China News Service, Beijing, October 31st (Reporter Shangguan Yun) Delicate brushstrokes describe the memories of the past and daily reading feelings... Recently, writer Xiao Fuxing's prose collection "The Days I Can't Remember" has been favored by literature lovers. focus on.

  For the new book, Xiao Fuxing responded that the writing style of the novel has its own characteristics and advantages.

For me, the most suitable thing at the moment is to write prose. The literary genre is relatively simple, and I can easily express my emotions and record my thoughts and feelings in life.

  Regarding writing, Xiao Fuxing said that he writes for three or four hours almost every day, "Like a swallow building a nest, it is very important to persist in writing. For me, writing is a part of daily life and can bring happiness, It is also my channel of communication with the outside world.”

Image source: Photo courtesy of Nova Publishing House

Old Beijing Snacks Showing Folk Wisdom

  The special food and food culture of old Beijing have all appeared in Xiao Fuxing's writings.

  Talking about old Beijing snacks, people who love food can name a few names more or less, such as Aiwowo, Baishui Sheep's Head, Burst Belly, Donkey Rolling, Noodle Tea, Cheese, Pea Yellow, Kidney Bean Rolls and so on.

  Xiao Fuxing believes that in the old Beijing snacks, except for some snacks passed down from the court, most of the rest are civilian snacks.

The raw materials of these snacks are not expensive, but almost all of them have taken great care, showing the wisdom of the people.

  "For example, bean juice is often boiled very thick. After it is made, it is kept warm by fire and bubbling in the pot. In the past, especially in winter, I spent a penny to buy a bowl, and I cooked it on fire, and then added some pickles. The people love to eat it," he said.

  In old Beijing snacks, people often refer to "mustard piles".

Xiao Fuxing said that the raw material is cabbage. It is relatively simple to make with cabbage hearts, boiled in boiling water, vinegar, sugar, and prepared mustard juice.

  "Yuemantang Diary" records: "Ice cheese is drunk in summer, but no one knows about it in the rest of the year." Cheese, a snack in old Beijing, can be regarded as a good product to cool off in summer.

In Xiao Fuxing's impression, the cheese is boiled with milk, a bit like yogurt, in a semi-cured state.

  White water sheep head is a delicate and beautiful cold dish.

Xiao Fuxing said that the prepared lamb's head was washed clean, cut into very thin slices, and sprinkled with pepper and salt, which is quite delicious.

Fragrant Hills: A Good Place to Enjoy Autumn

  In Xiao Fuxing's article, he also recorded the old Beijing residence and the story of the four seasons.

Data map: Citizens pass by a retro commercial building located in Xianyukou, Qianmen, Beijing.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Hou Yu

  Recalling his boyhood, he still remembers that the favorite place for the old Beijingers to appreciate autumn was Fragrant Hill. First, they could climb the mountain. Second, they could look at the trees and appreciate the red leaves all over the mountains and plains.

  Many place names in Beijing are related to the local customs at that time.

Xiao Fuxing said that Xianyukou is an old street, and it got its name from the fact that the moat was opened to release floodwater, and the water flowed south to form a small river.

In the old days, a small bridge was built on the river, and fish vendors sold fresh fish on both sides of the river.

  "After the river dried up, houses gradually became available on both sides of the river. There were many people, and various small shops opened up. During the Qing Dynasty, there were many shoe shops in Xianyukou, and later there were Changchuntang Pharmacy, Juxiang. Zhai pastries, etc., shop one by one, all the way to the west entrance of Xianyukou, which is Qianmen Street." Xiao Fuxing said.

  Place names, food, old streets and alleys... These contents have almost become the source of inspiration for Xiao Fuxing's writing.

Writing is a channel of contact with the outside world

  Not only the customs of old Beijing, from "Blues City South" to "Sixty Stories of the Temple of Heaven", to "The Days I Can't Remember", Xiao Fuxing also recorded many daily news and details in his life in his works with beautiful.

  Xiao Fuxing has been fond of literature since childhood.

When he was in the third year of junior high school, he won an award for an essay, which was corrected by the famous writer Ye Shengtao at that time.

Xiao Fuxing said that without this experience, he might not be so obsessed with literature.

  But he really started writing something systematically in 1971.

That winter, Xiao Fuxing finished writing ten articles, "that is, they were written in the horizontal grid notebooks used by students to do homework, a full one."

Prose collection "Days I Can't Remember", published by Xiao Fuxing Xinxing Publishing House

  Xiao Fuxing carefully selected one of them and sent it to Ye Zhishan, the eldest son of Ye Shengtao and a famous editor.

"Mr. Ye Zhishan replied to me, and revised ten articles word by word. I picked one out of them and sent it to the publication, which was later published." Xiao Fuxing recalled.

  This is where the literary journey begins.

So far, Xiao Fuxing has published many works and won many awards such as Bingxin Essay Award, Lao She Essay Award and Zhu Ziqing Essay Award.

  His writing plan is very full. In addition to the prose he is writing, there is also a book called "Hundred Records of Yandu" that will be published soon.

Xiao Fuxing writes for three hours almost every morning. For him, writing is a part of daily life and brings joy.

  As for his own works, just as Xiao Fuxing wrote in the preface to "Hundred Records of Yandu": "I hope readers will like it. In this short space, you can see the old and new styles of Beijing and see yourself. We We can also meet in the book." (End)