Lü Xun -- Roses Without Flowers

Author: Lu Xun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: Classics are the treasures left behind by time, portraits of humanity, and annotations on it. The significance of classics lies in their enduring freshness; no matter how time changes, they remain an unchanging landscape on the bookshelves of readers. In the ever-changing flow of time and the irreversible course of life, classics are the words, sounds, and expressions that have conquered time. Those sincere statements, those fearless cries, and those reflections on the human spirit awaken our past hopes, inspire our current courage, and prevent us from being empty and vain, doubting the future. These images of wise people and their timeless words purify our souls, shake our spirits, and teach us what can be missed but not erased, and what is fleeting yet precious. Indeed, every era should have its own literature. But classic literature does not belong solely to its own time; it also belongs to later generations of readers who can appreciate and share an artistic connection with it. Tracing the footsteps of modern Chinese prose in the 20th century, whether it is the early "Yusi Faction," the "Lunyu Faction," Bingxin's prose praising maternal love, Xu Zhimo's "Wild Horse Running" prose, or the prose of Yang Shuo, Qin Mu, and Liu Baiyu, who were once hailed as new classics, or even Yu Guangzhong on the other side of the strait who was determined to "" (cut off the of prose), or the recent "great cultural prose" or "little woman prose," at least in one aspect they are consistent: "I write with my own hand, I speak with my own mouth." Regardless of the "style," whether it is the hard-hitting political critiques leaning toward essays or the soft, maudlin, and self-pitying, or the sorrowful and tearful, prose, in a certain sense, can exist as a sanctuary for the soul or a refuge for the spirit. Art is independent, and prose must be personal. The "Three-Eighteen" Massacre of 1926 made Lu Xun more clearly see the nature of the reactionary government. "Roses Without Flowers" was a commemorative essay written for this event. Through profound satire and sharp language, it condemned the bloody crimes of the reactionary government, revealing a sense of helplessness and sorrow about the current state. This sorrow was not a sign of weakness toward the enemy but a deeper reflection on the nation, the people, and human nature. When writing prose with thorns, "one also needs a peaceful heart." However, the "Three-Eighteen" Massacre made breathing and seeing difficult, immersing people in great sorrow, so now is not the time to write about "Roses Without Flowers."