Chapter 19 Books and Fortune

What I saw in Shanghai this year is that nine times out of ten, the candy bears that use children as opponents are gambling. With one copper dollar, after a certain procedure, there is hope of getting more than one copper dollar of candy.But bookstores that only target students as their opponents give even greater and more hope—because the opponents are students. Books at real prices and the bad habit of abolishing "may foreign" began in Beijing's Xinchao Press - Beixin Book Company [2], and later Shanghai also copied it. People who want to improve (bookstores claim to be those who introduce culture, which is still seen in advertisements from time to time), do not need to set false prices first, then discount them, and play tricks of deceiving each other.However, the people who gave the mahjong tiles to the world and are proud of it can't stand such a simple and simple method without unexpected benefits.So the old disease appeared, and first tried its skills: sending pictures.Then there are discounts, ranging from 10% off to 50% off, but naturally it is not the old method, because there is always a regular and reason, either because the school starts, or because the store opened for a year and a half to commemorate.There are also free silk stockings for those with more colors, please eat ice cream, and a brocade box with ten treasures inside, which is worthless.It is more practical, but it is amazing. If you sign up for a yearly report or buy a few books, you have the hope of getting a "study bonus" of 100 yuan or a "study abroad fund" of 2,000 yuan.In the "roulette" on the foreign field [3], the money paid to the winner is no more than 36 yuan for every yuan paid. It is really not as good as buying books. The "hope" is far, far, far greater.

Our ancients said, "There is a house of gold in the book", and now it is gradually being realized.But what about the last sentence, "There is Yan Ruyu in the book" [4]? In the pictorials attached to the daily newspapers, for some unknown reason, there are photos of "high-achieving girls' school students" and "lady reading under a tree" and so on. Let alone buying books for one yuan and giving nude pictures as gifts, it should be Take it as an example with the smell of "Yan Ruyu".In medicine, "gynecology" has a special department, but in literature and art, "women writers" are divided into one category[5] but it is a bit of an abuse of the difference in physique, which makes people feel a little special.But the most blatant one is the "Midea Bookstore" opened by Dr. Zhang Jingsheng [6]. There were two young, pale-faced female shop assistants standing across from each other. Buyers could ask her, "Has "The Third Kind of Water" come out?" etc. Class, kill two birds with one stone, have jade and books.It's a pity that "Midea Bookstore" was banned.Dr. Zhang also changed his course and went to translate "Lu Sao's Confessions" [7], and this way has a sigh of decline.

If the sales of books continue to decline, I think it is best to use female shop assistants to sell works and photos of female writers, and still draw a lottery, so as to give buyers the hope of getting money for "encouraging education" and "studying abroad". BB [1] This article was originally published in the second issue of the first volume of "Sprout Monthly" on February 1, 1930. 〔2〕New Trend Society A cultural group formed by some students and faculty members of Peking University. The main members include Fu Sinian, Luo Jialun, Yang Zhensheng and Zhou Zuoren.Established at the end of 1918.In January 1919, he founded the monthly magazine "Xinchao", published "Xinchao Series" in August of the following year, and published "Xinchao Society Literature and Art Series" in 1923.Beixin Bookstore was established in Beijing in March 1925, presided over by Li Xiaofeng, a former member of Xinchao Society.At that time, it mainly published new literature and art books. [3] "Roulette" is a gambling method in European casinos, which was also popular in the Shanghai Concession at that time.

〔4〕"There is a golden house in the book" See the "Encouraging Learning" written by Song Zhenzong (Zhao Heng): "Read, read, read! There is a golden house in the book; read, read, read! In the book There are thousands of millet; read, read, read! There is Yan Ruyu in the book." 〔5〕"Women Writers" is divided into one category. Zhang Ruogu once edited "Women Writers Magazine", which was published by Shanghai Women Writers Magazine in September 1929. 〔6〕Zhang Jingsheng, a native of Raoping, Guangdong, holds a Ph.D. from the University of Paris, France, and was a professor at Peking University.Author of "Beauty's Outlook on Life", "Beauty's Social Organization Law" and so on.In 1926, he edited the monthly "New Culture" in Shanghai. In 1927, he opened a Midea bookstore (which was closed soon) to promote pornographic culture. "The third kind of water" refers to the secretions in women's sexual life.Zhang once discussed the "third kind of water" in his book "Sexual History".

[7] Rousseau's autobiographical novel written in 1778.Zhang Jingsheng once translated the first and second parts of it, which were published by Shanghai Midea Bookstore in 1929.