The Rise of the Writers of the Republic of China

"Mr. Zhou, Mr. Zhou!"

Before Zhou Hexuan stepped out of the school gate, he heard someone calling him from behind. Turning around, he saw a young man wearing glasses. He smiled and asked, "Hi, what's the matter?"

"My name is Shen Congwen, and I really like Mr. Zhou's works." Shen Congwen said.

Zhou Hexuan smiled and said, "So it's Mr. Shen. I've read your article."

Shen Congwen couldn't help being overjoyed: "Mister also knows me?"

"Of course, Zhimo and the others have a good opinion of you." Zhou Hexuan said.

Shen Congwen likes chasing stars, chasing literary superstars. He grew up in a poor family, and became independent at the age of 13. He served as a soldier, worked as a clerical officer, and even became a hooligan at one point. He has nothing to do with progressive youth.

Shen Congwen didn't really wake up until he came into contact with new ideas at Peking University. He admired those talented masters, tried to write letters to Lu Xun, Yu Dafu, Xu Zhimo and others for advice, learned writing step by step, and finally formed his own unique style of writing.

Today's Shen Congwen is just a small character who has just emerged, and it is even difficult to support himself. For the first two months, he lived in a dormitory rebuilt from a ruined temple.

Hu Yepin and Ding Ling also caught up and introduced themselves enthusiastically, and everyone knew each other.

"Are you serious about what Mr. Zhou said just now?" Hu Ye asked frequently.

"What words?" Zhou Hexuan asked.

Hu Yepin said: "Students are prohibited from propagating progressive ideas in Peking University."

Zhou Hexuan said with a smile: "Please add the word 'public'. If they discuss it privately, I don't care about it."

As soon as these words came out, Hu Yepin, Ding Ling, and Shen Congwen all laughed, and the little dissatisfaction in their hearts was completely put down.

Writers naturally want to talk about literature when they meet, and Hu Yefeng asked: "Mr. Zhou's "Goddess" has a weird writing style, which is quite different from the current novels. Can you talk about this creative method?"

Zhou Hexuan did not answer directly, but instead asked: "Where is the foundation of Chinese literature?"

The three were questioned, they had never considered this question.

Zhou Hexuan asked again: "What are you relying on to create novels?"

Shen Congwen thought for a while and said: "I use what I see, hear, and feel, and then use my imagination, and learn from other people's writing methods to create with my own characteristics."

Ding Ling said: "I am similar to Congwen. I create based on reality and express my thoughts. Mr. Lu Xun has a great influence on me. I listened to his "History of Chinese Fiction" at Peking University."

Hu Ye Channel: "I am influenced by foreign works, such as Ibsen, Tolstoy and other famous artists."

After the three of them finished speaking, Zhou Hexuan smiled and said, "You are only talking about the literary form. What I am asking is the cultural core, which comes from the education we have received. What is education? Education is what is left after forgetting what you have learned. Stuff. It’s embedded in your soul, and it just unfolds, flowing through the lines you write, possibly without you even realizing it.”

This passage was so mysterious that Shen Congwen and the others couldn't help but start to think about it.

The Sun family brothers had followed up a long time ago and were standing beside them at this moment.

Sun Yonghao asked in a low voice: "Brother, what are you talking about, sir? I can't understand a word."

"It's fine if you don't understand, don't think about it." Sun Yongzhen rolled his eyes and said, his injury has fully recovered, and he is a lively man again.

"Education is what is left after forgetting what you have learned..." Ding Ling pondered over this sentence. She felt that it made sense, as if she had grasped some essence, but it was difficult to express it in words.

Hu Yepin suddenly said: "Mr. Zhou's 'remaining things' should refer to a person's spirit, including character, belief, thought, attitude, style and so on."

"It can also be understood in this way," Zhou Hexuan said with a smile. "Education is not just about imparting ideas and knowledge. It refers to schools and books, and also includes family education since childhood, as well as the influence of the whole society on people.”

Ding Ling was stunned, and praised: "Mr. Zhou is the real educator, and he explained the essence of education. Just like what Mr. said, the old-school literati influenced by traditional feudal education often have old-fashioned ideas. And students who have received new-style education, But he has a broad vision and is easy to accept new things and new ideas. But what does this have to do with literary creation?"

Zhou Hexuan explained: "What is literature? Literature is the art of using language as a tool to reflect reality and express the writer's spiritual world. The spiritual world of a writer must be cultivated through education. Our generation, no matter you Whether you admit it or not, you are influenced by a lot of traditional Chinese feudal culture, which you can never lose, and it will definitely be revealed in your works."

Hu Yepin said: "We can work hard to get rid of the old and promote the new!"

"Why do you want to get rid of it?" Zhou Hexuan said with a smile, "Old culture is not necessarily dross. The "Novel Monthly" is still sorting out the country's history. Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trust, do these need to be thrown away? The heaven, earth, people and thoughts in "Book of Changes", It has even been integrated into Pai Gow and Mahjong. The chopsticks we usually use also pay attention to the unity of man and nature, don’t everyone give up and use Western-style knives and forks?”

Ding Ling asked anxiously, "Mr. Zhou, what exactly do you want to say?"

Zhou Hexuan said: "What I want to say is that the foundation of Chinese writers' novels lies in Chinese characters, and each Chinese character brings together the thought and wisdom of the Chinese nation. We can learn from the West in terms of literary form, but why can't the cultural core maintain its national character? China There are too many creative themes, it is a big treasure house, and you can bring forth the new if you just dig it out."

Ding Ling and Hu Yepin were still thinking, but Shen Congwen suddenly shouted happily: "I understand, I understand!"

"What do you understand?" Hu Ye asked frequently.

Shen Congwen made an inference: "Mr. Zhou means that literature has a national character and needs to be progressive ideologically, but the form of expression can be old-fashioned. The traditional culture we have been exposed to since childhood can be used completely, including those folklore, Mythical stories. This is not only conducive to expression, but also easy for readers to accept. I know which way I should go. I grew up in Xiangxi, which is my spiritual home. Why should I imitate others? I can write what I am familiar with. Story!"

Well, this savvy, Zhou Hexuan was completely convinced.

No wonder Shen Congwen, a military ruffian, can grow into a generation of literary masters after only a few days of attending classes at Peking University.

Although Hu Yepin and Ding Ling were not convinced by Zhou Hexuan's theory, they also felt that it made sense. Isn't the popular "local literature" rooted in traditional cultural soil?

"My "Goddess" is actually using the traditional Chinese theory of ghosts and gods to construct an illusory but real world. It is magical and realistic. I call it magical realism," Zhou Hexuan said with a self-deprecating laugh , "This can be regarded as the establishment of a sect."

"Magic Realism, a very interesting name." Ding Ling couldn't help but smile.

Zhou Hexuan asked about the recent situation of the three of them. After learning that they were full-time writers, he immediately sent an invitation, hoping that they could go to Tianjin to help run a newspaper.

Ding Ling and Hu Yepin politely refused. The two had many friends in Peiping and had no plans to go to Tianjin for the time being. Shen Congwen said that he had to think about it, he wanted to learn more from Zhou Hexuan, and at the same time he wanted to find a serious and stable job.

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