In order to deeply practice the idea of ecological civilization, promote the creation and development of ecological children's literature in the new era, and tell the childhood stories of beautiful China, on January 8, 2024, the "Childhood Writing Forum on Ecological Children's Literature in the New Era and the Seminar on the Works of Big Bird" was successfully held in Lu Xun Academy of Literature under the academic guidance of Lu Xun Academy of Literature, sponsored by the Creation Liaison Department of the Chinese Writers Association and Jiangxi Publishing and Media Group, and undertaken by the 21st Century Publishing House Group.
Guo Yiqiang, President of the China Book Critics Society and Vice Chairman of the Publishers Association of China, Li Longwu, Deputy Director of the Propaganda Department of the Jiangxi Provincial Party Committee and Director of the Provincial Press and Publication Bureau (Provincial Copyright Bureau), and other leaders attended the meeting and delivered speeches. Xu Ke, executive vice president of Lu Xun Academy of Literature, Peng Xueming, director of the Creative Liaison Department of the Chinese Writers Association, and Wang Weiguo, member of the Party Committee and deputy general manager of Jiangxi Publishing and Media Group, attended the meeting and delivered speeches. Senior publisher and writer Hai Fei, Liang Hongying, deputy director of the Theoretical Criticism Committee of the Chinese Writers Association, Xu Dexia, a critic of children's literature, Zhu Ziqiang, professor of Ocean University of China, Li Chaoquan, deputy director of the Innovation and Research Department of the Chinese Writers Association, Liu Ting, deputy editor-in-chief of the Literature and Art Daily, Liu Qiong, deputy director of the People's Literature and Art Department, and deputy director of the Innovation and Research Department of the Chinese Writers Association. Na Yang, member and secretary of the Children's Literature Committee, Guo Yan, director of the Teaching and Research Department of Lu Xun College of Literature, Li Lifang, Dean of the School of Literature of Lanzhou University, Cui Xinping, professor of the School of Literature of Taiyuan Normal University, Feng Zhen, editor-in-chief of the magazine "Children's Literature", Tan Jie, deputy director of the Teaching and Research Department of Lu Xun College of Literature, and Ye Yige, a young critic of Lu Xun College of Literature, attended the meeting and delivered speeches. You Daoqin, member of the Party Committee and editor-in-chief of Chinese World Publishing and Media Group Co., Ltd., presided over the seminar. Liu Kaijun, president of 21st Century Publishing Group, Wang Jun, editor-in-chief, and other leaders of the press attended the meeting.
Created by the famous children's writer Peng Xuejun, Big Bird is a long-form children's story with the protection of the Poyang Lake wetland in Jiangxi Province as the background and the ecological construction process of the Yangtze River Basin in the new era with small incisions. Based on Zhou Haiyan, who is known as the "Mother of Chinese White Cranes", it tells the story of Zhou Qiang, a white crane protection volunteer, guiding three young volunteers to plant lotus roots and protect birds on the shore of Poyang Lake, and unite local villagers to build a green ecological home. Through the clear perspective and growth and transformation of a teenager, the work vividly shows the rich ecological environment of the Yangtze River basin with a light and poetic narrative, promotes the ecological concept of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, man and animals, and highlights the high-spirited atmosphere of the beautiful countryside of China in the new era.
The leaders and experts attending the meeting expressed full affirmation and high recognition for the publication of "Big Bird". Guo Yiqiang pointed out that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the idea of ecological civilization has become increasingly popular. However, it is a big problem to tell ecological stories well in children's literature and make it easier for children to accept the concept of ecological civilization. "Big Bird" does a great job in this regard. "Big Bird" not only has a distinct theme and practical significance, but also outstanding in terms of story logic, story's fun, childlike nature, and aesthetic implications, showing the artistic value and aesthetic temperament of excellent literature and fine books. Li Longwu praised "Big Bird" as a work that promotes Jiangxi's green culture and explores Jiangxi's regional characteristics, and expressed his sincere admiration for the writer Peng Xuejun's broad literary vision and rich humanistic heritage.
