The Complete Translation Collection of Ba Jin - Volume 5

Author: Ba Jin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-06-01
Features: Excerpt: Preface to Stories from the Grasslands In recent years, an insatiable longing has tormented my heart. Living in this "narrow cage," I yearn for vast grasslands, towering forests, and freedom more precious than life itself. Yet the darkness of reality has shattered all of this. I can only weep in the ruins of this life. But amidst this, there have been dreams that have comforted me. It is said that Russians are adept at dreaming. They are truly fortunate! Snitkin① once said: "The greatest and most enduring things in the world are the handiwork of those who dream. Those who act without dreams are destroyers of the world; they are figures like Hindenburg②. These savage forces will leave a mark on the sands of time only if the sands are first soaked in human blood. Only those who dream, like Gorky and Tolstoy, can build myths from the materials of the sea and the land, and create a land of free people from the chaos of autocracy and suffering." Gorky is undoubtedly a great dreamer of our time. These stories from the grasslands are his beautiful and powerful myths. Its value will be understood by anyone who can dream. I hope my translation can retain a touch of the original's beautiful, yearning, and melancholic tone, while also allowing readers to catch a whiff of the Russian grasslands. Ba Jin, February 1931, Shanghai
Postscript: A Postscript by Shu Ji: This volume mainly collects Gorky's early works. Rereading these short stories, I am reminded of some past events, and I cannot forget one person—my cousin Pu Jiyun. I remember writing a passage on the flyleaf of the complete works I gave to Duan Duan: "I saw two young men sitting around a square table under a kerosene lamp in a small room on Chengdu Zhengtong Street, opening a (condensed) David Copperfield. He was not only my English teacher but also taught me many things." My first English translation of Gorky's novels was also introduced to me by him. He ordered the English translation of Stories from the Grasslands from the Shanghai Commercial Press and asked me to bring it to Shanghai. This small book accompanied me to France and later back to Shanghai. This book rekindled my longing for the Russian grasslands and for freedom. Whenever I was tormented by reality, I would think of the intoxicating fragrance of the Russian grasslands and spread out my paper, beginning to translate Gorky's Stories from the Grasslands. Friends from the Eastern Journal asked me for contributions, and I gradually submitted my translations for publication. Later, I compiled them into a small book, based on the English translation, with the following contents: Magar Zhouda, Because of Monotony, The Man Who Cannot Die. At the time, I did not realize that the English translation was a free adaptation and had omitted many passages. The Man Who Cannot Die was merely an excerpt from The Wife of the Steppes, and even "Danko's Heart" was missing. This small book was well-received by readers. After it went through five different bookstores, I finally decided to translate it again, restoring the original's form. This is the Grassland Collection published by the Kaiping Press. I still remember in autumn 1950, I took the proofs to the Kaiping Press editorial office on Fuzhou Road to meet Mr. Zhou Yutong. He was a professor at Fudan University, a renowned historian, and at the time, also managed the editorial work of the Kaiping Press. He was a well-known democratic figure who had participated in the May Fourth Movement. I never imagined that more than ten years later, during the so-called "Cultural Revolution," he would be among the first to be singled out, becoming a target and subjected to cruel persecution, ultimately dying with a sense of injustice. The Kaiping Press was soon merged with the China Youth Press, and The Grassland Collection was no longer printed. Later, the China Youth Press published The Selected Works of Gorky and included some of my translations, asking me to translate Grandfather Arkhip and Lena. In 1959, the People's Literature Publishing House approached me for contributions, and in my spare time from meetings, I translated a few more of Gorky's novels, completing this Stories from the Grasslands and Others. To be honest, I cannot directly translate Gorky's original works; I rely on the English translation for reference. Every time I translate a piece, I revise it several times. I can only say that I have written down my own understanding of Gorky, not necessarily fully expressing Gorky's original intent. Through translation, I have continuously learned from Gorky, and through translation, I have come to understand Gorky's "Danko's Heart." I do not worship celebrities, but these short stories are truly masterpieces, genuine masterpieces! Now, let me return to my cousin Pu Jiyun. The last time I saw him was thirty-five years ago. He retired from his civil service position in Dujiangyan and returned to Chengdu. We chatted over tea in Chengdu Sha Cheng Park. I thought he could spend his later years in peace and tranquility, but a few days later, when I visited him, he was already bedridden, with a bowl of herbal medicine in front of him, said to be due to excessive liver fire. Some time later, when I visited him again, he had moved to the suburbs, reportedly suffering from advanced tuberculosis. Before I could visit him again, he had passed away. I had no chance to say anything to him, and many words remained unspoken in my heart. He was my guide, yet now that I have found my own path, I have forgotten him. In 1933, he asked me for help in finding a job in Shanghai, but I was unable to assist him. Thinking back on these past events now, I blame myself for being ungrateful. I dedicate this volume to him as an expression of my remorse. Ba Jin, December 7, 1995
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Note: The original text contains special characters (①, ②) and asterisks (), which are retained as they appear in the original.