Chapter 20 creative talk

I have loved literature since I was a child, but I also wanted to study medicine wholeheartedly. I never thought of embarking on the path of writing. I started writing during the "May 4th Movement". First, as a member of the Propaganda Unit of the Federation of Women's Scholars, I wrote and published propaganda texts. At this time, the surging Chinese youth patriotic movement and cultural innovation movement, the trend of thought of the times, Rolled me out of the narrow threshold of home and school.It made me slowly see that in the semi-colonial and semi-feudal Chinese society around me, in our daily life, there are suffocating social problems everywhere.I started to write some problem novels, such as "The Man Alone and Haggard", which were published under the pseudonym of "Bing Xin".Later, when I became slippery in writing, I kept on writing, and I dropped a lot of homework in science, so I simply changed the department and changed to liberal arts.

Not long after this, I began to write "Stars" and "Spring Water", which were inspired by the Indian poet Tagore. I collected my own "scattered thoughts" under the influence of the author, which cannot be regarded as "poetry" strictly speaking. After graduating from university, and a few days before I went to study in the United States in 1923, I started writing "Send to Young Readers", which was intended for my younger brothers and their friends to read.The editor of Beijing "Morning News" suggested putting it in "Children's World"

In the column, published one after another.I prefer prose as a literary form, especially letters, one of the most lively and free forms of prose.I also like children.This is why I started writing "Send to Young Readers" in 1923, "Send to Young Readers Again" in 1958, and "Three Sends to Young Readers" in 1978. After I embarked on the road of writing, until I returned from Japan in 1951, it was because at that time I could not and could not integrate with the masses of workers and peasants, and I felt grief and dissatisfaction with the internal and external troubles around me. There is no hope and light for the future, which has caused my works to become increasingly rare.

I returned to the liberated motherland in 1951. I saw a vibrant country under the leadership of the party, with new people and new things emerging in an endless stream. I felt the enthusiasm for writing that I had never had since the "May 4th Movement". Four "freedom and happiness that I have not felt in the future.With the education and help of the party, I had the opportunity to get in touch with workers and peasants and learn from them. During this period, I also visited several friendly countries and people. I wrote down my experiences and feelings during this period in prose. .

During the rampant period of the "Gang of Four", I also stopped writing for ten years.In September 1976, I started writing articles in memory of Chairman Mao, and I picked up my pen again.Smash the "Gang of Four" and give literature and art workers a second emancipation.The "Fourth Five-Year" Movement of the Qingming Dynasty in Bingchen gave me, a veteran of literature and art, great inspiration.I have always believed that creation comes from life and is a reflection of the life of the times. At the same time, creation must start from sincere emotions, express true feelings, and be realistic, so as to gain the sympathy and resonance of readers.The times are advancing and the society is developing. We must closely integrate with the advancing and developing people to become a part of the people. What the people love and hate becomes our own love and hate. Only in this way can we continuously expand the horizon of creation and Improve the realm of creation and do a good job in serving the people.I would like to encourage myself to catch up with the pioneers who are younger than me!May 15, 1979 (This article was originally published in the fourth issue of "National Literature" on August 25, 1981.)