Chapter 22 Section 4 The Purgatory Song of the Victims: "Another Columbus" and "A Gift"

As poets of the "July School", Lu Yuan and Zeng Zhuo had many similar experiences.They are all from Hubei (one ancestral home is Huangpi, the other is Wuhan), and both were born in 1922. They started poetry creation under the influence and support of Hu Feng in the 1940s. They were both implicated in the Hu Feng case in 1955. Arrested and imprisoned, he never gave up his poetry writing in prison. After more than 20 years of imprisonment and labor reform, he was rehabilitated almost at the same time, and after regaining his freedom, he created some influential poems.When creating their masterpieces "Another Columbus" and "A Gift", they both experienced a period of prison life, and there was still a long suffering waiting for them, so they all adopted the method of secret writing until It was not published until twenty years later.Of course, the two have different temperaments, experiences, and creative styles, which are also reflected in their two representative works mentioned above.

During the seven years in prison, Lvyuan taught himself German with strong perseverance, read a large number of original works of Marx, Engels and Hegel, and later engaged in the translation of German literature under the pseudonym "Liu Banjiu", becoming a famous author. As a German translator, he was forced to think calmly in loneliness for many years, and the reading of the original theoretical works also affected his poems, which made Lu Yuan's later poetry creation reflect deep and powerful speculative penetrating power and highly concentrated refinement style. "Another Columbus"18 was created in Qincheng Prison in 1959. He was in the same state of mind as Zeng Zhuo when he was imprisoned: "When I found myself under the bars, I thought in a trance that I was in a It is difficult to believe that all this is real, it is difficult to accept the crime imposed on me, it is difficult to face the prying eyes of the jailer through the small window on the door, and it is difficult to bear the torment of loneliness... I tried to calm myself and calm down, but Still powerless to escape from the burden of pain.” 19 Lvyuan’s lonely and desperate state of mind is also reflected in a sentence of the French thinker Pascal quoted in the inscription: “The eternal silence of infinite space makes me tremble”. The poet’s Shi Si travels through five hundred years of Chinese and Western time and space, imagining herself as Columbus in the 20th century.Just like the Columbus five hundred years ago, he also "farewelled his relatives / bid farewell to the people, even / bid farewell to mankind". The difference is that Columbus five hundred years ago was able to put his ideals into action, showing that A state of positive freedom to conquer the forces of nature, while the green principle five hundred years later was forced to embark on a lonely long journey; Columbus had many sailors, but he was alone; his "Santa Maria" was not a ship, It is "four pale yellow walls"; he is not sailing in the ocean of space, but in "the ocean of eternal time", "no more sound, no color, no more movement", in the boundless solitude , The poet can only rely on imagination to penetrate time and space, and resist loneliness and despair with stubborn ideals.Here is his self-portrait:

The Columbus Pin Bone Unkempt Holding a "Song of Solomon" in hand and staring at the ever-changing ceiling drifting on the ocean of time He relied on Einstein's common sense Believe that "India" lies ahead── Even if you can't reach India He too will surely discover a new continent. The poem uses a contrasting method, with ingenious ideas and simple language, to express the absurdity of reality and the suffering of existence, filled with solemn bitterness and unspeakable pain, condensed and desolate. It is also an artistic record and expression of one's own experience and experience. Different from Luyuan's condensed and speculative, Zeng Zhuo's "You Gift" 20 is full of strong emotional color.The poet Niu Han once said: "His poems bring warmth and beauty to people even though they are covered with scars. Whether they are about youth or love, or about loneliness and expectations, about distant memories, about the reunion of a second life , you can sing and sigh three times when you read it, and you can chant it repeatedly. The rhythm and imagery have a compelling appeal, and there is some sweetness in the misery, which is very easy to resonate. His verses are warm and flowing: like tears It's so moist and flowing like blood."21 In 1959, Zeng Zhuo, who had endured two years in prison, was released on medical parole due to illness, and was sent to the countryside two years later. He did not return to his home until the end of 1961. An ordinary and simple Great women have been waiting for his return.For a person who has traveled long distances in the lonely desert, such a reunion is unforgettable and unforgettable for life. Zeng Zhuo recorded this touching scene with strong emotions and vivid pen and ink:

In a moment my whole life flashed by, This sacred moment is both an end and a beginning. All that is past is past, at last, You have given me strength, courage and confidence. Your tearful smile is a hell. Your crystal tears burn my soul. I will soar in cloud-like flames, Painful and joyful singing came out of his mouth. The emotion from the heart itself has the power to move people, not to mention expressing it in the language of poetry.Zeng Zhuo did not describe his loneliness and suffering positively, but tried his best to express the comfort and warmth in the loneliness. In the situation of loneliness, the ordinary and simple love is especially great and sacred, becoming the lyrical protagonist "the light of life". " and the "Purgatory" of rebirth, and the poet especially cherishes his works during the silent period, viewing them as "light spots shining in the purgatory of life, Xiao Gong who is open on the edge of the purgatory of life".The poetic thinking is sincere, gentle and sentimental, but there is no lack of vigor of will, and the tragic experience of melancholy is contained in the simplicity.

