Chapter 30 Literature, Art and Revolution (with a letter from Dongfen)

Mr. Lu Xun: In the "School of Learning" column of "Newspaper" [2], I read your speech "The Misguided Path of Literature and Politics", explaining the divergence between literary scholars and politicians. This contentment, in the eyes of keen-sensitized literary scholars, is also muddled and incomplete, expressing disappointment, and finally met with the taboo of politicians.I think this is a fact that countries around the world have become the norm.Recently, I read "Popularism and Genius" [3] and your "Drunken Eyes" in "Yusi", which really reminded me of the paradoxical dream of mediocreism and revolutionary literature at this moment. A lot of people in the world are hazy, at least for me.

I believe that no matter how the trend of literary and artistic thought changes, art itself has infinite value levels, which cannot be denied.That is to say, the stream of literature and art, from the original doctrine to the current doctrine, how different the content is, but one must have exquisite and skilled talents to produce an incomparably beautiful literary work. Same.In a Yangtze River, although the upper and lower streams have different shapes, the Yangtze River is still the same Yangtze River.When we see its obscene vastness and depth, which is enough to irrigate acres of fields and sail huge ships, we forget the source of its vastness and depth, and feel completely confused.If we take it out of context and say: at this moment and now, what we want is the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, because it can be used to increase our wealth.This is to judge the entire value of the Yangtze River itself based on its economic value.It is not surprising that this kind of judgment comes from the mouth of a businessman who focuses on economic value; but from the mouth of a writer and artist who focuses on artistic value, he is so confused that he is hopelessly confused.Because judging the upper reaches of the Yangtze River with artistic value is meaningless, or it is more natural and magnificent than the lower reaches, it is unknown.

Truth and beauty are the two elements that make up a successful artwork.And to constitute this truth and beauty to the highest degree, is to make a work of art, so that it has the highest artistic value, and that requires the highest genius.If this assertion can be denied, why do we praise Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, and Goethe?Why can't we create works of literature and art equal to theirs? We also have the eyes to observe phenomena, the brain to use writing and thinking, and the hands to hold the tube and stretch out the paper? Nowadays, talking about art without life is like hiding in an ivory tower and forgetting the times; talking about life without art is the truth of politicians and social activists, and they don’t need to talk about art.From this point of view, those who are enthusiastic about revolution can join the revolutionary masses as much as they want, whether they are charging forward or doing work in the rear, why use literature and art for something that is both stable and revolutionary?

I think many so-called revolutionary writers and artists who advocate revolutionary literature may have misunderstood the phrase expressing life.They may think that literature and art since the nineteenth century have expressed real life, and there is a clear spirit of the times in it.After waking up from the dream of the so-called "ivory tower", writers and artists should follow the environment of the times; creating literature and art away from the times is the literature and art of benevolence or aristocracy.They saw the greatness of Ibsen, the profundity of Dostoevsky, and especially the earnestness of the writers Ye Suining and Goriki during the period of the Russian Revolution; Use the life phenomenon at that time to curse, characterize, and give the society the opportunity to reform the revolution, so that literature and art will become popular and revolutionary literature and art.People born in the so-called "end of the century" modern society, unless their nerves are numb, will never feel depressed and sad.Writers and artists are ultimately a little more sensitive than ordinary people.Since such a society is before their eyes, what kind of emotion should they have in their hearts!They have the talent to express or describe, so they want to write it out truthfully, and unintentionally become the voice of the society of this era.However, they are still loyal to themselves, to their art, and to their emotional knowledge.Ibsen is hailed as the pioneer of reforming society, and Dostoevsky is called the acme of humanism, but also thanks to their own unique and exquisite talents, which have been elaborated by several insightful critics. Can.However, those who can really understand their art are still a minority.As for Ye Suining's death on the monument of his own hope, needless to say, as for Goriki, it is said that he is already a bit gray.That aside.As far as art itself is concerned, why doesn't he often advocate true and refined talents?I saw one of his poems mocking the impractical poet.Besides, if we judge his works by their artistic value, it is doubtful whether he is already a great writer.

In fact, writers and artists will not abandon society, they stand among the people.A critic of literature and art who denies conditions is not sure about Taine's time conditions. The reason is that writers and artists only look at the first fifty years.I think, looking at the writers and artists of the first fifty years, they still stood at that time, starting from the living environment at that time, so after all, he was a member of the people at that time, and he could see the incompleteness in the hazy peace. and rundown.They write this kind of incompleteness and dilapidation with proficiency, and it is within their own ability to reach a high artistic value.When creating, they may only care about the subtlety of art, but they don't think about how to arouse the people, give them a strong stimulus, make their blood angry, and engage in revolution.

