Chapter 31 How to write (Night Notes Part 1)

What to write is one question, and how to write is another. There is not a lot of writing this year, and there are especially few writings for "Wild Plains" [2].I myself understand why.It's ridiculous to say it, just because the paper is good.Sometimes I feel a little miscellaneous, and after a closer look, I feel that there is no big meaning, so I don’t want to fill in such a clean and white paper, and then stop it.Ok and no.My head is so barren, shallow, empty. There are naturally many issues that can be discussed, ranging from the universe to society and the country, and even the most advanced are civilization, literature and art.Many people have talked about it since ancient times, and there will be endless people who will talk about it in the future.But I won't talk about it.I remember when I was hiding on Xiamen Island last year, because it was too annoying, I finally got the treatment of "respecting ghosts and gods and staying away" and was offered in a room above the library.During the day, there are librarians, book pinners, and students reading books. After nine o'clock at night, everything is scattered. In a large western-style building, there is no one else except me.I fell silent.The silence was as thick as wine, slightly intoxicating.Many white dots in the chaotic mountains standing outside the rear window are cluster tombs; a deep yellow fire is the glazed lamp of Nanputuo Temple.In the front, the sea and the sky are faint, and the night like black flakes almost seems to pounce on my heart.I leaned against the stone railing and looked into the distance, and I could hear my own heartbeat. There seemed to be endless sorrow, distress, loss, and death all around, all mixed into this silence, making it into medicinal wine, adding color, flavor, and fragrance.At this time, I once wanted to write, but I couldn't write, I couldn't write.This is what I call "When I am silent, I feel full, and when I speak, I feel empty" [3].

Could this be a little bit of "world distress" [4]?I think sometimes.But probably not, this is just a touch of sadness, with some joy in the middle.I want to get close to it, but the more I think about it, the more blurred it becomes, and I almost realize that I am alone leaning on the stone railing, and there is nothing else.It must be until I forget to work hard that I feel a little sad again. The result is probably not very bright.There was a stab like a steel needle on my leg, and without thinking, I patted the painful spot with the palm of my hand, and at the same time, I only knew that the mosquito was biting me.What sorrow, what night, have all gone to the sky, and I don't even care about the stone railing I leaned against.And this is still the word now, but at that time, in retrospect, I didn't even think of not keeping the stone fence in my heart.Still walked into the room without thinking, sat on the only semi-reclining chair—a wicker chair that couldn’t lie straight—and stroked the wound on the mosquito’s beak until it turned from pain to itching and gradually swelled into a small pimple .I also changed from stroking to scratching and pinching, until it turned from itching to pain, and it was relatively easy to endure.

After that, the result is even less clever, often sitting under the lamp and eating grapefruit. Although it's just a mosquito bite, it's always something personal.It would be happier if I could not write. If I had to write, I think, I could only write about such small things, and I must not write as clearly and profoundly as I experienced that day.What's more, it's impossible to write about thousands of bites and one shot. Nietzsche loved to read books written in blood[5].But I think that there may not be articles written in blood.Articles are always written in ink, but what is written in blood is nothing but bloodstains.It is naturally more thrilling and straightforward than the article, but it is easy to change color and wear away.On this point, we have to let literature do its best, just like the bones in a grave, through the ages, always use their eternity to look down on the light blush on the girl's cheeks.

