Normally, this article would be more appropriate to be published before the New Year or on New Year's Day. The reason it's late is because I just recovered from COVID-19 and am still in the recovery period. My family and I couldn't escape the first wave of the Shanghai epidemic, and we all contracted it in late December 2022. My spouse and I, from three generations and six family members, first tested positive for the antigen on the 21st and 23rd respectively. Our symptoms were sore throat, dry cough, and general weakness. Then, my son and daughter-in-law developed coughs, sore throats, and high fevers, with their highest temperature reaching 39 degrees Celsius. A little over a week later, on New Year's Day 2023, the antigen tests showed that the four adults had recovered from COVID-19 but now tested negative, while my granddaughter and grandson tested positive. Fortunately, they didn't have any obvious symptoms and their mental state was normal. In short, among the four adults, my symptoms were the mildest. I believe the reason my symptoms were mild is because I'm usually quiet and don't move around much, so my viral load was low and my immunity was strong. This is probably due to my twice-daily walking exercise, regular lifestyle, housework, and a balanced and nutritious diet.
With my protective armor, serious illness can't harm me. Therefore, besides drinking plenty of water and strictly following epidemic prevention rules, I haven't taken any medication. However, having tested positive, I often feel physically weak, listless, lethargic, have poor memory, and a significantly diminished passion for writing. I haven't been active for a long time, and I feel restless. I just took a short walk this morning. Less than ten minutes, about a thousand steps, and I felt tired. In the past, I would walk twice a day, morning and evening, for 30 minutes each time, averaging around 10,000 steps a day. This viral infection has made me realize that I am indeed getting old, and the virus has only compounded my difficulties. Fortunately, the flame of hope in my heart hasn't been extinguished.
Looking back on my writing career over the past year, the quantity is significantly less than the year before. I published 26 articles on various literary websites across the country (12 of which were published on the China Writers Network). The forms of expression include essays, novels, personal reflections, and poems. The content covers family, friendship, inspiration, aesthetic education, art, and current affairs commentary. Particularly gratifying was my participation in and selection of an essay competition organized by the China Writers Network. My entry, "After the Storm Comes the Rainbow," truthfully records the experiences, observations, and reflections of my extended family in Shanghai during the pandemic. The work was published on May 20, 2022. The editor informed me three times in the review notification section that my work had passed the review—something unprecedented for me since I started publishing. The work garnered a strong response from readers. Another short story reflecting the pandemic was "A Belated Reflection," which received a comment from a netizen named MoLuòShusheng: "Under the pandemic, I witnessed the warmth and coldness of human relationships, and experienced the bitterness and sweetness of life. I only wish for peace and prosperity for our country." Another short story, "Reconciliation," recounts a deeply painful experience during the Cultural Revolution that ended the friendly and harmonious relationship between our two families. From then on, the Cao siblings regarded me as an enemy, causing me great regret and pain. "Now it's all good. Fifty years later, our daughter has become Grandma Zhong's volunteer service recipient. Your contribution in resolving the conflict between our two families is indispensable." The writer, Poetry Road Flower Rain and Six, remarked: "Making way for love, burying the hatchet." Their essay, "During the Days of Centralized Quarantine," records the unexpected yet profound experience of this sudden event, from initial unease, fear, and bad luck to later relief, peace, and gratitude. This transformation is evident in every little detail. They particularly felt that Shanghai's epidemic prevention work was both scientifically precise and humanely caring, strictly yet flexibly implementing rules. Rather than describing our experience as an unprecedented quarantine, it was more like a short-lived holiday trip and vacation. The Year of the Tiger's
spring is a perfect time for reading. The spring of 2022 in Shanghai is destined to be a time for quiet contemplation and reading. During the days of staying home to fight the epidemic, working online, and taking online classes, why not open a good book, enjoy a cup of tea, and let the fragrance of books fill your mind? On April 23, in his congratulatory letter to the first National Reading Conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that reading is an important way for humankind to acquire knowledge, enlighten wisdom, and cultivate morality. It can inspire thought, establish lofty ideals, and cultivate a noble spirit. The Chinese nation has advocated reading since ancient times, emphasizing the pursuit of knowledge through investigation and the cultivation of sincerity and integrity, inheriting the enduring spirit of the Chinese nation, and shaping the self-confidence and self-reliance of the Chinese people. General Secretary Xi Jinping hopes that the whole society will participate in reading, forming a strong atmosphere of loving to read, reading good books, and reading effectively. To this end, I wrote the article "Enjoying the Joy of Reading," drawing on a wealth of experiences and insights about reading from ancient and modern times, both Chinese and foreign.