If we admit that art has independent and infinite value, and that artists have the necessity to accomplish the ultimate goal of art itself, then we cannot and should not criticize the attitude of artists regardless of artistic value, which is the same as judging his works of art by his actual behavior as ridiculous.Baudel's poetry is not less valuable because of his wildness.The superficial may curse him as the snake and scorpion of the crowd, but he does not know that his dislike of life is the expression of the opposite side of his longing for life.When we usually ridicule a person, we must observe his depth, otherwise it will appear frivolous and contemptible.As for using one's own specious standards, without seeing his depth, and abandoning the yardstick to measure the value of art, and aimlessly attacking a person who is loyal to art, is he really confused or has ulterior motives!This just makes us feel that the current Chinese literature and art circles are really worthless, because the so-called writers and artists who are famous for their criticisms and self-proclaimed creations still believe in utilitarianism like this!I—naturally not a writer—like to read some high-level literary and artistic works, a lot of old things, and many people say that they are obsessed with the old times.They told me that now is the time for popular literature and art, the brand-new literature and art for the entertainment of the fourth class.I was stunned by it for a long time, so I asked them: How to write popular literature and art?What methods do writers and artists use to make the people entertained?How many departments of popular literature and art have been produced now?After the revolution, how many people have been able to appreciate the so-called popular literature and art?Could it be that many new or new "Prodigy Poems" have been published?I really don't know how popular literature and art can be transformed into law and content. Then we already have literature and art that expresses the lives of the people; The revolution is successful... Let's sing together..." How magnificent and clear!Why do we need other literature and art?They can't answer clearly, and I'm confused to this day.At this moment and now, I get the answer from the article "Popularism and Genius", which is: "No matter how popular art advocates the universality or equality of art, the fact that works of art have infinite value and equality is undeniable. No. The so-called universality and equality mean nothing more than saying that the content of art is about the common life of the masses or about the general phenomena of life, and only art with this content can provide The taste of the general public. It is undeniable that art has such a meaning of universality and equality, but works of art have infinite value levels. Above, those more advanced works of art, well, they can To say how much it can provide ordinary people with fun, if it is said that all people can enjoy the same fineness, the same depth, and the same subtlety—in other words, enjoy it with absolute equality, then it is an unacceptable fact.”

I remember someone said something like this: the most advanced ideas can only be understood by the advanced few who stand at the highest level, and when such ideas penetrate the masses, they are no longer advanced ideas.These words tell us that among all living beings, most of them are not sensitive.There is such inequality in the world, who else can we blame but curse the injustice of creation?This is a fact.If it is not true, the history of human evolution can be wiped out, and revolution cannot happen.The advancement of world culture depends entirely on the advance of a few foresight. If everyone's ingenuity is equal, the culture will have developed to the extreme long ago, and the world will be in harmony. The so-called "spiral progress" is not the same as nonsense?Art is a part of culture, culture advances and retreats, and art cannot be excluded.Popular art, in terms of the infinite value of art itself, simply cannot be established.Naturally, the dream talk of using literature and art to revolutionize is also a dream talk after all!The above is what I mean, what does Mr. Unknown think?

1928, 3, 25, Dong Fen [5]. reply Mr. Dongfen: I'm not a critic, and therefore I'm not an artist, because to be an artist now, one has to be a critic or an acquaintance. Without a group, it's impossible, at least, in Shanghai now.Because I am not an artist, I don't think art is particularly noble, just like I don't sell plasters, so I don't come to praise medicine.I thought it was just a social phenomenon, a record of the life of the times. If human beings progress, no matter what he writes is on the outside or on the inside, it will always become obsolete and even perish.However, recent critics seem to be afraid of these two words, and only want to become immortals in literature.

The rise of the names of various doctrines is also an inevitable phenomenon.There are always revolutions in the world, and there will naturally be revolutionary literature.The people of the world are somewhat awakened, and although many are suffering, there are also some who occupy power, so there will naturally be popular literature—to put it more thoroughly, fourth-class literature. I don't know much about the trend of Chinese criticism, nor do I pay much attention to it.As far as I can see, I can only feel that there are many scales used by experts, such as British and American rulers, German rulers, Russian rulers, Japanese rulers, and of course Chinese rulers, or a combination of various rulers.Some say to be true, some say to struggle, some say to go beyond the times[6], and some hide behind people's backs and say a few short cold words.Also, it is I who put on the airs of a literary critic, and who hates others advocates creation.If there is no creation, what will be criticized? This is the last thing I can understand his heart.

Don't talk about anything else at the moment.Those who are called revolutionary writers today are struggling and so-called transcending the times.To transcend the times is actually to escape. If one does not have the courage to face reality squarely and wants to put on the signboard of revolution, one will inevitably walk down that road consciously or unconsciously.In this world, how to leave?This is the same deception as someone who says that he can leave the earth by holding his ear with his hand.Society is stagnant, and literature and art can never leap forward alone. If it actually grows in this stagnant society, it is tolerated by this society and has left the revolution. It's just that I earned the opportunity to publish the manuscript.

