Reborn, Pao School's first student-produced Chinese language literary publication, was launched around one year ago. The young scribes’ creative and insightful writing has helped build a loyal readership for the journal at Pao School.
The Reborn publication team is especially pleased that the first issue of the journal was named the best campus magazine and publication (the top award) in the JEA China Media Review.
A year has passed in the blink of an eye, and the second issue of Reborn has arrived. Let us enjoy literature together this summer.
—— Le Yinglu
Head of High School Chinese
Reborn 2nd Edition
After the success of last year's very first Chinese literary journal,
I am very pleased to announce the arrival of the second edition.
This work has been devised, constructed and edited by the students;
they deserve high praise for their scholarly endeavours, leadership, and
passion for Chinese culture and literature. I do hope that you enjoy reading it.
—— James Lyng
High School Deputy Principal
Reborn Content Preview
The first section, entitled A Moveable Feast, is inspired by the Hemingway novel of the same name; the work in this section aims to depict and flowing emotions and stories, which together form a modern narrative.
The second story, Burning Wilderness, draws upon Juan Rulfo's collection of short stories El Llano en llamas. This section contains some thoughtful works that express concern for society. In it, we explore the relationship between individuals and society, and between individuals and the times in which they live.
The third section, Jacob's Room, is inspired by Virginia Woolf and mainly contains works written in a stream-of-consciousness style. These texts abandon the narrative structure of traditional literature and instead construct a unique time and space.
The fourth section, The Sun of Al is inspired by the Chinese poet Zhai Haisheng (Hai Zi) and features an impressive variety of poetic styles.
The fifth section, Time Regained, is a nod to Proust. It mainly contains works on themes such as remembrance and nostalgia. You will step into the river of memories and flow down it.
The sixth section, The Last Leaf, is influenced by O. Henry and contains some adaptations of O. Henry's text. These works show a different kind of creativity and give new life to traditional literature.
—— By Danny
Reborn iIlustration by
Left:Y12 Alex, Right:Aaron
Message from the editor-in-chief
Reborn is very special to me. Two years ago, Leo said to me that we should establish a literary journal – that it would be better than just sitting in our dorms and writing articles with nowhere specific to publish them. I agreed. We envisioned a lean editorial team, with two or three writers to edit seven or eight submissions. These two to three writers could also work as graphic designers so there would be no need to recruit additional staff.
Later, I got in touch with a few of my literature-loving friends and they helped spread the word to other like-minded people. I didn’t expect our recruitment efforts would be so successful: Reborn ended up with a founding team of 10 members. At that time, we were so idealistic and passionate. We couldn’t stop thinking about Reborn. We even dreamt about it.
Last year, Reborn had its own co-curricular activity (CCA) time. As I watched our team grow rapidly, I felt both happy and anxious. I had never wanted to be editor-in-chief of a journal and then suddenly I had to lead more than 30 people. I wasn’t used to the responsibility that came with the job, and I had to try different things to make it work as I went along. Sometimes it worked, which was great, and other times it didn’t, and the results were pretty embarrassing. But no matter what, everyone on the team is in this together. Our enthusiasm for literature will not diminish, and the Reborn flame will always burn bright.
Many people say that Reborn is like my child. I have watched it slowly grow and develop its own thoughts and perceptions. Now it is as tall as I am, yet in my memory it still seems like a small child: immature, full of enthusiasm, and with infinite yearning for the future. Reborn will always represent new life, belonging to youth and the future, while the people on the Reborn team are always reinventing themselves. We will carry on, full of hope.
—— Danny
Reborn illustration by Y11 Tia
Reborn: The teacher's perspective
After 10 months of drafting, reviewing, editing, and typesetting, we did not finalize the journal until the 12th draft. The second issue of Reborn was finally completed this summer.
The Reborn team has a deep love for literature which is plain to see. It shines through their responses to the interview questions, or in the preface and postscript written by the editors-in-chief for this issue of Reborn: "Literature is the land on which I live. When the wheels of the world turn too fast, I will always receive a call from this land." (Danny)
"You can ask big questions, discuss the environment, relationships, and the world. You should also go to the street to take ‘a bath in humanity.'" (Cynthia)
Their expectations for Reborn are lofty as well: "I hope Reborn can become a flying earth…I hope we can live in love instead of fear." (Danny)
These words brim with a passion for literature and idealism. It is this love and luminescence that helped the students to overcome the challenges faced in producing the journal.
