HARBIN, April 12, 2025 - The Finding Future Through Classics Reading Society of the Gongxue Community of Harbin Engineering University successfully concluded its inaugural Meet the Author event in collaboration with the Heilongjiang Provincial Writers Association. The event, themed Celebrating the Book Day: Dialogue on Northeast China's Heritage, drew over a hundred students to the South Building, where they engaged with author Han Wenyou to explore the stories behind his work My Affection for the Land of Snow and Water, examining the literary heritage of the black soil region and discussing how Northeast China's rural culture can be preserved and innovated in the new era.
Opening Remarks
The event moderator, Niu Huilan, introduced the distinguished guests, including Mr. Han Wenzheng, committee member of the Heilongjiang Provincial Writers Association; Mr. Xu Yixing, Director of the Organization and Liaison Department; Ms. Guan Lu, Senior Principal Staff Member; and representatives from Harbin's Self-Strengthening Wings Literary Society.
The featured book, My Affection for the Land of Snow and Water, a collection of essays by author Han Wenyou, was presented to the audience. The book chronicles seven decades of transformation in Xueshuiwen, a small village along the Heilongjiang River bordering Russia, capturing its unique geographical features and rich cultural heritage against the backdrop of Northeast China's black soil region.
Student Engagement
Students were invited to read excerpts from the chapter Sand Dunes, which vividly portrays a father's painstaking efforts to build a house on sandy ridges, offering insights into the distinctive natural landscapes, customs, and local dialects of Northeast China.
Author's Insights
Han Wenyou, speaking from his dual perspective as both creator and researcher, provided a systematic analysis of contemporary Northeast regional literature. He structured his discussion around three key aspects: the distinctive regional characteristics of Heilongjiang, scenes from everyday life, and the richness of sensory expression. His incisive analysis helped the audience understand not only the evolution of Northeast literature but also deepened their appreciation of its characteristic style - combining solemnity and grandeur with humor, shaped by the region's harsh climate.
Drawing on his personal journey as a Northeasterner - HEU student - adopted local - and Harbin resident, Han explained how individual experiences inform regional literature. Starting from individual life experiences, he explained the deep texture of Northeast regional literature. From his early literary aspirations as a student society member to his mature contemplation of his homeland as an established writer, he demonstrated through his strength and tenderness writing style that Northeast literature's power lies not in grand narratives but in capturing the vitality of what he termed arc light individuals. This creative approach, grounded in personal experience, provided methodological insights to the audience - suggesting that only by deeply rooting oneself in the black soil can literature truly become the builder of spiritual homeland.
Shared Reflections
The discussion session featured active participation from both guests and young students, who engaged in deep dialogue about My Affection for the Land of Snow and Water and Northeast regional literature. Han Wenyou exchanged ideas with students, deepening their understanding of the event's theme: The Inheritance and Innovation of Northeast Regional Literature.
The event specially invited the Self-Strengthening Wings Literary Society as guests. This society, composed of writers and literature enthusiasts with disabilities from Harbin, adheres to the motto Writing Miracles with Endless Self-Improvement. Its members have won multiple awards in national writing competitions for people with disabilities and actively contribute to society, becoming a shining example of educational service for people with disabilities.
The society's members actively participated in discussions, seeking creative guidance from Han, who patiently shared his writing experiences and insights, greatly benefiting both guests and students and igniting strong creative enthusiasm.
Book Signing
The Reading Society and Heilongjiang Writers Association specially prepared multiple copies of Han Wenyou's books as gifts for students who actively participated in discussions. The author personally inscribed each copy, creating memorable keepsakes for the participants.
Conclusion
April's breeze carries the scent of books, and black soil sentiments rise with the tides. As World Book Day approaches, this literary dialogue on The Inheritance and Innovation of Northeast Regional Literature served as both a reflection on classics and a forward-looking exploration. Through My Affection for the Land of Snow and Water, Han guided participants through the literary landscape of the Heilongjiang region, allowing them to feel the pulse of Xueshuiwen village and hear the heartbeat of literature from the black soil land.
From the father's swallow-like persistence in Sand Dunes to the interweaving of strength and tenderness in writing; from the collision between hometown culture and northern aesthetics to the echoes of our times found in individual stories - this dialogue revealed that Northeast literature's charm lies both in its raw authenticity and in how it warms collective memory through individual experiences.
The event concluded with Han's inspiring words from his essay: Here, much time remains to be lived; here, your presence will make it flourish. Looking ahead, more people are expected to rediscover their roots through literature and contribute to writing the next passionate and profound chapter of Northeast China's literary tradition.
Publicity Dept. of the CYL Committee of the JEI and College of Future Technology
Editor: Wang Yichen
Photography: Chen Jiahao, Zhao Ran, Yu Hongyang
Layout: Tan Xin, Cui Yanming
Executive Editor: Yun Jingyue
Review: Wang Qiuying