It would be happier not to write, but if I had to write, I thought, just write casually, that's all I could do anyway.These should disappear with time, and if they will be fresher than bloodstains forever, it is only enough to prove that the literati are lucky and good-natured.But books written in real blood are certainly not the case. When I think about it this way, I feel that "what to write" is not a problem. The question of "how to write" has never occurred to me.It was only two weeks ago that I first realized that there was such a problem in the world.At that time, I went to the street by chance, walked into Dingbo Bookstore by chance, saw a stack of "Do This Way" [6] by chance, and bought a copy.It was a periodical with a picture of a young soldier riding a horse on the cover.I have always had a prejudice that I don't seldom read publications that depict such soldiers and agricultural workers with iron hoes in their hands, because I always suspect that they are propaganda materials.I don't bother to read the works of Ibsen[7] and others who express their opinions and turn them into some propaganda-like works.But for the literary and artistic works that first have the two big characters of "propaganda" in the title, and then send out discussions, they are always a bit out of place, and they can't be swallowed straight away, just like when Luo Chan [8] taught literature.But "Doing This" is a bit special, because I still remember that the daily said that it has something to do with me.It's also an example of being very self-absorbed in everything. I am no longer afraid of the horse-riding hero in the book, so I bought it.When I came back, I checked the clipped old newspapers, and they were still there. The date was March 7th. Unfortunately, the name of the newspaper was not indicated, but it was either "Minguo Daily" or "National News"[9], because I was Only these two are seen.Let me copy some words from the newspaper: "Since Mr. Lu Xun came to the south, he has swept away the loneliness of Guangzhou literature. He has founded two publications, "What to Do" and "Do This Way". I heard that "Do This Way" is a regular publication of the Revolutionary Literature Society. One, the content focuses on the propaganda of revolutionary literature and art and party doctrine.  …”

The first two sentences are a bit vague. It is okay to say that I am the same as those who have heard about it, or that because I came from the south, it is also possible for others to start.But I don't know anything about it.At the beginning, I cut and saved the daily newspaper, probably because I wanted to investigate it, but then I forgot and put it aside.I still remember that after the publication of "What to Do"[10], five copies were given to me.I think this group is presided over by the Communist youth, because there are signatures such as "Jianru" and "Three Stones", it should be Bi Lei[11], and he is also in the communication office.He also gave me a dozen or so copies of "Youth Pioneer" [12], and this publication is clearly written by Communist youths.Sure enough, Bi Leijun was indeed a Communist, and was arrested from Sun Yat-sen University on April 18.According to my guess, he must have passed away in this world long ago. This looks very thin and capable young man from Hunan.

"Doing This Way" only met two weeks ago, and seven or eight volumes have already been published.The sixth issue was not there, or it was banned, or it was not published. I couldn't agree, so I bought a volume of seven or eight and the fifth issue.If you look at the daily records, you will know that this should be in opposition to, or opposed to, what to do.I took it back and looked at it, and it said in the communication column: "When the general CP [13] is full of arrogance,...and you should quit the CP as soon as you wake up. It's not just quitting, it's especially worth it What made the CP so angry was that he quit the Communist Party one after another and published a statement in the newspaper..." Then, it is true.

Here again a problem immediately arises.Why are these two opposing publications "founded successively" because of my "coming from the south"?This, myself, is easy to answer: because I'm new and grey.But when it comes to speaking, I am afraid that it will be a long story, so I will save it for now, and I will talk about it when I have a considerable opportunity. This time, let me say that I watched "Do This".After reading the newsletter, I was too lazy to flip upside down, so I looked at the catalog.Suddenly, I saw a title saying: "Mr. Yu Dafu [14] is over," and I became curious again, so I immediately read the article.This is still the old rule that one's own trivial matters are always more concerned about than the world's sorrows. I know Mr. Duff, so how can I ask him to "retire"?Eager to know.If it was Zhang Long Zhao Hu, or a great man whom I have never met, to be honest, I would never pay such attention.

It turned out that Mr. Duff wrote an article "On the way of changing direction" in "Flood" [15], saying that this revolution is the realization of the theory of class struggle, while the reporter thought it was the realization of the theory of national revolution.There are probably some sayings that heroism is not suitable for today, so if they are considered "slandering" and "stimulating discord", they must be "stopped". I recalled under the electric light, I have met and talked with Mr. Duff several times, and I only think that he is stable and peaceful, and he will not offend others, let alone offend the country.Why is it so "extreme" all of a sudden?I'd love to see The Flood.

I heard that this journal is banned in Guangxi, but it still exists in Guangdong.What I got was Volume 3, Issues 29-32.As usual, the bad temper, looking back from the thirty-two issue, soon turned to the first "Diary Literature", which was also done by Mr. Duff, so I stopped looking for "On the Way of Changing Direction" and turned to reading Let's talk about literature.I know that my silly views are wrong, but the problem of "how to write" lies in it. The author's meaning is roughly that the works of all writers are always somewhat autobiographical, and if they are written in the third person, they are often mistaken for the first person.Moreover, when describing the psychological state of the protagonist in the third person in too much detail, readers will doubt the other person's mind. How can the author know so finely?So that kind of disillusionment makes the authenticity of literature disappear.Therefore, the most convenient genre in prose works is the diary style, followed by the simplified book style.

