Ba Jin: The Scenery of Clouds and Fire

Author: Li Hui
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-03-01
Features: This series of books adopts a combination of text and images, presenting a rich and vivid portrayal where concise text explains the pictures and abundant images annotate the text. Those frames of famous people's life snapshots, those precious old photographs from the past, hold connotations that cannot be fully described in words. If there were only images without text, it would be like a silent movie. It is precisely through these concise texts that help interpret the images that readers are encouraged to imagine and engage more deeply, making the characters more three-dimensional, real, vivid, and well-rounded. As the saying goes, "Images are the eyes of the text, and the text is the heart of the images." This series of books achieves this effect—words gain authenticity through images, and images become more vivid through words, complementing each other and enhancing one another. In terms of writing style, the author has also broken free from the conventional biographical approach of following the subject's growth in order to focus on key and most compelling moments in their lives. By doing so, the author highlights the characters' personality traits and intersperses relevant statements from the subject and comments from others, presenting the characters in a multi-faceted and multi-layered manner. For example, in The Art of Ding Cong Unfolds Like This, the author begins with a poetic reflection on a rainy autumn day when he visited Ding Cong's old Shanghai alleyway house, where Ding Cong lived from the age of eight or nine, evoking memories that serve as a lens. Using a cinematic montage style, the author transports readers into Ding Cong's life world. Reading the text and viewing the images, it feels as if they have stepped out of the book and into our midst. I found that reading this series of books is quite enjoyable, as it not only enhances people's literacy and quality of life but is also relatively light-hearted and engaging.
The times are evolving. As we traverse the river of history and look back at the century's home, we discover that the figures in this series—Huang Yongyu, Liang Sicheng, Deng Tuo, Lao She, Ba Jin, Yang Xianyi, Wang Shichang, Ding Cong, and others—are outstanding representatives of intellectuals in the 20th century, all elite figures of the era's culture. Examining them is, in essence, examining intellectuals in the present. They were all meant to highlight the living conditions of different individuals in the historical context. (Preface) This series of books can inspire reflection on history, deepen contemplation on the present, and foster attention to contemporary intellectuals, especially the elite of the era. By observing the thoughts, lives, and pursuit of art and truth in the lives of these era-born figures, we can see a common thread: they all faced hardships, risks, and tribulations, yet they faced them with a positive attitude and a simple heart, transforming suffering into art and embracing life with humor and optimism. They lived their vibrant and colorful lives with a sense of ease and freedom. From this, we gain insight into the essence of life, breathe in fresh air, and maintain a sense of tranquility and detachment.
Especially when reading those precious old photographs preserved for decades, they are like flickering sparks of life. These old photographs are the most vivid and brilliant parts of their lives, exerting a powerful visual impact. This creates a special effect when we grasp the meaning of life expressed by these figures, evoking profound reflections on the era, history, and survival. They leave a vivid and lasting impression, clearly revealing the diverse souls and figures of these cultural icons who placed great emphasis on integrity, character, scholarly pursuits, personal conduct, and the art of living. They also allow us to peer deeper into their inner world, their loyalty to people, scholarship, family, and country. Reading this series of books will undoubtedly inspire great enlightenment, insight, wisdom, and benefit.
This is a series of books that highlights historical photographs and visual materials, focusing on key figures. It is said that we now live in an image-driven era. This is quite true. Regardless of television, film, or CDs dominating cultural consumption and reading trends, the sudden rise of old photographs, old cartoons, and old illustrations alone demonstrates that people are no longer satisfied with experiencing life and history through text alone. They are increasingly willing to read about people and history through historical images. Indeed, individual life scenes, portraits, and even pages of manuscripts often hold more appeal and inspire imagination than descriptive text. From this book, readers can see the multi-faceted, sincere, and straightforward life of a literary giant. Ba Jin's passion and sincerity, his sensitivity and melancholy, and his perseverance and determination are all vividly brought to life.
I have always loved to complain since I was young, but it was never empty whining. I was also not good at expressing myself verbally, so I had to rely on writing to convey my thoughts. That's how I ended up on the path of writing. I did not achieve my accomplishments through hard study and diligent reading. I simply used words as a weapon, living and struggling in my works. Whether holding a pen or setting it down, I was always living.
