Rồng · Phân vân (Tập chọn của nhà văn hiện đại)

Author: Maodun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: The changes of the times have caused a certain "displacement" in the evaluation of 20th-century writers. Amidst the clamor of "rewriting literary history," Mao Dun stands out as a unique case. He firmly retains his well-deserved status as a master of left-wing literature, despite continuous criticism that labels his major works as merely "a sophisticated form of social document," with shortcomings such as "political conceptualization" and "theme-driven writing." Even the younger scholars who question him still acknowledge that he was a writer in the New Literature camp who never forgot to absorb the excellent heritage of both Chinese and foreign literatures and placed great emphasis on artistic experience. He played a crucial role in the development of modern Chinese fiction, especially in the formation of epic-length masterpieces. This book serves as an accessible shortcut to understanding Mao Dun. If you do not view fashion as the lifeblood of literature, you will find that Mao Dun's influence still shines brightly between the reformist and social novels of the new era. The writing motivations behind Frustration and The Rainbow were both about venting emotions. The period from the May Fourth Movement to the Northern Expedition was an era Mao Dun personally experienced, filled with real life and emotions (including confusion and, which can also serve as catalysts for literature, depending on how they are utilized). The material was readily available, unlike when he later wrote The Midnight and had to visit the Shanghai Stock Exchange for research. Mao Dun described the inspiration for the conception of Frustration in poetic terms: "I remember one evening in August after a meeting, I was preparing to go home. It was raining outside, with no pedestrians or vehicles, and the raindrops were clattering loudly on the umbrella. One of the women I was walking with, one of the ones I had noticed, had been talking too much at the meeting and still had a flushed glow on her face from excitement. As we walked along, I suddenly felt a surge of creativity—I would have wanted to pick up my pen and write right there in the rain if it were possible?" (A Few Old Words) This writing brought him a specific focus: vivid and central modern female characters. The static lady and the wise lady in Frustration, as well as Mei Xingsu in The Rainbow, are prime examples. Later works like The Midnight shifted the focus to male protagonists, but women like Zhang Susu, Liu Yuying, Feng Meiqing, and Lin Peiyao still left a deep impression. Frustration portrays the ideological turmoil of youth before and during the Great Revolution. The Rainbow was intended to "leave a mark on the grand drama of China's recent decade" (Postscript), originally planned to cover Mei Xingsu's struggles up to 1927, but later shortened to 1925's "May Thirtieth Incident." Through this, Mao Dun created the model for " novels."
Excerpt from The Rainbow:
The golden light of the rising sun scattered the mist over the river like smoke. The mountains on both banks now revealed their true green. The east wind played a gentle melody of spring. The turbid river water rushed swiftly through the narrow canyon, forming small whirlpools now and then. Faintly, a low growl, like that of a giant beast, came from behind the cliffs upstream. A few minutes later, this indistinct sound suddenly expanded into a bold roar, echoing between the cliffs. A light-green steamship moved majestically through the remaining mist, sailing down the river with ease. At once, the river was filled with the heavy noise of the steam engine. This was the famous Longmao steamship, known for its trips on the Chuan River. It had set sail from Kuifu at dawn and was scheduled to arrive in Yichang by 2 or 3 in the afternoon.