This is certainly worth discussing.But I guess, genre doesn't seem to matter.The first shortcoming of the above is the carelessness of the readers.But as long as you know that the works are mostly used by others to describe themselves, or to speculate on others, you will not feel disillusioned. Even if it is sometimes untrue, it is still true.Its truth is no different than when the third person is used or the first person is misused.If there are readers who are only obsessed with the genre and only want to have no flaws, then it is better to read the news notes, and they deserve to be disillusioned with literature and art.And its disillusionment is not a pity, because this is not really disillusionment, just like those who cannot find the remains of the Grand View Garden and are dissatisfied with [16].If the author sacrifices the freedom of expression in this way, even a small part, it is tantamount to cutting the feet to fit the shoes.

The second kind of defect is already quite ancient in China.It was at this point that Ji Xiaolan attacked Pu Liuxian[17].The secret words of the two people were never revealed, and they were not heard by the third person. How did the author know it?Therefore, he tried his best to only write about the facts and avoid thoughts and secret words.But sometimes he fell into a self-set trap, so he had to use "the noise in the dream of a good husband" in "The Spring and Autumn Period" to explain the ridicule. [18] The reason for his lack of support is to make readers believe that everything written is a fact, and the truth is obtained by relying on the facts. Therefore, once it is contrary to the facts, the truth will also perish immediately.If he first realizes that all these are creations, that is, his personal fabrications, then naturally there will be nothing to worry about. I don't think the general sadness of disillusionment is not false, but false as true.I remember when I was young, I liked to watch tricks, monkeys riding sheep, stones turning white doves, and finally stabbing a child to death, covering the sheets, a man with a Jiangbei accent pretended to throw money to the audience and said: Huazaa! Huazaa! 〔19〕 Probably everyone knows that the child is not dead, what is sprayed out is the sumac juice in the handle of the knife.But he still watched with ecstasy, clearly aware that this was a trick, and immersed himself in the trick with all his heart.In case the juggler had to be real, he bought a small coffin, put the child in it, and carried it away crying, but it would be boring.At this moment, even the reality of the trick disappears. I would rather read it than the newly published "Lin Daiyu's Diary" [21]. A single page of it can make me uncomfortable for a long time. I don't like to read "Banqiao Family Letter" [22], so I might as well read his "Tao Qing".What I don't like is that he wrote a letter from home.So, why was it engraved for many people to see?Unavoidably some pretending.When disillusionment comes, it is often not to see the truth in the false, but to see the false in the true.Diary style, book simplified style, it may be much easier to write, but it is also very easy to feel disillusioned; and together, it is probably very powerful, because it looks real at first. "The Diary of Yuemantang" [23] has become very popular recently, but when I read it, I always feel that every time he wants to leave me something very uncomfortable.why?One is the enactment of banknotes.Probably influenced by the story of He Zhuo[24], he was wary of being "reviewed" one day.The second is a lot of ink painting.If it is written and then erased, there should be many left unwritten?The third is to show others to read it early, thinking that it is a work.I feel that I can't see Li Ciming's heart in it, but I can see some affectation from time to time, as if he has been deceived.Looking through a novel, although it is absurd, shallow, and unreasonable, I never feel this way. I heard that Mr. Hu Shizhi also kept a diary later, and passed it on to others.According to the theory of literary evolution, it must be much better.I hope that he will print out successively in advance. But I think that the style of prose can actually be arbitrary, and it doesn't matter if there are flaws.Pretentious writing of letters and diaries may inevitably have flaws, and once there are flaws, it will be so broken that it cannot be controlled.It is better to forget the flaw than to prevent the flaw. B*  〔1〕 This article was originally published in the joint issue of the eighteenth and nineteenth issues of the semi-monthly "Wang Yuan" in Beijing on October 10, 1927. 