十　十年 Ten Years

，，，，；The mountain in the village from ten years ago, and the little river at its foot — even now it is just as it was ten years ago: the river water flows on quietly, the hillside changes its garments with the seasons;。The great sweep of the village goes on turning through birth and death, just as it did ten years ago.

十: shí — 1. ten 2. 10 (HSK 1)
年前: nián qián — 1. by the end of the year 2. at the end of the year; shortly before New Year (HSK 5)
村: cūn — 1. village 2. (dialect) to scold 3. rustic; boorish (HSK 3)
中的: zhòng dì — 1. to hit the target 2. (fig.) to hit the nail on the head
山: Shān — surname Shan (HSK 1)
山下: Shān xià — Yamashita (Japanese surname)
的: de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)
小河: xiǎo hé — creek; stream; brook
而今: ér jīn — 1. now 2. at the present (time)
依舊: yī jiù — 1. as before; still 2. to remain the same (HSK 5)
似: shì — used in 似的 (shì de)
十: shí — 1. ten 2. 10 (HSK 1)
年前: nián qián — 1. by the end of the year 2. at the end of the year; shortly before New Year (HSK 5)
河水: hé shuǐ — river water
靜: jìng — 1. still 2. calm 3. quiet 4. not moving (HSK 3)
靜: jìng — 1. still 2. calm 3. quiet 4. not moving (HSK 3)
的: de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)
在: zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)
流: liú — 1. to flow 2. to disseminate 3. to circulate or spread 4. to move or drift 5. to degenerate 6. to banish or send into exile 7. stream of water or sth resembling one 8. class, rate or grade (HSK 2)
山坡: shān pō — hillside (HSK 6)
隨著: suí zhe — 1. along with 2. in the wake of 3. following (HSK 5)
季節: jì jié — 1. time 2. season 3. period 4. classifier: 個 (gè) (HSK 4)
而: ér — 1. and 2. as well as 3. and so 4. but (not) 5. yet (not) 6. (indicates causal relation) 7. (indicates change of state) 8. (indicates contrast) (HSK 4)
更換: gēng huàn — 1. to replace (a worn-out tire etc) 2. to change (one's address etc) (HSK 5)
衣裳: yī shang — (coll.) clothes
大片: dà piàn — 1. wide expanse 2. large area 3. vast stretch 4. extending widely 5. blockbuster movie (HSK 7-9)
的: de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)
村莊: cūn zhuāng — 1. village 2. hamlet 3. classifier: 座 (zuò) (HSK 6)
生死: shēng sǐ — life or death (HSK 7-9)
輪迴: lún huí — 1. (Buddhism) samsara; cycle of rebirth 2. to recur cyclically; to succeed one another in cycles
著: zhāo — 1. a move in chess (Taiwan pr. (zhuó)) 2. trick; tactic 3. (dialect) okay; all right 4. (dialect) to put in; to add (HSK 1)
和: Hé — surname He (HSK 1)
十: shí — 1. ten 2. 10 (HSK 1)
年前: nián qián — 1. by the end of the year 2. at the end of the year; shortly before New Year (HSK 5)
一樣: yī yàng — 1. same 2. like 3. equal to 4. the same as 5. just like (HSK 1)

。The sparrows on the rooftops are still as numerous as ever.。The sun, too, shines just as warmly as before.，：「，，，，……At the foot of the mountain a shepherd boy is singing a children's song, the very same old tune from ten years ago: "Autumn nights are long, the autumn wind is cool, whose child is it that has no mother, whose child is it that has no mother, ……。」the moon fills the west window."

