THE ROAD TO CONVERSION

This is one of the longest lyric poems ever written in China. The publication of this poem was considered a major event for China's literary scene. The response was so vigorous that it brought to life a Chinese poetry scene which had been dormant for over a decade. The whole poem is divided into nineteen episodes and has 2600 lines. It vaguely gives form to the following story: A poor girl and boy grow up to meet and fall in love in the midst of their wanderings. They have a child from their torrid first night. They separate and reunite over and over. When there is war in the North, she goes to the front. He then carries the child to the battle field to seek her, only to find no traces of her in the bloody field. Thereupon he wanders the high plains with the child on his back.

The epic's tremendous emotions surge forth billows of waves, moving readers to tears. This great poem has stirred the hearts of innumerable readers. Critics consider it to be the first modem poem to continue the tradition of the "Book of Odes" and the "Songs of the South." It is destined to become a page in history as well as being a work the author is personally proud of.