Passion overflows on every page of The Summons of Centuries Past. The author declares to us, "If, here, I cry out in a clarion call, it is because of my profound love for this long-suffering land! And if my attacks are harsh, it is because of the depth of my love, the depth of the wounds inflicted upon me by the calamitous fate of my mother country! And if I should cry out, I cry out for my elders—witnesses and slaves in a conquered nation…" These powerful passions frequently compel Zhang Yawen to bring her narrative to a halt to express a comment, a thought, an appeal, or a question. Is all the commentary necessary, and are some of her comments perhaps too blunt? It is open for discussion, but my personal belief is that, overall, she adheres scrupulously to the principles of reportage, and maintains an objective attitude towards her subjects. Particularly in her treatment of complex situations, she is careful to preserve her intellectual sensitivity and to think critically. Her recognition of Hong Kong's unique culture as the result of a unique historical environment, her analysis of the attitudes of Hong Kong's people, and her dissection of the influences of Western culture on Hong Kong all display a dialectical spirit infused with a materialistic methodology and epistemology.
The Summons of Centuries Past's most outstanding contribution is in Zhang's writing about the face of society in post-return Hong Kong, about the contours of life in the harbor, and the ups and downs in its people's spirits. It is both the book's strongest and most novel point. All of the book's eight chapters, with the exception of portions of Chapter One and Chapter Five, are about the reality of Hong Kong after its return to the mainland. It is perhaps these sections that the reader should most look forward to, and that most reward a close reading. Among the topics covered are: the exceptional achievements and circumstances of the PLA garrison in Hong Kong; the life stories and contributions to the territory of a number of its societal elites; Hong Kong's charities; the ways in which Hong Kong people's livelihood is provided for; how its medical care, culture, media, educational, and clean political systems were built; as well as Hong Kong's future prospects and the challenges it confronts. It is in these topics that Zhang portrays the face of post-return Hong Kong, is Hong Kong's "present progressive" . Some sections, most particularly those covering the establishment of clean governance, are not just deions of the successful experience of present-day Hong Kong, but have instructive value for both the mainland and a number of other countries and territories.