屋頂: wū dǐng — roof (HSK 7-9)
的: de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)
麻雀: má què — 1. sparrow 2. (dialect) mahjong
仍: réng — 1. still; yet 2. to remain 3. (literary) frequently; often (HSK 3)
是: shì — 1. to be (followed by substantives only) 2. correct; right; true 3. (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well 4. (adverb for emphatic assertion) (HSK 1)
那樣: nà yàng — 1. that kind 2. that sort (HSK 2)
繁多: fán duō — 1. many and varied 2. of many different kinds
太陽: tài yang — 1. sun 2. sunlight; sunshine 3. temple (on the side of the human head) (abbr. for 太陽穴 (tài yáng xué)) (HSK 2)
也: Yě — surname Ye (HSK 1)
照樣: zhào yàng — 1. as before 2. (same) as usual 3. in the same manner 4. still 5. nevertheless (HSK 6)
暖和: nuǎn huo — 1. warm 2. nice and warm (HSK 3)
山下: Shān xià — Yamashita (Japanese surname)
有: yǒu — 1. to have; there is 2. (bound form) having; with; -ful; -ed; -al (as in 有意 (yǒu yì) intentional) (HSK 1)
牧童: mù tóng — shepherd boy
在: zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)
唱: chàng — 1. to sing 2. to call loudly 3. to chant (HSK 1)
童謠: tóng yáo — nursery rhyme
那是: nà shi — 1. (coll.) of course 2. naturally 3. indeed
十: shí — 1. ten 2. 10 (HSK 1)
年前: nián qián — 1. by the end of the year 2. at the end of the year; shortly before New Year (HSK 5)
的: de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)
舊: jiù — 1. old 2. opposite: new 新 3. former 4. worn (with age) (HSK 3)
調: diào — 1. to transfer 2. to move (troops or cadres) 3. to investigate 4. to enquire into 5. accent 6. view 7. argument 8. key (in music) 9. mode (music) 10. tune 11. tone 12. melody (HSK 3)
秋: Qiū — surname Qiu
夜: yè — night (HSK 2)
長: cháng — 1. long 2. (bound form) length 3. (bound form) strong point; forte 4. (bound form) to be good at 5. (literary) surplus; spare (Taiwan pr. (zhàng)) (HSK 2)
秋: Qiū — surname Qiu
風: fēng — 1. wind 2. news 3. style 4. custom 5. manner 6. classifier: 陣 (zhèn), 絲 (sī) (HSK 1)
涼: Liáng — the five Liang of the Sixteen Kingdoms, namely: Former Liang 前涼 (314-376), Later Liang 後涼 (386-403), Northern Liang 北涼 (398-439), Southern Liang 南涼 (Nán Liáng) (397-414), Western Liang 西涼 (400-421) (HSK 2)
誰: shéi — 1. who 2. also pr. (shuí) (HSK 1)
家的: jiā de — (old) wife
孩兒: hái r — child
沒有: méi yǒu — 1. haven't 2. hasn't 3. doesn't exist 4. to not have 5. to not be (HSK 1)
娘: niáng — 1. mother 2. young lady 3. (coll.) effeminate (HSK 7-9)
誰: shéi — 1. who 2. also pr. (shuí) (HSK 1)
家的: jiā de — (old) wife
孩兒: hái r — child
沒有: méi yǒu — 1. haven't 2. hasn't 3. doesn't exist 4. to not have 5. to not be (HSK 1)
娘: niáng — 1. mother 2. young lady 3. (coll.) effeminate (HSK 7-9)
月亮: yuè liang — the moon (HSK 2)
滿: Mǎn — Manchu ethnic group (HSK 2)
西: Xī — 1. the West 2. abbr. for Spain 西班牙 (Xī bān yá) 3. Spanish (HSK 1)
窗: chuāng — 1. window 2. classifier: 扇 (shàn)

，，！Everything is the same as it was ten years ago; even Wang Po seems unchanged — only Ping'er has grown up!！Ping'er and Luo Quantui are both grown now!

，。Wang Po, her hair blown about by the cool wind, stood beyond the fence listening from afar to the children's song drifting down from the hillside.

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What it’s about

Ten years compress into changes that are at once unmistakable and insufficient. Children become adults, bodies wear down, households alter and old episodes harden into village memory, but the basic circuits of labour and deprivation remain. Xiao Hong abandons day-by-day continuity to show time as villagers often experience it: seasons repeat until a face or family suddenly reveals how much has passed. The chapter gathers earlier figures under the pressure of aging rather than resolving their stories.

The long interval also shifts the novel toward history. Personal memory can span a decade, yet forces approaching the village exceed the scale by which its residents have measured change. Repetition is therefore not stasis. Each harvest, pregnancy, illness and death modifies the community, leaving it both familiar and newly vulnerable. The title's bare unit of time resists nostalgia; nothing in the past becomes golden simply because it has vanished. By surveying accumulated losses before the occupation chapters, Xiao Hong makes clear what invasion will rupture and what kinds of suffering it will intensify rather than originate.

When it was written 背景

This temporal hinge divides much of the novel's cyclical village portraiture from the increasingly explicit history of Japanese occupation after 1931. Xiao Hong was writing only a few years after the conquest of Manchuria, but she uses retrospective compression instead of supplying a textbook chronology. Readers should look for repeated names, kin relations and bodily descriptions to see what the decade has changed. The prose may seem episodic because transitions replace a continuous plot; noting age and season markers helps. In the architecture of the 1935 book, the chapter guards against treating resistance as an entirely new story. The same villagers who enter national history already carry ten years of work, violence, attachment and grief.

Words in this chapter 生词

童謠tóng yáo童謠tóng yáo — nursery rhyme
羅圈腿luó quān tuǐ羅圈腿luó quān tuǐ — bow-legged · bandy-legged
孩兒hái r孩兒hái r — child
山下Shān xià山下Shān xià — Yamashita (Japanese surname)
季節jì jiéHSK 4季節jì jié — time · season · period · classifier: 個 (gè) (HSK 4)
繁多fán duō繁多fán duō — many and varied · of many different kinds
聽從tīng cóngHSK 7-9聽從tīng cóng — to listen and obey · to comply with · to heed · to hearken (HSK 7-9)
山坡shān pōHSK 6山坡shān pō — hillside (HSK 6)
暖和nuǎn huoHSK 3暖和nuǎn huo — warm · nice and warm (HSK 3)
更換gēng huànHSK 5更換gēng huàn — to replace (a worn-out tire etc) · to change (one's address etc) (HSK 5)
牧童mù tóng牧童mù tóng — shepherd boy
籬lí籬lí — a fence

十 十年 Ten Years

What it’s about

When it was written 背景

Words in this chapter 生词

十　十年 Ten Years