Bei Xiaojin

568553076@qq.com

IN April 2019, I received two novels written by Guangxi-based writer Zhu Dong. One is “Share Peasants,” a novel reflecting the themes of southern rural areas. It won the “Five-One” Project Excellent Book Award in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in 2013. In May 2016, it was adapted into a 36-episode TV series. When I visited the ancient town of Huangyao in Guangxi, I found the site where the series was filmed, and the experience deepened my understanding of the work.

The other book I received is “The Covenant on the Sea,” which looks exquisite and mysterious, based on the cover.

The stories in “The Covenant on the Sea” overlap with each other, and the novel is somewhat confusing upon the first reading. Perhaps it is because it’s such a complicated structure that people want to make it clear. Readers may have to read it several times before grasping it. Fortunately, there are two overviews in front of each chapter of the novel, which give readers hints and insights into the content, so that the novel can be better understood.

“The Covenant on the Sea” tells a story of modern espionage warfare. Against the backdrop of the return of State A to Asia Pacific and its promotion of the rebalancing strategy, China competes with its neighboring countries by political, military and diplomatic means. Chinese intelligence personnel represented by Chen Jiangfeng and Lin Shan take the Asian League Expo as an opportunity to compete with State B agents Cheng Chao and Ruan Yue’e on the secret front.

Using wisdom and creativity, China puts forward new mechanisms for resolving disputes, prevents the outbreak of war and solves disagreements without using weapons. The blockade strategy by State A goes bankrupt, and the enemies are defeated without fighting on battlefields, establishing a new way of thinking for solving territory disputes.

Throughout the battle of wits and courage, the agents of the two counties also experience complicated love entanglements.

The book combines calligraphy, music, folk customs, traditional Chinese medicine and other cultural elements, quoting a large collection of ancient poetry. The combination of “Book of Changes,” folk legends, traditional culture and modern popular elements reveal the author’s profound cultural knowledge.

“The Covenant on the Sea” explores the topic of national security under a new international backdrop, taking into account the conditions of the contemporary era, history and culture, and tells Chinese stories from an international perspective. The themes throughout the work are unique, showing the author’s concern for the country and its people, as well as the courage and responsibility they possess in facing a complex reality.

In my eyes, this is a novel full of passion and vision. Zhu vividly describes the vision of the turbulent undercurrent and peaceful coexistence of many neighboring countries on the international stage. Zhu’s description of his country and the complexities of human nature make this story magnificent and poetic.