Li Guowen's Prose (Illustrated Treasures of Chinese Prose)

Author: Li Guowen
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-07-01
Features: The beauty of prose and the elegance of art complement each other, making it both a masterpiece for appreciation and a fine choice for collection and gifting. Chinese prose has a long and profound history. Over thousands of years of prose creation, whether expressing emotions, stating intentions, depicting scenes, or remembering people, it has reflected the fluctuations 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 now refined this into the "Illustrated Treasures of Chinese Prose," sixteen volumes in all. Through careful selection again, 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 prose and the elegance of art complement each other, making it both a masterpiece for appreciation and a fine choice for collection and gifting.
Li Guowen's prose is scholarly yet deeply personal, with a keen insight into the world. What is particularly rare is his detachment and freedom of spirit, which allows him to maintain composure and confidence. He once said, "In this world, for some reason, some people care too much about others' perceptions, especially us Chinese. For instance, writers care even more about foreigners' opinions, as if they need foreigners to tell them how they feel before they truly feel it. This is truly pitiful—how can they not trust what they write?" How well said! It's as if a slap in the face for those who blindly admire foreign things. I enjoy Li Guowen's prose because his words are not only natural but also sharp, revealing his cultivation and personality. They may seem casual, but in reality, they are a kind of effortless elegance born from a calm and composed spirit. He himself has said that a relaxed, joyful, approachable, and unpretentious mindset is suitable for writing prose. "If it's too intense, too heavy, too serious, or too tense, the 'dispersed' charm of prose and the 'flexible' nature of essays will be lost. 'Dispersion' is a state of mind, yet the words that flow from the pen are calm, effortless, unrestrained, and enduring. They are not the same as loose, unfocused, aimless, or rambling writing." This shows that Li Guowen has a conscious understanding of prose, especially his statement that "dispersion is a state of mind," which lingers in one's memory. Li Guowen's unrestrained and effortless prose is his work of "fulfilling his intentions." Many of his pieces carry a powerful presence between history and reality. "Wherever the mind wanders, the pen bends." Perhaps it is precisely because of this "bending of the pen" that his strong and spirited "intentions" and "spirit" still appear calm and comfortable, without forcing readers into a sense of confrontation or tension. Even when his writing is at its most passionate, Li Guowen never loses his "dispersion is a state of mind" as his guiding principle. He truly knows that he is writing "prose." He enters not only the act of writing prose but also the state of prose. Such writers are indeed rare. The success of this discourse practice once again tells us: "Dispersion" is always the fundamental state of mind of prose (though it also relies on the inherent atmosphere of prose). Only when "dispersion" becomes the writer's state of mind can great prose be born. In fact, if "dispersion" is the state of mind and "spirit" is the overarching principle, no matter how open or scattered your words are, they remain focused and harmonious. Conversely, without the state of "dispersion" and the coherence of "spirit," even the most focused writing can only be rigid and contrived. This may be one of the secrets of prose.