The era mistake that has cost many lives and youth has no one to take responsibility - Reflections on "The Case of Lu Fan Yan"

Jul 18, 2025#读书14

AI Translation

This post is translated from Chinese into English through AI.View Original

AI-generated summary

The novel appears to be a composite of various personal experiences, particularly detailing the harrowing realities of forced labor camps, suggesting extensive research by the author into the lives of multiple inmates. While the depictions are already brutal, they likely understate the true horrors of the time, such as mass starvation and cannibalism. The portrayal of returning to Shanghai highlights the psychological torment inflicted by a larger oppressive system compared to smaller prisons. The atmosphere of constant surveillance fosters a climate of fear, leading individuals to self-censor and lose their sense of self. Though the story concludes with a semblance of resolution, it leaves the critical question of accountability for the suffering unanswered, indicating that a true understanding and evaluation of this historical period may only come in the future.

This novel seems to be modified and grafted based on the experiences of multiple individuals. The section on labor reform is written in great detail, making it shocking to read; it is evident that the author investigated the experiences of several labor reform prisoners and processed them artistically. The descriptions in the book are already quite brutal, but the reality is likely even more terrifying, with mass starvation and cannibalism only briefly mentioned.

The depiction of returning to Shanghai conveys that large prisons inflict more damage on a person's body and mind than small ones. Everyone exists in a terrifying atmosphere of being monitored, where they could be reported and arrested at any moment. This red terror may not seem as obvious now, but it has always existed, just in a more covert and intelligent manner, silently altering people's psychology, leading them to self-censor and self-castrate, losing their sense of self.

The ending of the book appears to be a happy reunion, but the most important question remains: who is responsible for these sufferings? There is no clear answer, and at this stage, it is impossible to have one. Perhaps in the future, everyone will be able to truly understand this history and genuinely evaluate it.