White Deer Plain
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White Deer Plain

Chen Zhongshi

4.51305 learners

Set against the sweeping backdrop of rural China from the late Qing Dynasty to the 1949 liberation, *White Deer Plain* unfolds an epic saga of two feuding clans—the upright, tradition-bound Bai family and the ambitious, power-hungry Lu family. At its core is Bai Jiaxuan, the stoic clan leader who fights to uphold ancestral norms amid plague, famine, and political upheaval, while his rival Lu Zilin chases status at any cost. We follow unforgettable characters: Hei Wa, the rebellious farmhand who swings from revolution to banditry to redemption; Bai Ling, the fiery daughter who defies feudal oppression to join the Communist cause; and Mr. Zhu, the wise scholar who guards the plain’s cultural soul. Through generations of love, betrayal, sacrifice, and struggle, the novel lays bare the clash between tradition and progress, and the quiet resilience of people tied to their land.

RedemptionBailu PlainBai JiaxuanLu ZilinHei Wa
Scenario

Plague Hits Bailu Village

A plague spread through Bailu Village, killing many, including Bai Jiaxuan's wife Xiancao. People tried to ward off evil but failed; the village became empty.

PlagueTragedyXiancao
Scenario

Bai Jiaxuan's Seven Marriages

Bai Jiaxuan married seven women. The first six died one after another—some from childbirth, illness, or drowning. He feared being 'hard-fated' but kept trying for heirs. The seventh, Xiancao, stayed and gave him children.

Bai JiaxuanMarriagesHeirs
Scenario

Hei Wa's Tragic End

After the uprising, Hei Wa became deputy county magistrate but was arrested for his past as a bandit. He was executed, and Bai Jiaxuan mourned his death.

ExecutionTragedyHei Wa
Scenario

White Deer Plant Discovery

After a snow, Bai Jiaxuan found a snow-free wet spot with a rare white deer-shaped plant. Zhu Xiansheng said it was a good omen, so he swapped land to get that plot.

White DeerOmenLand Swap
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Zhu's Opium Warning

"Drinking poison to quench thirst is always a curse." Zhu Xiansheng said this when plowing up Bai Jiaxuan's opium fields, warning of opium's long-term harm.

WarningOpiumZhu Xiansheng
Scenario

Jiaonong Incident

Villagers protested against heavy taxes by carrying farming tools to the county. Bai Jiaxuan was blocked, but Lu San led the crowd, forcing the county to cancel the tax.

Tax ProtestJiaonongLu San
Scenario

Bai Jiaxuan's Rain Ritual

During a drought, Bai Jiaxuan pretended to be a dragon, held a red-hot iron plow, and went to the black dragon pool to beg for rain. Though no rain came, villagers were inspired.

DroughtBai JiaxuanRain Ritual
Scenario

Hei Wa's Redemption

Hei Wa quit opium, married a scholar's daughter, and studied with Zhu Xiansheng. He returned to the ancestral hall, and Bai Jiaxuan welcomed him with red silk.

RedemptionHei WaAncestral Hall
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Cold Mr.'s Sufferings Quote

"People come to the world to suffer—rich or poor, everyone has their pain." Cold Mr. said this to comfort Bai Jiaxuan about his son's troubles.

SufferingLifeCold Mr.
Quote

Bai Jiaxuan's Family Root Quote

"Benevolence and reading are the roots of the family." Bai Jiaxuan said this when building the ancestral hall and school for the village.

BenevolenceBai JiaxuanFamily Root
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