Xu Ke expressed his heartfelt congratulations on the holding of the seminar, and recognized that "Big Bird" is an excellent work of children's literature and an excellent ecological literary work, which deals with the harmonious coexistence of man and nature from a macro perspective, and uses literature to tell the simple natural ecological concept - respect for nature and life, which is of positive significance for the establishment of children's ecological concept. Peng Xueming emphasized that "Big Bird" was selected as a designated in-depth life support project for writers of the Chinese Writers Association, which is not only a literary achievement of writers who go deep into life and take root in the people, but also the creative crystallization of writers' theme practice and independent action. Wang Weiguo expressed his sincere gratitude and joy to Peng Xuejun for dedicating another excellent work full of Jiangxi's regional colors and telling Jiangxi's vivid stories to Jiangxi Publishing.
After a lapse of four years, Peng Xuejun once again completed the creation of a long one-length novel, she is not confined to her own creative comfort zone, and constantly expands her literary territory in the way of rooted life and in-depth experience, and her sincere and rigorous creative attitude and continuous artistic exploration have won the unanimous recognition of experts and scholars. Hai Fei believes that "Big Bird" is a high-level work of Peng Xuejun from childhood experience writing to the theme of the times, ** peeking into the background from a small incision, reflecting how to take into account the interests of the people and promote the construction of a better life for the people in the process of ecological civilization construction, which has a distinct value of the times, and also reflects the author's strong speculative and humanistic care. Liang Hongying commented that this work is not a conceptual theme writing, it is completely based on life and reality, and the various changes that have occurred in the Yangtze River basin and Poyang Lake are very real. This change is a kind of synergy, both civil forces, social participation, and people's consciousness. Xu Dexia is pleased with the publication of "Big Bird", she believes that this is a new challenge for Peng Xuejun in creation, and the degree of completion is very high in terms of theme expression, inner spiritual character of the characters and the spiritual growth of teenagers. Zhu Ziqiang also commented that "Big Bird" is another new work of Peng Xuejun's artistic climbing, and the writer on the theme of creating ecological civilization, he believes that the vivid and highly recognizable image of a teenager portrayed in the work and the meticulous narrative logic with causal relationship demonstrate the author's superb artistic expression and creative skills.
In the discussion session, the participating scholars expressed their opinions and conducted a warm and in-depth discussion on the theme of "Childhood Writing in Ecological Children's Literature in the New Era", from the rich literary foundation of the works, the poetic narrative style, the positive ecological ethics, and the vigorous spiritual growth and character shaping of teenagers in the new era. Everyone unanimously agreed that "Big Bird" is a representative work of China's original ecological children's literature in the new era, which maintains Peng Xuejun's consistent solid and skillful creative level, and roots the spiritual growth of teenagers on the land of reality.
At the end of the meeting, Peng Xuejun expressed her sincere gratitude to the guests for their comments, and she will continue to polish the text, strive for excellence, and explore more skillful artistic expression. She affectionately tells the original intention and the story behind it. This creation was touched by the prototype of "Big Bird" - "Chinese White Crane Mother", and it was her story that made "Big Bird" come true. Every time she starts the creation of an unfamiliar theme, it is an adventure, but the biggest difference this time is that she invests more emotions into the characters, and the process of interviewing, conceiving, and creating is also the process of being moved, motivated, and promoted by the character archetype. The big birds of Poyang Lake flew by in flocks, which was a magnificent poem written in the blue sky;Big Bird also saw the efforts and kindness of human beings, and settled his winter home in Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China, and returned as scheduled year after year, writing a beautiful picture of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
It is reported that "Big Bird" is the latest masterpiece of Peng Xuejun's "Boys Don't Cry" group. "Boys Don't Cry" is a national key book plan, and the group's works have won many awards, such as "The Soup Wood by the Pontoon Bridge" won the 10th National Excellent Children's Literature Award, "Little Train in the Forest" won the 2015 "China Good Book", "The Sea with a Mask" was selected as a graded reading list for Chinese primary school students (2020 edition), and "Building a Porcelain Kiln for You" won the 2019 "China Good Book". As a designated in-depth life support project for writers of the Chinese Writers Association, since its publication in November 2023, "Big Bird" has been selected into the November 100 Good Books List - Children's Original Category, the "China Reading News" Monthly Good Book List, and the "China Press, Publication, Radio and Television News, Reading Weekly" Hot Recommended Book List, etc. 21st Century Publishing Group said that in 2024, it will make every effort to promote the publicity and promotion of "Big Bird", so that the book can enter the reading vision of more young readers, guide young readers into the story of "Big Bird", understand the significance of ecological protection of Poyang Lake, and firmly establish a new era ecological concept of cherishing life and respecting nature. (Guangming**Quan**Reporter Han Han).