Biography of Lu Xun

Author: Lin Chen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Lin Chen's Biography of Lu Xun indeed presents a Lu Xun that is "detailed and accurate" in academic rigor, portraying a real and approachable figure who can be understood. Here, we truly see a Lu Xun written by someone who loves him, as well as the authentic Lu Xun. This Biography of Lu Xun, born from the historical context of the 1940s, thus transcends the boundaries of time and continues to reveal its historical value and academic significance to this day. — Sun Yushi excerpt:
Lu Xun, having been exiled from the feudal society, traveled alone to Nanjing in the intercalary third month of the 24th year of the Guangxu reign (1898). With only eight yuan in travel expenses, he had to live frugally. "On both the upper and lower steamships, he always rode in a small cart, placing his luggage on one side and leaving space for himself to sit." (Xu Shouchang: The Life of Lu Xun). Upon arriving in Nanjing, he abandoned the name "Zhongshou" and changed it to Shuren (Zhou Zuoren: On Lu Xun), enrolling in the Jiangnan Naval Academy. At that time, he was eighteen years old. That year was also the year of the Hundred Days' Reform. Due to the opening of maritime restrictions and external pressures, the Qing Dynasty and its bureaucratic scholars still clung to the old idea of "using barbarians to control barbarians," believing that by imitating Western cannons and warships, they could achieve the goal of resisting aggression and preserving the state. Thus, they successively established arsenals, shipyards, mining bureaus, and naval and land military academies, hoping to match the strong armor and weapons of the foreign powers with similar ones. However, after the First Sino-Japanese War, the so-called "Self-Strengthening Movement," painstakingly pursued by Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, and Zhang Zhidong for over two decades, collapsed overnight. The corruption and incompetence of the Qing government were completely exposed, and calls for political reform rose, eventually leading to the Hundred Days' Reform in that year. At the same time, the severe shock of the First Sino-Japanese War made many realize that the strength of Western countries lay not only in their powerful ships and cannons. Simply training the army with new methods or establishing industries was merely a superficial imitation; fundamental change was necessary by studying and introducing their academic thoughts. Thus, some translated books, while others promoted education, truly creating a "flurry of debate over Western learning" (Kang Youwei's words). Although most people held the view that "Chinese learning should be the foundation, while Western learning should be applied," they still had to study "Western learning." In the late Guangxu era, even middle-aged people in their thirties and forties would read Discussions on Learning Mathematics and Essentials of Chemistry, and study English and Japanese, pronouncing strange sounds with no shame, with the goal of reading "Western books" to bring "prosperity and strength" to China (Recollecting Old Times). Lu Xun entered the Jiangnan Naval Academy amidst discussions of reform and Western learning.
In this academy, Lu Xun was assigned to the machinery department (Autobiographical Sketch). The curriculum was simple: four days a week were spent studying English—"It is a cat." "Is it a cat?"—one day studying Chinese—"The said, Ying Kaosu could be called pure filial. He loved his mother and extended his kindness to Duke Zhuang."—and one day writing Chinese essays: "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win a hundred battles," "On Ying Kaosu," "Clouds follow the dragon, and winds follow the tiger," "Biting into the roots of vegetables makes one capable of anything." The school's principal, then called the "Chief," was a bureaucrat with a candidate for the position of qualification. The military orders in the grand hall could even execute students, or punish them with demerits or expulsion, which was nothing unusual. However, even in such a school, Lu Xun was not trained to be silent and obedient. Once, a new staff member arrived, who was very powerful, but Lu Xun and his classmates called him "Shen Jun" instead of "Shen Zhao" (his real name). They mocked him and eventually resorted to insulting each other. Within two days, Lu Xun and over a dozen classmates were given two major demerits and two minor ones. If he received one more minor demerit, he would be expelled (Selected Writings Sudden Thoughts No. 8).
There was a 20-meter-high mast in the school, where crows and magpies could only perch on its middle-level wooden platform. If someone climbed to the top, they could get a close view of Lion Hill and overlook Mochou Lake. Below, a net was spread, making it safe even if one fell. Lu Xun found it "lovable." There was originally a swimming pool for students to learn swimming, but after two young students drowned there, it was filled in when Lu Xun arrived. A small temple to Guan Yu was built on top to pacify the spirits of the drowned boys. Every July 15th, the school authorities would invite a group of monks to wear Vairocana hats, perform incantations, and chant: "Hui zi luo, Pu mi ye hong! Om yeah hong! Om! Yeah! Hong!!!" (Evening Chrysanthemums Random Notes).
Although this was a "school without tuition fees," buying clothes and daily necessities still required money. Lu Xun's eight yuan in travel expenses had already been spent, and he had no other way to raise funds. The school allowance was only 500 cash for the first three months of the trial period, and no more than two taels of silver for the following years. The small amount was insufficient for his needs, and his life was very hard. By winter, he could not even afford to buy warm cotton clothes, so he had to wear padded pants. (Xu Shouchang: The Life of Lu Xun).
The biting cold was so severe that there was no choice but to eat chili peppers for warmth, which eventually became a habit and even an addiction (Jing Song: The Daily Life of Lu Xun), becoming an important root cause of his later stomach pain and poor digestion.