Whether it is Luyuan's "Another Columbus" or Zeng Zhuo's "A Gift", they are all faithful records of life in times of suffering. They never thought of publishing when they wrote it, and there is no possibility of publishing it at all. It can be less affected and controlled by the political discourse at that time, reflecting the valuable personal characteristics.Of course, it is impossible for a person to completely transcend the limitations of the times. In these two poems, the influence of the same name of the era can be seen to some extent.When the catastrophe strikes, it is impossible for them as intellectuals to pay attention to and intervene in reality. In despair and pain, personal confession becomes the most natural way of expression.However, from Lvyuan’s speculative expression, we can still see the twists and turns of the realistic fighting spirit in the tradition of modern intellectuals. Even if his "firm belief" is a kind of masturbation, it also has a "heroic complex" of entering the world. As Victims of political struggle and ideology, they cannot have the attitude of masters like Wang Meng and Guo Xiaochuan. Persevere, but in the era of ideological dominance, the records of the victims' personal fate and the reflections in despair are the witnesses of social contradictions and social tragedies.

Notes: 1 See Xia Xingzhen's "Hundred Flowers Bloom, A Hundred Schools of Thought Contend" for the history of the formation process Review", contained in "Literary News" on May 3, 1996. 2 Ibid. 3 The report was published in "People's Daily" on June 13, 1956. 4 See "Preface to "The Socialist Upsurge in Rural China", Selected Works of Mao Zedong, No. 5 volumes, People's Publishing House, 1997 edition, p. 223. 5 See "On Ten Relationships", "Selected Works of Mao Zedong", Volume 5, People's Publishing House, 1997

Annual Edition, p. 288. 6 Quoted from Hong Zicheng's "1956: The Era of Hundred Flowers", included in "Century Chinese Literature General Department" Series, Shandong Education Press, 1998 edition, p. 50. 7 Same Note 1 8 same note 3 9 Fei Xiaotong published "Early Intellectuals" in People's Daily on March 24, 1957. There is such a text in "Spring Weather": "The weather in early spring is unavoidably cold and warm at the same time. It is the most difficult time to rest. ", "People who don't understand the policy of contending among a hundred schools of thought will of course

Also, I'm afraid it's a trap, collect some thoughts and conditions, and it will be better when there is another movement. Well done.Such a person cannot say much.More of it is the fear of making a fool of yourself. " 10 Quoted from Hong Zicheng's "1956: The Era of Hundred Flowers", pp. 29-45. 11 Signed He Zhi, published in "People's Literature" No. 9, 1956. 12 Originally published in "Literary News" No. 7, 1957 (published on May 19) 13 Zhong Dianfei's "Drums and Drums of Movies" was first published in "Literary News" No. 23 in 1956, on December 12 of the same year

Reprinted in "Wen Wei Po" on August 21. 14 Quoted from Liu Binyan and Chen Bohong's "Shanghai in Meditation", published in "China Youth Daily" May 13, 1957. 15 Quoted from Liu Shaotang's "The Development of Realism in the Socialist Era" published in "Beijing Literature and Art" No. 4, 1957; "My Views on Current Literature and Art Issues" published in "Literary and Art Studies Xi Jinping, No. 5, 1957. 16 The title of the author's original manuscript is, later edited by "People's Literature" The editorial department (Qin Zhaoyang) made revisions.See "People's Literature" Editorial Department

"Revision of the original manuscript of "New Young People from the Organization Department", "People's Daily", vol. May 9, 1957.Because the author has different opinions on the revision, in "1956 Short Selected Stories" (edited by the Chinese Writers Association, People's Literature Publishing House, 1957), " Selected readings of literary works.Short Stories Since the Founding of the People's Republic of China" (Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House, 1980 Year) and other editions, the title of the original manuscript was restored.But considering the important

It still affects the version published in "People's Literature", so this textbook is still based on it. according to. 17 Guo Xiaochuan's "Looking at the Starry Sky" was first published in the November 1959 issue of "People's Literature". 18 "Another Columbus", the first collection of Luyuan's poetry anthology "Human Poems", published by People's Literature Society 1983 edition. 19 Zeng Zhuo, "Little Gong by the Purgatory of Life", collected in "Collected Works of Zeng Zhuo", Volume 1, Changjiang Wen Art Publishing House, 1994 edition, p. 379. 20 "You Gift", this textbook is based on "White Flower", a collection of 20 members of the July School of Poetry, People's Literature Publishing House 1981 edition. 21 Niu Han "A Person Who Loves", Collected "Notes on Poetry Learning", Beijing Joint Publishing "Today Shihua Series", 1986, p. 79.