Chapter 4 hope for critics

In the past two or three years, there were probably only a few creations (let’s say) and translations about literature and art in books and newspapers, so readers quite demanded the appearance of critics, and now critics have appeared, and there are more and more of them. When literature and art are so naive, critics still want to discover the beauty and want to fan the flame of literature and art, that kindness is really appreciated.Even if it is not the case, one may lament the shallowness of modern works, which is to look deeper at writers, or lament the absence of blood and tears in modern works, which is to fear that the world of writing will return to frivolity.Although it seems that there are too many small words, it is actually a warm kindness to literature and art, and that is really very grateful.

Only by relying on one or two old "Western" criticisms, or by grabbing the spat of some dull-minded gentlemen, or relying on China's inherent righteousness and so on, to trample on the literary world, then I will I think it is too much to abuse the authority of criticism.Try to compare simple things: For example, when a cook cooks and someone criticizes him, he should not hand over the kitchen knife and iron kettle to the critic, saying that you can try to cook a good bowl: but how much can he have? One hope is that those who eat vegetables do not have "scab addiction" [2], are not drunk, do not suffer from fever, and have a tongue coating that is two to three cents thick.

I have even less hope for literary critics.I dare not expect them to dissect and judge other people's works first, to see if there are any superficial, base and absurd things in themselves, because this is not an easy task.What I hope is that they have a little common sense, such as knowing the difference between nude painting and spring painting, kissing and sexual intercourse, autopsy and murder, studying abroad and "exposing the barbarians"[5], bamboo shoots, etc. The difference between bamboo and bamboo, the difference between a cat and a tiger, the difference between a tiger and a fan restaurant...Going a step further, the criticism is mainly based on the theories of British and American old gentlemen. Naturally, you can listen to it, but you especially hope to know that there are not only Britain and the United States in the world; you are free to look down on Tolstoy, but you want to investigate a little bit first. In fact, I have read a few books he has done.

There are also a few critics, when criticizing the translation, they often slander it as an insignificant labor, and blame him for not creating it.Presumably, translators should be aware of the esteem of creation, but the fact that he is only a translator must be because he can only translate, or prefers to translate.Therefore, if critics do not discuss the facts as they are, but say something that should be like that, it is beyond their power, because this kind of speech is to discuss lessons rather than criticism.Now, if we compare the cook, it is enough for the eater to say how good the taste is. Besides suffering from it, why don’t you blame him for not being a tailor or building a house? The guest officer is obsessed with phlegm.

November 9th. KK [1] This article was originally published in the "Morning News Supplement" on November 9, 1922, signed by Feng Sheng. 〔2〕 "Scab addiction" is a morbid and abnormal hobby.The tenth volume of "Yiyuan" by Liu Jingshu of the Song Dynasty in the Southern Dynasties: "Dongguan Liu Yong was addicted to eating sores, and thought it tasted like fish. I tasted Meng Lingxiu, and Lingxiu first suffered from moxibustion sores. The scabs fell on the bed, and Yong ate it." 〔3〕"Let the Four Barbarians" come from the "Book of Rites·University": "Bringing the Four Barbarians is not the same as China." Four Barbarians, the old Han rulers used a contemptuous name for the ethnic minorities in the remote areas of my country.

Let all the barbarians be exiled to remote places.