoids misfortune but also helps in building trade barriers while making people reflect on the deep-rooted and long-standing tradition of using substituted words in Chinese culture. The simple downstream players in the information food chain, though earnest and hard-working, are fatally simple; whereas the cunning upstream figures, though skilled and wealthy, are unable to achieve a perfect or virtuous end. The setting is like that of a musical theatre, where the dust and clamor do not touch the audience's clothes, yet a familiar essence lingers in the air, silently reminding those present that they are from and within these mountains, and cannot hope to remain unaffected.

Fans of 'The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate' and 'Vertigo is the freedom brought on by anxiety.' Time travel and free will. Poor translation, contrived prose, and language expression not suited to Chinese conventions. Consider reading in English if you have the time.

A fine book. The author's experiences and his calm, rational writing style make for a rare historical work. After finishing it, what resonates most is the author's philosophy of life: although he doesn't have clear, grand goals, he always passionately and vigorously lives in the moment, maintaining a rational mindset and making decisions that prepare him well for the future. This is evident in his industriousness and competence in the Gobi, which earns him the favor of many. The author's complex, profound nostalgia for life in the Gobi makes the first half of the description more vivid and engaging, while the latter half lacks some coherence. The narrative feels like it omits many details and is somewhat unemotional. Overall, I greatly admire the author's attitude towards life; the records in this book are a precious and inspirational testament to some unforgettable historical memories.

An excellent modern history read, revolving around several central issues. It features fluent thoughts, clear logic, and easy-to-understand language, touching upon many details, reflecting the author's deep familiarity with this history.

A profound enlightenment, it inspired much thinking and pursuit, making me perceive the brilliance of wisdom. It systematically and comprehensively explains our country's economic history and current operations, pointing out existing flaws. It's an especially good, logically robust introductory reading material for understanding China's economy.

Truly a linguistic art, using modern Chinese effortlessly. Subtle yet lively, becoming more straightforward as it progresses, in search of the unparalleled, satirical and dreamlike.

This work is a grand collection that interprets the life of officials and merchants, human relationships, social indifference, sycophancy, loyalty, filial piety, righteousness, Buddhism, Taoism, love, sex, good, and evil. Set in Qinghe County during the era of Chinese dynasties, it describes the life in the streets from a god-like perspective, observing coldly and capturing details meticulously, truly avant-garde and rebellious. Interestingly, 'Dream of the Red Chamber' is so similar to this work that it stands as the greatest affirmation of it, unknowing how many passers-by in the long river of history it has enlightened and astonished or how it has changed their destinies. A brief experience of the god-like perspective, upon returning to consciousness, realizes one is merely a character in the play, should act as one, is still one, remains trapped as one, unable to escape.