The first issue of Reborn is a groundbreaking but challenging work. Thanks to the solid foundation created by that first issue, production of the second issue proceeded smoothly, and improvements were made. The second issue of the journal features a broader array of subject matter. The students no longer just focused on their own life experience; they looked at the world outside of their own experience and the vast depths of human nature. The text is richer stylistically as well, incorporating techniques seen in post-modern literature, such as experimental novels. The writing also draws on the Chinese classical poetry the students have studied in their Chinese courses.
Reborn iIlustration by Y12 Alex
In addition, the second issue of Reborn is more visually impressive than the first – all of its paintings and photographs were created by Pao School students. The layout is more refined, and the illustrations and typography more attractive. Reborn has been made possible because of its talented and enthusiastic editorial team. At the same time, it reflects the fruits of Pao School’s unique Chinese-International curriculum and a campus with a strong literary atmosphere.
Lu Xiu, High School Chinese Teacher mentioned that: "As the teacher overseeing the production of Reborn, I have largely been a bystander to the process. It is these young people with a fierce passion for literature who are the real stars of the show. When I see them writing silently, or arguing excitedly about the issues in the text, or talking about Borges and Marquez, my face breaks into a smile. This is the joy of being a humanities teacher."
Reborn founding team
Reborn and literature: The team's perspective
1. What do you think is most interesting about the second issue of Reborn?
Koda: For this second issue, we have gotten more submissions than last time. The articles cover a wider variety of subjects and are stylistically richer. I am very happy to see thoughtful articles about social phenomena.
Dana: This second issue expresses the sentiments of people who live in uncertain times. The innocence, maturity and struggle hidden in it are also mixed with the fact that sometimes you can see clearly, and sometimes you don’t know the direction in which are you going. This second issue will help people make more sense of the times in which we live.
Cynthia: I like how a copy of Reborn feels substantial in my hands. This may sound naïve, but when you hold this journal in your hands, it seems able to reveal countless sleepless evenings and infinite morning coffees. It feels like something that will stand the test of time.
2. Which writer's life do you most want to experience?
Leo: Yukio Mishima, I want to experience drastic changes in life like his, and I want to think like he did when he writes about the sea of fertility.
Felix: I most want to experience Cao Xueqin’s life. While he may not have had the most exciting life, I envy his ability to appreciate things like poetry, painting and food – which are closely related to human creativity. He is one of the few writers willing to spend extensive amounts of time to polish a work to perfection.
Katie: If we are just talking about experiencing a writer’s life and nothing else, then I would choose Xu Xiake’s, so I could see the mountains, the sun and the moon, the world. Or Qian Zhongshu, who read all the Chinese and Western classics and made a huge contribution to literature. If it is a foreign author’s life, I would want to experience the life of Shakespeare or Hemingway.
3. What is the significance of literature in today’s society?
Austin: I think literature can inspire people to think. Good literature can reflect current social issues and connect with readers. In literature, what we are looking for may be this kind of emotional connection, helping us to find the meaning of our lives in today's high-pressure social environment.
Tiger: Literature should indeed play a role in allowing people to see beauty and give them hope. However, seeing beauty does not mean immersing oneself in fantasy. The purpose of looking up at the stars is to gain inspiration to make changes in the real world.
Reborn iIlustration by Viola
The inaugural issue of Reborn is like a newborn child; its self-awareness and knowledge of the world around it are only beginning to develop. The second issue shows the child gradually maturing. In the second issue, the journal’s contributors demonstrate a deeper understanding of life: They are learning to better express themselves, pay more attention to broader society, and think independently. As I read through this second issue, I could plainly see the students’ enhanced storytelling ability, whether from the standpoint of subject matter or style. The works in this second issue present rich vignettes of life on campus and beyond. The students are equally adept at vividly depicting everyday life or writing in a more creative manner. The diversity of works in this second issue of Reborn is a testament to the students’ budding literary talent.
——David Xiong
Director of Chinese Academics
* Many thanks to our contributors: Le Yingyu, Head of High School Chinese; Lu Xiu, High School Chinese Teacher; David Xiong, High School Director of Chinese Academics; and the Reborn team.
