Finally, a novel by one of the greatest modern Chinese writers, Yu Hua, has come to the Russian reader, named by critics as one of the ten most influential works of modern Chinese literature. This novel is about a man who is forced to donate blood so his family can survive famine, disease, political campaigns and other hardships—a situation many Chinese have found themselves in until recently. This book was adapted into a film of the same name in 2015 by South Korean director Ha Jung Woo. “Text” published Yu Hua’s novels “To Live” and “Brothers.” “...This book is indeed a long folk song, its rhythm is the speed of memories, the motive gently slides from note to note, and pauses lie behind the rhymes. The author invented the story of only two people, but appeals to the memory of many. Martial said: “Remembering the past is like living again.” Both writing and reading means knocking on the door of memories in order to live again.” (Yu Hua)