Foreword Aileen In the Japanese literary world, Akutagawa Ryunosuke (1892-1927) is known as a "ghost".When he was still studying in the English Department of the University of Tokyo, he wrote a famous article (1915); a year later, he emerged with short stories such as He and others.One in particular won the appreciation of the great writer Natsume Soseki: "If you write another twenty or thirty articles like that, you will become an unparalleled writer in the literary world." Akutagawa lived up to expectations and became a generation of famous short stories.Mr. Lu Xun, who has written famous articles such as "Hometown", "Hometown", has a keen eye for talents, and translated and introduced them in 1923 when Akutagawa was still alive.Therefore, among modern Japanese writers, Ryunosuke Akutagawa was introduced earlier.In recent years, several Chinese translations of him have come out, which shows that the charm of Akutagawa's novels still exists, and they have been loved by Chinese readers for more than 80 years.

Reading Japanese novels often surprises me: I am amazed at how they have such a deep understanding and understanding of people and human nature!In trivial and ordinary things, some aspects of human nature can be excavated so sharply and thoroughly!This feeling became stronger when I read Akutagawa's novels.The opening chapter of this episode reveals the evil side of human nature in which people, in a society where the strong prey on the weak, do not care about the lives of others for their own survival.The short novel, which can be said to be Akutagawa's masterpiece, further reveals that human's self-interested nature is enough to lead to self-destruction.And "The Cassock and Shengyuan", "In the Bamboo Forest", and "The Story of Repaying Gratitude", etc., all directly point to the weakness of human nature.No matter how noble the behavior, the majestic appearance still conceals selfishness and hypocrisy.Among them, "In the Bamboo Forest" is the most acclaimed masterpiece in terms of profound implication, unique technique and perfect technique.The novel is composed of seven consecutive confessions, but each person's statement is different, and the case is complicated and confusing.Among the seven statements, the statements of the three parties are the most critical.Among the three, someone must hide the truth and hide the ulterior motives in his conscience.The author intends to explain: People always use lies to cover up their mistakes, the truth is often distorted, and objective truth is difficult to recognize.After World War II, the famous Japanese director Akira Kurosawa merged "In the Bamboo Forest" into one and adapted it into a movie, which won numerous international awards and brought Japanese movies to the world.

In the process of discussing life and investigating human nature, Akutagawa couldn't help but see the ugliness in the world, which deeply disappointed him.This sense of disappointment is reflected in works such as .The old monk, who was troubled by his long nose, fell into a new depression because of his shortened nose; the poor warrior had the opportunity to realize his long-cherished wish - when he drank a meal of "yam porridge", he lost his appetite. To exist in the pursuit, to be disillusioned once realized.At the same time, it also reveals the "bystander's egoism", the selfish psychology of gloating at others' misfortune, and people's anxiety and distress about survival.This kind of exploration and exposure of human nature will inevitably make Akutagawa fall into doubt, pessimism and disappointment.Therefore, Lu Xun said that in Akutagawa's novels, "the theme used most is the uneasiness after hope, or the mood when uneasy." This state of conflict and anxiety is also a portrayal of the author's own mood, reflecting intellectuals' attitude towards the real society. A sense of disillusionment.

Some of the works mentioned above are all historical themes.Akutagawa himself once said that the materials for his novels "probably got from old books".Because he is familiar with classics, he is good at absorbing themes from historical stories or myths and legends, from which he can discover the common human nature and psychology of ancient and modern human beings.Therefore, Akutagawa's historical novels "do not aim at reproducing history", but give modern interpretations, and use the stage of history to perform today's tragedies.As for his modern novels, as collected in this collection. "The Ball", "Ah Fu's Chastity", and "Little White" are also popular and brilliant.

Generally, an accomplished artist will never ignore the tempering of skills in creation.Of course Akutagawa is no exception, he devotes his whole life to pursue the ideal realm in art.It is said that in order to write "extraordinary works, sometimes it is inevitable to sell the soul to the devil." One of Akutagawa's masterpieces reflects his creative attitude.But in the conflict between art and morality, although the painter Yoshihide was able to transcend the mundane, abandon all interests, and sacrifice the life of his beloved daughter for the sake of the perfection of art, art could not match morality after all, and he hanged himself in the end.In the confrontation between art and power, artists are doomed to fail. "Playing Samadhi" and "Swampland" also express the joys and sorrows of artistic creation, which can be regarded as the expression of Akutagawa's own state of mind.

The life of Akutagawa Ryunosuke, just like Yoshihide in the novel, also had a tragic ending.It is said that it is a lifetime, but it is only thirty-five years, and the creative career is only twelve or three years, but he has written more than one hundred and forty short stories, as well as a large number of sketches, essays, reviews, poems, etc.As far as novels are concerned, whether they are historical or modern, Akutagawa always discusses the issue of human nature from the beginning of creation to the posthumous manuscripts published after his death.He discusses life and excavates human nature, but always sees the ugliness of reality, and feels that "life is worse than hell", which makes him deeply painful and contradictory.Finally, in the "trance and anxiety" about the future, on July 24, 1927, just halfway through his life and at the age of great achievements, he committed suicide by taking sleeping pills.His death shocked the whole country of Japan, and the literary world was even more regretful.This is not only because Akutagawa Ryunosuke wrote short stories that can be regarded as classics, enriching modern Japanese literature, but also because he represents "the best side of Japanese intellectuals from Taisho to early Showa".Indeed, works such as, "In the Bamboo Forest", and "Xiaobai" are well-written, exquisite and unique, showing a kind of oriental characteristics, and the oriental wisdom can be said to be unique and admirable.Even if this "ghost" writer is ranked last among the world's famous short stories, he is no less impressive.

Due to space limitations, this collection only selects 20 novels by Akutagawa.However, these twenty works are enough to show the style of Akutagawa.For Akutagawa in the Japanese literary world, it can be said that "he was heard at the time when he was born, and passed on to later generations after his death".I believe that his excellent short stories will surely find many readers and bosom friends in the Chinese reading circle. Eileen February 17, 1998