JIA PINGWA 
Lantern Bearer 

Dai Deng is another surprise that Jia Pingwa brought to the literary world and to readers. The work not only maintains the author’s previous artistic characteristics, but also reaches a new literary height. The protagonist of the novel is a female township cadre named Dai Deng. Her original name is "Ying", which is a firefly, which seems to be patrolling in the dark with a lamp. This name also shows the destiny of Dai Deng, burning and illuminating desperately, but destined to be weak, and eventually to dust. Dai Deng is the director of the town’s comprehensive management office. She is beautiful, lonely and self-admired, but she is a little bit outdated. She is mainly responsible for handling all disputes and petitions in the village. Every day, she faces the trivial and entangled troubles of farmers. The trivial matters in the countryside are both upsetting and sympathetic. In the midst of contradictions, she fulfilled her responsibilities as a township cadre, not only unwilling to hurt the people, but also to maintain the stability of the grassroots society. From the moment she appeared on stage, she was unique and detached. She has a rich heart and abundant emotions, and she is more willing to find peace in the mountains, wind, trees and valleys in the country. She faces the most inescapable mess every day, and her heart is soaring. When Dai Deng has nowhere to escape in reality, she puts her spiritual ideals in the emotional imagination of the distant place. Yuan Tianliang, a villager in the distance, became her spiritual sustenance in the muddled world, and she kept writing to him and telling him. Therefore, Dai Deng’s pain cannot be redeemed. She can neither escape from reality nor the ability to be liberated. Dai Deng is the tragedy of this era. She is destined to burn herself to commemorate her ideals.