On paper, smoke and clouds

Author: He Wei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: He Wei titled his newly published collection of essays poetically as "Fog and Clouds on Paper," which carries a dreamlike and ethereal charm. In reality, each piece delves into worldly matters—his thoughts, memories, emotions, insights, joys, and sorrows. "Fog and Clouds on Paper" originates from the sentiments penned by his hand, yet it draws himself, his friends, and his readers into a tranquil realm where everything seems like mist, dreams, clouds, and fog. The turn of the century was a bountiful season for He Wei's essays, with three books published in just four years. In 1999, he released an anthology of his best essays over 60 years, titled "He Wei's Essay Corridor," inspired by the idea of an art gallery. Galleries are common, but an "essay corridor" was unprecedented, revealing He Wei's deep passion for essays. Upon reflection, it fits him perfectly. This corridor is not the magnificent imperial galleries in the Summer Palace but rather the winding, secluded corridors of Jiangnan gardens. The late Tang poet Zhang Bi wrote: "A lingering dream leads to the Xie family, small corridors intertwine, winding railings slope. Only the moon in the spring courtyard is affectionate, still lighting falling flowers for the parting one." He Wei's essay corridor belongs to such a corridor accompanied by affectionate moonlight and falling flowers, making one reluctant to leave. In June of this year, he published another book, "Near Views and Far Views," included in the "," whether near views or far views, they are all part of the corridor's scenery. Over the past 60 years, he has wandered and chanted in this corridor of diverse flowers, not only finding joy in it but also offering sincerity, kindness, and beauty to the world. The essays in this collection are mostly published in columns and are relatively short, belonging to the category of essays and sketches. There are also a few longer essays published in recent major literary journals, which are included here. All of these are but a glimpse of my twilight years.