Ba Jin
A touching and unforgettable scene took place in Beijing in November 1987. Ice Heart, who rarely left her home, was seated in a wheelchair as she was pushed into the spacious and bright exhibition hall of the new Beijing Library. She stopped, her gaze fixed on the striking 13-character inscription at the entrance: "Ba Jin's Sixty Years of Literary Creation Exhibition." "Auntie!" a warm voice called out. Xiao Qian, leaning on his cane, approached her and embraced her hand tightly. "Oh, you're here too!" I was already ill, but I heard Auntie was coming—I couldn't possibly miss it. I would crawl if I had to. "Then crawl for me now," Xiao Qian said with a laugh. Both of them burst into laughter, instantly appearing younger and more carefree. Perhaps they both recalled the days 60 years ago when Xiao Qian was in middle school and Ice Heart was the classmate of Ba Jin's younger brother. Or perhaps they thought of the half-century they had spent together with Ba Jin, his upright, kind, and sincere character, and the passion that burned in his works, connecting them, and every writer and viewer in the exhibition hall.
Xiao Qian carried the speech draft he had written the day before in his pocket. After the tour, he would deliver it at the symposium, his voice trembling slightly as he praised Ba Jin for tirelessly advocating for the truth, speaking the truth about himself and history. The title of his speech clearly reflected the genuine feelings and historical reflections of this writer who had always regarded Ba Jin as an elder: "Long Live the Truth."
Shateng, who shared Ba Jin's age and hometown, stood before Ba Jin's former residence in Chengdu. He had just returned to Beijing from Sichuan. To meet Ba Jin, who had revisited his hometown, Shateng deliberately delayed his return and accompanied Ba Jin in Chengdu to visit old friends and relatives. Like Xiao Qian, he carried a draft as well—a letter from a young female college student to him. In the letter, the girl shared her thoughts on reading Ba Jin's Family and Reflections: "Reading Ba Jin's books always makes me feel that he is so young and sincere, always openly sharing his heart with readers."
Ice Heart, known for her metaphors, naturally became the chief speaker at the symposium. She compared Ba Jin to a thermos: "Cool on the outside, warm on the inside." She said, "Ba Jin is full of sincerity—his heart is sincere, his words are sincere. He never speaks lies, never lies about his country or his people."
After listening to Xiao Qian's speech, a middle-aged writer said, "I fully agree with Xiao Qian's heartfelt words. The highest mission of a writer is sincerity. Ba Jin pursued sincerity throughout his life, offering profound inspiration to us writers. A writer must diligently cultivate the land of literature, pouring his heart into writing for his country and society."
This was a scene from over a decade ago, yet it remains as vivid in my mind as if it were happening today. Ice Heart is gone, Shateng is gone, and Xiao Qian is gone, but their heartfelt praise for Ba Jin still echoes in my ears.
As the 20th century neared its end and the 21st approached, the figure of Ba Jin, who had walked alongside the century, seemed to leap before my eyes, still full of vitality and commanding attention. Perhaps we can find an apt metaphor to describe this writer and thinker, whom we all know and respect. I thought of clouds and fire. Passion is fire, and suffering is clouds. Amidst the spectacle of clouds and fire, a real person walks.
Ba Jin is passionate and sincere. Passion is the fire that burns forever in the heart, the power behind his works. He loves his readers and says he wants to give his heart to them. His passion and sincerity move generations of readers. People say he is the conscience of intellectuals. He is sensitive and melancholic. Life has repeatedly put him in conflict and made him feel pain. Yet, suffering is his driving force. Without pain, he would not have embarked on the path of literature. Melancholy and pain only intensify the passion in his heart. Ice Heart said of him, "I see him happiest in his suffering." Ice Heart was right. He is persistent and determined. A frail body brims with immense vitality. No matter how (tough) life was or how much he suffered from illness, he never yielded to fate. His life and thoughts were intertwined, as were his life and literature. As long as possible, he refused to stop thinking and writing. He believed that a writer's life is reflected in the power of his works, not in any external adornment or display. This is a truly valuable life. And so, he wrote his life as it truly was.