Shi Tiesheng

4.2944 learners

In *The Temple of Earth and I*, celebrated Chinese writer Shi Tiesheng lays bare his journey from despair to acceptance after a life-altering leg disability in his youth. For 15 years, he found solace in the overgrown, ancient Temple of Earth—a forgotten sanctuary on the edge of Beijing. Amidst crumbling walls and thriving wild plants, he confronts the weight of mortality, slowly realizing death is not an escape but an inevitable, distant "holiday." The book weaves intimate memories of his selfless mother, who hid her own illness to support him, childhood adventures, and reflections on love, friendship, and the quiet resilience of all living things. More than a memoir, it’s a profound meditation on finding meaning in suffering, embracing life’s imperfections, and the unbreakable bond between a man and the place that became his spiritual anchor.

Yang Benfen

3.1452 learners

Floating Wood, by Yang Benfen, delivers raw, intimate first-person narratives of life in rural China spanning decades. Through unflinching, vivid storytelling, it chronicles the author’s family’s brutal struggles: her mother’s relentless labor to raise six children, the heart-wrenching loss of infant brother Yang Rui to untreated illness, and her older brother’s persecution during the Cultural Revolution for standing against corruption. It also weaves in tales of neighboring villagers—from a disfigured mother who rejects her daughter to a childless woman’s tragic end—painting a rich portrait of ordinary people clinging to hope amid hardship. Later chapters shift to the author’s own journey: raising her kids through financial strain, caring for her ailing husband, and finding quiet joy in her golden years with her granddaughter and elderly partner. These stories aren’t just about suffering; they’re a testament to the quiet resilience, deep love, and unbreakable bonds that sustain people through life’s darkest tides.