Du Yanglin's Transforming a tale of rural migration and urban struggles

Transforming, Du Yanglin's latest novel.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

On April 8, a seminar in Beijing marked the launch and discussion of writer Du Yanglin's latest novel, Transforming. The narrative follows the journey of Ling Yunqing, a determined young man born in rural Sichuan province, as he navigates the challenges of urban life, encapsulating the dreams and aspirations of a generation shaped by the tide of reform and opening up.

Rui Hong, editor-in-chief of Zhejiang Publishing United Group, praised the novel and said: "This contemporary literary work offers sincere and practical insights into issues such as rural revitalization, integrated urban-rural development, and common prosperity in the new era."

Du, the author, expressed his intentions, saying, "I aim to depict the pursuit of dreams by rural migrants in cities, their struggles, as well as their sense of displacement and alienation within urban environments."

Transforming serves as a sequel to Du's earlier book, Awakening, published in 2021, which portrays Ling Yunqing's challenging childhood, struggles as a teenager, and his journey to leave the village in pursuit of broader horizons.

Yang Qingxiang, a literature professor at Renmin University of China, emphasized that the protagonist's experiences reflect the interplay between China's reform history in the 1990s and the spiritual world of a generation that lived through that period.