Xiang Xing Ji

Author: Shen Congwen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: A faint patch of afternoon sunlight on the hillside moved me, and the colorful, chess-like stones at the bottom of the water also moved me. My heart seemed utterly pure, transparent and illuminated. I praise this river of my hometown precisely because it is isolated from the city, utterly rustic, and free from commonality. Both its way of life and its attitude bear a primitive flavor. Jiangxiang Sanji, a collection of crystal-clear, simple prose, embodies a natural and spontaneous style of essay. Shen Congwen wrote numerous home letters and sketches during his journey back to his hometown after parting ways with his newlywed wife, using these materials to compose the Sanji. Some of the surviving letters and sketches were compiled into Jiangxiang Shujian, which was first published together with Jiangxiang Sanji for readers. At that time, Hunan was far from a peaceful era—Changsha had just been through a battle. In places like Changde, the author encountered notices offering rewards for capturing Mao Zedong and Zhu De. During the days he returned to Fenghuang, a hundred miles away, the city of Tongren was engaged in battle, and Chen Qizhen, the "King of Western Hunan," had mobilized three thousand reinforcements to gather in Fenghuang, soon joining the fray. In the Shujian, the author deliberately wrote with a light tone to express emotions and describe scenes, comforting his distant family. However, attentive readers can discern more in the Sanji. This selected edition differs from previous compilations. At the beginning of each small volume, we have added texts beyond his past works, including (miscellaneous essays), (diaries), (self-examinations), and unfinished works—primarily letters, most of which have never been published before. Regardless, these pieces reflect the author's views on society, literary creation, and historical and literary research at the time, or his circumstances, as well as his inner conflicts, joys, sorrows, and frustrations. Publishing them may help readers gain a broader understanding of his works, his character, and the historical context in which they were created.