Lu Xun's Prose (Illustrated Treasures of Chinese Prose)

Author: Lu Xun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: The beauty of the prose and the elegance of the illustrations complement each other, making it both a masterpiece for appreciation and a fine choice for collection and gifting. Chinese prose has a long and rich history. Over thousands of years of prose creation, whether expressing emotions, stating intentions, depicting scenes, or remembering people, it has reflected the changes of the times and the thoughts and feelings of the people. In the new literature of the 20th century, these fine traditions of Chinese prose were not only fully inherited but also continuously innovated and developed. To showcase the achievements of Chinese prose creation since the 20th century, we edited and published the "Treasures of Chinese Prose" in the early days of the new century, totaling thirty volumes. Five years have passed, and we have further refined this into the "Illustrated Treasures of Chinese Prose," consisting of sixteen volumes. Through careful selection, this series not only adds over 50,000 new words to each volume but also accompanies them with precious photographs reflecting the authors' life journeys. Truly, the beauty of the prose and the elegance of the illustrations complement each other, making it both a masterpiece for appreciation and a fine choice for collection and gifting.
Lu Xun's works vary greatly in content and form. His prose, in particular, has achieved great success, including collections of reflective essays, narrative prose remembering people, and satirical essays criticizing society. In terms of form, Lu Xun's prose is exceptionally diverse, showcasing a variety of extraordinary techniques and artistic expressions. Taking his prose collection " Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk" as an example, from an artistic perspective, the work primarily uses narration, combining it with reflection, description, and argumentation. In its beautiful, poetic narration, sharp critiques often appear, and satirical, humorous, and ironic techniques of satire are frequently employed. Combined with natural and simple language and perfect white techniques, it forms a unique artistic style. With his humorous and satirical pen, Lu Xun concisely expresses profound philosophies, leaving readers to ponder endlessly. For instance, each piece in "Wild Grass" conveys a philosophical yet vivid "small impression," yet the author endows these impressions with rich and varied artistic imagery. He boldly employs extraordinary and unique artistic concepts, using the fantastical to convey the real, exaggerating his "small impressions" to strongly express them, blending solemnity with humor, and maintaining subtlety and wit. Lu Xun uses humor to express common phenomena in life, achieving satirical effects.
Most of Lu Xun's prose is grand in scope and profound in reasoning, often overwhelming opponents with irrefutable logic and displaying an unrestrained artistic style. In "Further Thoughts on the Collapse of the Leifeng Pagoda," for example, Lu Xun simply states that the pagoda collapsed "because the villagers believed that placing its bricks in their homes would bring peace, good fortune, and turn misfortune into good fortune. So, one dug, and the other dug, and after much time, it collapsed." This typical example reveals the traditional flaws of the Chinese people: superstition, ignorance, and "servile destruction." In the essay, Lu Xun uses historical events and figures from ancient and modern times to argue his point, making the content deeper and more powerful.
Lu Xun's prose has a strong sense of imagery, including direct descriptions, such as in "In Memory of Liu Hezhen," where he simply and directly portrays the image of Liu Hezhen, a student killed in the "Female Normal School Incident," as follows: "I usually thought that a student who could not be bent by power and who resisted a powerful and influential principal must be sharp and spirited. Yet she often smiled and had a gentle demeanor, so we met more often, and she still smiled gently and maintained a mild demeanor." As for the vivid metaphors, they are, each carrying profound and typical significance.