〔2〕 "Mangyuan", a literary and artistic publication, was founded in Beijing on April 24, 1925. It was originally a weekly magazine and was published with the "Beijing News", edited by Lu Xun.In January 1926, it was changed to a semi-monthly magazine and published by Weiming Press.After Lu Xun left Beijing in August of the same year, it was edited by Wei Suyuan and published until December 1927 when it ceased publication. [3] These few sentences are what the author said in "Wild Grass · Inscription". [4] "World distress" (Weltschmerz) was originally the words of the Austrian poet Lemnau (NALeMnau, 1802-1850), meaning that people live in the world is distressed; later some bourgeois writers and artists quoted it to explain literary creation, thinking that Creation arises out of this distressed feeling. [5] Nietzsche (FA Nietzschc, 1844-1900) German philosopher, the only advocator of "Superhuman Philosophy".He said in "Thus Spoke Zarathustra: Reading and Writing": "Of all writings, the one I love is the writing written with blood." (According to Xiao Gan's translation, published by the Commercial Press) [6] The ten-day issue of "Doing This Way", first published in Guangzhou on March 27, 1927, was edited by Kong Shengyi (a traitor to the Communist Party) and edited and published by the "Revolutionary Literature Society".Under the guise of "promoting revolutionary culture", it cooperates with the white terror of the Kuomintang and rampantly opposes the Communist Party and the people. 〔7〕Haibsen (HAIbsen, 1828-*Bao Ji Ai Ding ⊥ ㄒguan hit Fei   meal  home. His works made a fierce criticism of the hypocrisy and vulgarity of bourgeois society, and proposed marriage, Family and social reform issues. Plays include "A Doll's House", "An Enemy of the People", etc. [8] Luo Chan wrote Luo Chan, and the language sees "Zhuangzi The Great Master", meaning repeated recitation. [9] "Republic of China Daily" "The newspaper founded by the Kuomintang in Guangzhou in 1923 was renamed "Zhongshan Daily" in 1937. "National News", a newspaper founded by the Kuomintang in Guangzhou in 1925, initially promoted the revolution. After the "January 2" coup, it was controlled by the Kuomintang reactionaries and became the mouthpiece of counter-revolutionary propaganda. 〔10〕 "What to do" weekly magazine, the official publication of the Student Movement Committee of the Guangdong District Committee of the Communist Party of China, was founded on February 7, 1927, edited by Bi Lei, and published by Guangzhou Guoguang Bookstore. 〔11〕Bi Lei (1902-1927) pen name Jianru and Sanshi, was born in Changsha, Hunan.At that time, he was a student of the English Department of Sun Yat-sen University. He was the deputy secretary of the Student Movement Committee of the Guangdong District Committee of the Communist Party of China. He was arrested and sacrificed in the "April 15" counter-revolutionary incident in Guangzhou. 〔12〕"Youth Pioneer" ten-day periodical, the official publication of the Guangdong District Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, was first published on September 1, 1926; edited by Li Weisen and others successively, and published by Guangzhou Guoguang Bookstore. 〔13〕CAPA English Communist Party abbreviation, that is, the Communist Party. [14] Yu Dafu (1896-1945) was born in Fuyang, Zhejiang, a writer, and one of the main members of the Creation Society.In the twenty-ninth issue of the third volume of "Flood" (April 1927), he published "On the way of changing direction", arguing that the first civil revolutionary war was "a movement for the liberation of all Chinese people", " is the realization of Marx's theory of class struggle", and "the greatest danger capable of undermining our present revolutionary movement" is "the heroism of the feudal age".He also said: "It is absolutely impossible to instigate and use the people with just one or two heroes. A revolutionary leader who truly understands current affairs should never leave the people. The enemy is the enemy, and you must listen to the command of the people and obey the orders of the people in everything. If there