The Spring in Winter

How many decades does a man have to run to extricate himself from the consequences of a troubled past? A guerrilla act many years ago still has repercussions for Yu Erlong and his family, colleagues and rivals. From the death of a comrade 30 years ago, to family life and political rivalries, Yu Erlong strives to be fair and just, even when others have less honourable intentions, motivated by personalities and acts separated by many decades. The struggle of a grandfather and grandson to capture a prized red carp mirrors the battle of wits needed when encountering adversaries who reappear after many years. The memories of Luhua, the love he lost, the new life he makes for himself around Stone lake, his friends and his foes, are all beautifully choreographed in Spring in Winter. Spring in Winter, originally published in Chinese in 1981 when it won the prestigious 'Mao Dun Literature Prize', was one of the first novels in China to use the 'stream of consciousness technique' more often seen in Western literature. Author Li Guowen interweaves his enchanting tale against the dramatic backdrop of decades of struggle and fighting that prevailed in China from 1937 until after the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976.