Chapter 16 Remarks: Letter to Mr. Li Liewen (Shi Zhecun)

——Mr. Brother Liewen: I had a quick meeting on the tram that day, and I got off at Wangjiasha because I wanted to go to the Minjiushe Bookstore to buy a book I liked.But the book was finally not available because of the price difference, and I lost a chance to talk with you for a moment, so I feel very disappointed. Regarding the issue of "and "Selected Works", I will never want to say anything anymore.Originally, when I filled out the form sent by the editorial office of the "Great Evening Post", I was not as serious as Mr. Feng's comments showed.I am not saying that every young man must read these two books, nor that every young man only needs to read these two books, nor that I only have these two books to recommend.Probably the editors of the newspaper’s supplement wanted to use this to add some new tricks, and most of the people who filled it out accidentally felt that there was something worth reading, so they wrote it down.If I had known that this writing would cause such a big textual dispute, even if Mr. Cui Wanqiu, the editor of the supplement of "Great Evening News", kowtowed to me, I would not have written it.

Today I saw a letter from Mr. Cao Juren in the 40th issue of "Sound of the Waves", the last sentence is: "Are there any books that are more beneficial to young people than these two books? Dare to ask. "This question really made me laugh and cry. (Mr. Cao Juren's letter is very sincere, I will have a reply letter to him, maybe he will have to publish it in "Sound of the Waves", I hope you have a look.) I don’t want to offend Mr. Fengzhiyu anymore, but I still have a little opinion on his three other words in the article "Ganjiu" (Part 1): (1) Mr. Feng said: "Some new youths can have old ideas, and some old forms can also contain new content." It seems that the old ideas in the first section can be left alone.As for the old form can also hide new content, it seems that writing such an ancient prose does not matter, as long as it depends on its content.

(2) Mr. Feng doesn't understand what I advise young people to read, and there is a boundary between "Anthology" and being an examiner who uses words to select scholars. In fact, there is a clear boundary.The former is to offer their own opinions to the youth, accepting or not to accept the original freedom of the youth; the latter represents the entire class (note: the class of officials), and almost forces all the youth to write lyrics. (Unless the young man does not want to be an official.) (3) It is indeed ridiculous to say that Mr. Lu Xun's article came from "Wen Xuan". I remember that I have never said such a thing.I cited Mr. Lu Xun as an example in my article, and I just wanted to ask Mr. Lu Xun who does not object to young people seeking a little literary accomplishment from ancient books to help.Although Mr. Lu Xun has always advised young people to read more foreign books, this is because he thought that foreign books could train young people with sharp thinking; Mr. Lu Xun never objected to young people reading ancient books.Let me cite two pieces of evidence: First, "If you read less Chinese books, the result is that you can't write essays." (See page 4 of the Beijing New Edition.) This shows that Mr. Lu Xun also admitted that in order to be able to write essays, he should read more Chinese books.And this so-called Chinese book, from the above, does not seem to refer to vernacular documents.Second, "I am often asked, what books should I read if I want to do literature?... I think that if I want to get old ones, I might as well rely on Zhang Zhidong's "Bibliography Questions and Answers" to find the way." (see Beixin edition "Only Collection" page 45.)

Now, I think I should "stay" here. I once wrote a letter to the editor of the supplement of "Da Evening News". In order to respect Mr. Feng Zhiyu's kindness, I asked for permission to introduce two books to young people.Apart from the fact that I also wrote a letter to Mr. Cao Juren, I have nothing to say about this issue of "and "Selected Works".I have seen several text disputes on the wall of "Freedom Talk", and I feel that each time the disputes become more and more angry, and the further away from the main topic, and even the motives of some participants can be doubted later. I don't want to get sucked into the vortex involuntarily, so I don't say anything more.Last night, I set up a ready-made verse: This is right and wrong, that is right and wrong, but there is no right and wrong, and there is almost no right and wrong. What if someone can write seal characters?I really want to seek the law, Zhang Zhisubi.Shi Zhecun on (19th).

October 20, "Declaration" and "Free Talk". [1] This article was originally published in "Shen Shen Free Talk" on October 26, 1933. 〔2〕For the two sentences of "read less Chinese books", see "Hua Gai Ji·Must Reads for Young People". [3] Also known as "Book of Changes", a Confucian classic, an ancient book that records divination.Among them, the hexagrams and lines may have sprouted during the Yin and Zhou dynasties. "Book of Books", also known as "Shangshu", a Confucian classic, a compilation of ancient historical documents in my country.