are one or two heroes who think this is a rhetoric, then you just watch, and look at your personal dictatorial high-handed policy. How long will it last?" These words were a criticism of Chiang Kai-shek's counter-revolutionaries at the time, so the seventh and eighth joint issues of "Doing This Way" (June 1927) published the article "Mr. Yu Dafu is over" by Kong Shengyi, He attacked Yu and said: "I didn't expect, I never expected, that Mr. Yu Dafu's argument was actually the argument of the Chinese Communist Party attacking our hard-working Comrade Chiang Kai-shek. What kind of heroism, personal dictatorship and high-pressure policy." "Mr. Yu Dafu! Are you now a tool of the Communist Party, or do you want to go to Wuhan to get promoted and make a fortune, and the special envoy is to support the Communist Party's big feet?" [15] "Flood", a publication of the Creation Society, was founded in Shanghai on August 20, 1924. It was originally a weekly magazine with only one issue; Discontinued in February. [16] Novel, written by Cao Xueqin in the Qing Dynasty.The popular book is 120 chapters, and the last 40 chapters are generally regarded as Gao E's sequel.The Grand View Garden is the place where the characters in the book live. 〔17〕Ji Xiaolan (1724-1805), named Yun, styled Xiaolan, was born in Xianxian County, Zhili (now Hebei Province), and was a litterateur in the Qing Dynasty.He is the author of note novels (including "Luanyang Xiaoxialu", "So I Heard", "Huaixi Magazine", "Guwang Tingzhi", "Luanyang Xulu").His disciple Sheng Shiyan recorded his attacking words in the "Postscript" of "Guwang Tingzhi": "Mr. A novel is a narrative since it tells what you have seen and heard, and it is not like a theater. The author speaks for it, so how did he hear and see it is still unclear.” Pu Liuxian (1640-1715), named Songling, styled Liuxian, was born in Zichuan, Shandong (now Zibo), a novelist in the Qing Dynasty.is a collection of his short stories. 〔18〕Ji Xiaolan wrote a story about a scholar who was ridiculed by a ghost in "Yuewei Thatched Cottage Notes·Huaixi Magazine". If you haven't heard it personally, and you don't know it, how can this scholar be teased by a ghost, and still willing to tell himself?" The gentleman raised his beard and said: "The speech of Brother Lulu, the noise in the dream of a good husband, who has heard it!" '" "The noise in Hun Liangfu's dream", see "Chunqiu Zuo Shi Zhuan" in the seventeenth year of Ai Gong: "(Autumn, July) Weihou dreamed in the North Palace, saw people ascending the view of Kunwu, and was drawn to the north by long hair Noisy said: "Climb to the emptiness of Kunwu, the melon that grows continuously. I am a good husband of Hun, and I am innocent!"" According to the fact that Liangfu Hun was originally a Weichen, he was killed by Prince Wei this spring, so the book says that Wei Hou I saw him screaming in my dream. "Chunqiu Zuoshi Zhuan" is a book explaining "Spring and Autumn" with historical facts. It is said that it was written by Zuo Qiuming, a native of Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period. 〔19〕huazaa is an onomatopoeia spelled in the Latin alphabet. 〔20〕Sumu juice Sumu is an evergreen small tree, and its heartwood is called "Sufang".Hematoxylin juice is a red solution made from "Sufang", which can be used as a dye. 〔21〕 "Lin Daiyu's Diary" is a diary-style novel pretending to be the character Lin Daiyu in the middle of the story. 〔22〕 "Banqiao Family Letter" written by Zheng Xie in the Qing Dynasty.Zheng Xie (1693-1765), courtesy name Kerou, nicknamed Banqiao, was born in Xinghua, Jiangsu, a writer, calligrapher and painter.He received ten letters.In addition, there are ten poems including "Tao Qing" and "Old Fisherman". Daoqing, originally a song sung by Taoist priests, later evolved into a folk tune. [23] "Yuemantang Diary" was written by Li Ciming in the Qing Dynasty, and was photocopied and published by the Commercial Press in 1920. [24] He Zhuo (1661-1722), courtesy name Qizhan, was born in Changzhou (now Wu County), Jiangsu Province, and was a collationist in the Qing Dynasty.When Kangxi was an official to editor, he was imprisoned for something, and all his books (including his own works) were confiscated.Emperor Kangxi personally inspected these books, and because no evidence of crime was found, he was granted immunity and returned the books.