As for the struggle, I thought it was right.People are oppressed, why not fight?Gentlemen of integrity are deeply afraid of this, so they curse "extreme" as abominable,[7] thinking that everyone should love each other, but now they are taught to be ruined by a group of bad people.They probably love the hungry when they are full, but the hungry don't like to be full. When they are in their yellow nests, people eat each other,[8] and the hungry don't love the hungry.I don't believe in the power of literature and art, but if someone wants to use it in other ways, I think it's okay.For example, "propaganda" is. Sinclair in the United States said: All literature and art are propaganda. [9] Our revolutionary literary scholar once regarded him as a treasure and printed it in large characters; and serious critics said he was a "shallow socialist".But I—also superficially—believed Schinclair.All literature and art are propaganda, as long as you show them to others.Even individualistic works, once written, have the possibility of publicity, unless you do not write or open your mouth. Then, it can be used for revolution, as a tool, of course. But I think that you should first seek to enrich the content and improve the skills, and you don't have to be busy putting up signs. "Daoxiang Village" and "Lu Gongjian" [10] are no longer able to move people's hearts. I have seen no more customers in the "Empress Dowager's Shoe Store" than in the "Queen's Shoe Store".When it comes to "technique", revolutionary writers will hate it.But I think that all literature and art are propaganda, but not all propaganda is literature and art, just like all flowers have colors (I count white as color), but not all colors are flowers.The reason why the revolution requires literature and art in addition to slogans, slogans, notices, telegrams, textbooks, etc., is because it is literature and art. But the so-called revolutionary literature in China seems to be another matter.The signboard is hung up, but they are only bragging about the articles of their accomplices, but they dare not face the current violence and darkness squarely.Although some of the works have been published, they are often so clumsy that they are not even as good as the newspapers; or the actions and words of the script are all pushed to the actors' "yesterday's writers" [11].Then, the content of the remaining thoughts must be very revolutionary, right?Let me show you two epigrams at the end of Feng Naichao's play: "Wild Pheasant: I am no longer afraid of the dark. Thief: Let's resist! " April 4th.Lu Xun. BB [1] This article was originally published on April 16, 1928, Issue 16, Volume 4, of "Yusi". 〔2〕Newspaper, a daily newspaper founded in Shanghai on February 17, 1893, ceased publication on May 27, 1949.On January 29th and 30th, 1928, the newspaper serialized Lu Xun's speech "Wrong Ways in Literature, Art and Politics" (later income) delivered at Jinan University in Shanghai on December 21, 1927. [3] "Popularism and Genius", written by Japanese writer Tsukumizu Kaneko, translated by YS and included in the tenth issue of the fourth volume of "Yusi" (March 5, 1928). 〔4〕 Tainu (1828-1893) was a general translator of Taine, a French literary theorist.He believes that: nation, environment, and times are three important factors that determine literature and art.In his book "Philosophy of Art", he gave full play to this argument. [5] Dongfen is Dong Qiufang (1897-1977), a native of Shaoxing, Zhejiang, and a student of the English Department of Peking University at that time. [6] Literary propositions put forward by some people in the revolutionary literary movement at that time, such as Qian Xingcun said in "The Dead Ah Q Era" published in the March 1928 issue of "Sun Monthly": "No matter from Looking at the literature of that country, the real writers of the era, his works do not ignore the times, and there is no one that does not represent the times. This spirit that transcends the times is the only life of the writers of the times!" He also criticized Lu Xun's works as "no Beyond the times". [7] Gentlemen and gentlemen refer to the people in the Crescent Society.In the first issue of the monthly "New Moon" (March 1928), "The Attitude of the New Moon," they attacked revolutionary literature as "extreme", which was "intolerable" by their attitude.He also said: "We don't worship any extremes because we believe that the discipline of society is maintained by positive emotions. On the balance of a normal society, the weight of love must exceed the weight of hatred, and the spirit of mutual assistance must exceed mutual harm. motives for killing each other." [8] Huang Chao (?—884) was born in Caozhou Yuanju (now Heze, Shandong), and was the leader of the peasant uprising at the end of Tang Dynasty.Once established the Daqi regime.According to the new and old "Tang Shu Huang Chao Biography", in the third year of Zhonghe (883), he led the rebel army to withdraw from Chang'an (now Xi'an). On the way, he was besieged by the enemy and lacked food. [9] Sinclair once said in the book "The Art of Money Worship (A Study of the Economics of Art)": "All art is propaganda". When Feng Naichao's translation was published in the second issue of "Cultural Criticism" (February 1928), this sentence was marked in large characters.Lenin once called Sinclair "a socialist with feelings but no theoretical training." ("The Complete Works of Lenin", Volume 21, page 241, published by People's Publishing House in 1960) 〔10〕 "Daoxiang Village" and "Lu Gongjian" used to be famous brands of food stores and butcher shops in big cities such as Shanghai. [11] "Yesterday's Writer" Feng Naichao said in the "Appendix" of the one-act drama "Walking Together on the Dark Road" (Cultural Criticism No. 1, January 1928): "The essence of opera is It should be sought in the actions of the characters, refined conversations, profound facts, and leave those tasks to the writers of yesterday." The quotation at the end of the article is the dialogue in this script.