"Spending the Mid-Autumn Festival and Teachers' Day with My Mother" describes my first trip home since retiring and living in Shanghai to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival and Teachers' Day with my mother, overflowing with deeply moving maternal love. The essay "The Elixir of Longevity for the Elderly" is a touching story reflecting the inspirational spirit of the elderly, which has received a strong response online. Editor's comment: The entire text is a warm and touching narrative, touching the heart and moving the reader! Netizen Jiang Feng commented: The article is told in a gentle and engaging way, full of emotion and stories; it's an inspirational piece, highly recommended. Writer Shisizhou: Spreading positive energy! Very good, highly recommended!
This year, I published seven short stories, each with its own unique characteristics. Among them, "The Restless Old Man," "Unspoken Understanding," and "A Touching Scene on the Train" are all popular, moving, and tear-jerking stories. Netizen yin on the China Prose Network commented on "The Restless Old Man": "A truly heartfelt narrative, vividly presenting an ordinary yet great character before us, making us think deeply and reflect!" My junior high school classmate Lei Yunguo remarked: "It's easy to read aloud, the story is very touching, it feels like something that happened around us." What surprised me most was that several renowned teachers in the art world also shared and encouraged me. The reason these short stories have such an impact, I believe, is that the plots resonate with the pure, kind, and compassionate nature of the people.
The short story "Salvation" is the longest piece I've written so far. The characters are based on real people, and the fictional events are based on my own experiences, making it believable. The story revolves around a "red second generation" (a descendant of a veteran of the Long March) who uses his social influence and talent to save me (a recent university graduate and intern) a second time, highlighting the protagonist's good upbringing, compassion, and sense of responsibility. The message is full of positive energy. Inspired by the story, I couldn't stop writing and worked for over ten hours straight to finish it. This led to exhaustion, cerebral ischemia-induced fainting, and a seizure, requiring my family to rush me to the hospital in the middle of the night. This is the consequence of staying up late and overworking. The lesson is profound. I reflected on this experience and wrote an essay, "Please Press Your Shutdown Button When You Need It," elaborating on the principles of cherishing life and understanding others. Fortunately, the morning after submitting the manuscript of "Salvation," I received notification that it had been approved by the website's experts. Around 10:30 AM, I saw my novel featured in the daily original fiction section, and I was incredibly excited. Seeing my hard work rewarded brought me a sense of comfort.
On the evening of the 31st, I watched and listened to President Xi Jinping's New Year's address, and I especially remembered this passage: "Since the outbreak of the epidemic, we have always adhered to the principles of putting people first and prioritizing life, persisting in scientific and precise prevention and control, and optimizing and adjusting prevention and control measures according to the changing situation, thus protecting the people's lives and health to the greatest extent possible. The vast number of cadres and the masses, especially medical personnel and grassroots workers, have persevered despite hardships. Through arduous and extraordinary efforts, we have overcome unprecedented difficulties and challenges; everyone has faced challenges. Currently, epidemic prevention and control has entered a new stage, and it is still a challenging time. Everyone is persevering and working hard; the dawn is just ahead. Let's all redouble our efforts; perseverance is victory, and unity is victory." These words showed us the confidence and responsibility of a great Eastern power.
Two days ago, I saw Tie Ning's article, "Promoting More and Better Works to Enhance the People's Spiritual Strength," on the front page of the China Writers Network. It mentioned the successive awards ceremonies and events of the "China Literary Grand Ceremony: Lu Xun Literary Prize Night." When the award-winning literary artists stood center stage to receive their high honors, and when the applause from the audience rang out enthusiastically, both in person and in front of the screen, the audience and readers strongly felt that this was the gathering and advancement of China's vast number of literary and artistic workers. Responding to the call of the times and the expectations of the people, our ranks marched towards the sun, filled with the pride and vigor of embarking on a new journey. As an ordinary literary and artistic worker, in the new year, I will strive to read diligently and create assiduously as possible, aiming to offer readers more and better works.
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