Chapter 26 Section 2 To Lloyd

①Since Lao She started his life in the "new society", he rarely wrote articles about his personal life.These letters have given us a lot of living "biographical" materials, so they are compiled into one section.Why is Lao She less willing to write about his life than before?There are probably three reasons: first, I feel that personal life is insignificant compared with society, and "personal" is bourgeois; The third is to turn memories into "reflection" and life performance into "thought reform".In this section, only those parts that have the value of "communication" are selected for the selected letters, and the letter format is abandoned, and only the date is marked.

(February 27, 1950) After returning to Beijing, I have been busy reading and writing.I wanted to go around more and see more, so as to collect some materials for writing, but the sciatic nerve kept hurting so much that I had to stay at home and acquire new knowledge through reading. Although after fifteen years of separation, my three older sisters (ages 73, 70 and 64) still live in Beijing and are in good health.My older brother also lives here.They were all very happy to see their youngest brother come back at last.Two years ago, my brother nearly starved to death.Now all his children have jobs and he himself is back to health.They all really like this new government that has been kind to the people.

My family members will return to Beijing from Chongqing, and I have to prepare a house for them.Now that Beijing is the capital again, it is expensive and difficult to find a suitable house.I would be very happy if you could send me US$500 to Hong Kong and have it forwarded to me by Mr. Hou (Dr. Hou Baozhang, Department of Pathology, University of Hong Kong). How did that novel go?I heard that Mr. Amussen no longer works for Reynolds and Hitchcock. Is that true? -------- ①, not by Reynolds and Hitchcock, but by Hacock and Brace. (July 7, 1950) Sorry for not writing to you for so long.I am busy preparing for the establishment of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Artistic Workers and writing.I have just finished writing a five-act drama script②, and it will be performed in public soon.

-------- ② namely Thank you for sending the five hundred dollars to Hong Kong.Mr. Hou has forwarded it to me.I am glad that the translation you told me is still in good condition.Please tell Miss Puard that I am too busy to find time to write to her.Please also tell her that now all the lakes and rivers in Beijing have been treated again, and the water has become clean.This year's wheat harvest is better than last year's, and the famine is about to pass. (August 26, 1950) The five-act play has been handed over to a director and is expected to be performed in September.Another short play of mine is also expected to be premiered in December this year①.The Beijing Federation of Literary and Artistic Workers has been established, and I am the chairman.I have so much to do right now, I'm just too busy.

It's been a hot summer this year, but it's cooled off a bit in the last two days.There are many pears, apples and peaches in the market.My youngest daughter (Xiao Li) doesn't eat anything but apples and she also hides a few apples in bed at night. Beijing is fine now, inflation has passed, and everyone is happy.Food is also plentiful.People are beginning to love the new government. With regard to Hacock's and Blaise's proposal to share additional editorial fees, I think we should agree that they are spending too much and we need to help them. Please send the enclosed short note and fifteen dollars to Mr. Robert Rand.The address is as follows:

Writers Guild 3 East 39th Street new york sixteen -------- ① refers to the drama "Longxugou". ② That is, the publishing company of the publishing company. ③ Lao She wrote to Robert Rand on the same day, "I accept the invitation of 'Writer Guidance' to join the 'Writers Association of America', and I should pay a membership fee of fifteen dollars per year." (November 17, 1950) I'm very busy with work, so I haven't written to you. Other than the sciatica pain, I am healthy.I tried every means to treat it, but it was all to no avail.I don't know when and how to get rid of this annoying pain.

(May 3, 1951) As the chairman of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, I have so many things to do that I can hardly find time to deal with my own personal affairs.Beijing currently has a population of two million.There are many artists living here and I have to try to help them. I really want to see the sample book of "Yellow Storm". I don't know when I will receive the sample book you sent me.I hope you can send two sample books to Mr. Qu Tongzu (123 West Street, New York, No. 435, Apartment 52), one to him and one to me. He will send the sample book to me through Hong Kong.You can also send me things or money through him.

Miss Puard has given me several reviews of The Yellow Storm.It seems that they all like this novel. (May 21, 1951) I heard that the sample book ("Yellow Storm") you sent me has arrived in Hong Kong, and my friend Mr. Hou will try to forward it to me.Mr. Qu Tongzu lives in No. 435, Apartment 52, 123 West Street, New York. He will also help you send the books and money to me. He is a good friend of mine. He can write to me in your letter write Chinese on the envelope. I've been very busy these days, my sciatica has been going on and on, and I've tried everything, but nothing works.

My white cat gave birth to three kittens - one white and two yellow and white.But my little bird died, and this gave my little daughter a chance to cry. (July 23, 1951) The summer in Beijing is very hot this year.I can only write for a while in the early morning every day, and it is too hot to work in the afternoon.Beijing has many beautiful parks where I can rest and get fresh air.But the sciatica kept me from walking to the park.In the past three months, I have only completed a short screenplay① and nothing else. There are many things to say about New China, but they can all be summed up in one sentence: the government is good.The Chinese people don't understand why the U.S. government opposes the good government in Beijing while supporting the bad government in Taiwan.

Thank you so much for letting me know that The Yellow Storm will be published in the UK, I am delighted. Please give Mr. Qu Tongzu five hundred dollars.His family is in Beijing, and they will hand over the money to me. (April 1, 1952) I am still busy writing that play②.I don't know when it will be completed.The new society inspires writers across the country to write hard, and every writer is working hard.Winter is coming to an end, and spring in Beijing is beautiful.I have many flowers, and tending them provides me with a break between writing.The sciatica is slightly better.It's time for me to do some light exercise too, and watering the flowers is a light exercise for me.

-------- ① Refers to the movie script "People Have the Same Heart", which has not been published. ② refers to "Spring Flowers and Autumn Fruits".In Lao She's words, this is a play about the process of movement.Everyone contributed their opinions, and Lao She wrote ten drafts. (May 14, 1952) Thank you for your letter of March 7, 1952.I received two sample books two days ago. The price is so high, and the book itself is not very good. I doubt whether it will sell well.I would be very grateful if you could send me some review articles about this book.The reviews for "Yellow Storm" have been mostly positive, but I doubt it will get the same kind of praise. I've been very busy, but thankfully my sciatica has improved a bit thanks to vitamin B shots. (October 1, 1952) Sorry, this can only be a short note, I have too much to do. "Biography of Niu Tianci" is an unimportant work of mine, and it is not worth translating into English.I know nothing of Mr Colin himself or his intentions.Please tell Hacock & Blaise that this book is not good.If other publishers want to publish, they must go through you, and you are my publishing agent for all my books in the United States. ① -------- ①The contents of these letters were not suitable for publication at the time.This can be said to be a kind of contradiction of Lao She.Judging from the tone of the letter, Lao She is deliberately downplaying and breaking this connection.