Close Reading and Random Thoughts: Selected Academic Essays by Chen Xiaozhuan

Author: Chen Xiaozhuan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2000-06-01
Features: Who built the three peaks of the modern Chinese prose world? What emotions does "The Butterfly" express? Where did the name "The Goddess" come from? What are the blossoms and tender shoots of the modern poetic garden? The author's engaging discussions can deepen and enrich your understanding of modern literature. The articles collected in this book include general discussions on writers, reflections on historical facts, and analyses of specific cases. They encompass musings, fragments of thought, appreciations, comparisons, and research, revealing the broader from the micro, the universal from the particular. Several articles in the book are the author's recollections of his mentors. Excerpt: "The Origin of the Name 'The Goddess'" Why did Guo Moruo's first collection of poems be titled "The Goddess"? Some comrades sought the answer in the preface to the collection, as the poet repeatedly urged the "goddess" in the preface to "vibrate the readers' hearts" and "light up the wisdom." However, this does not explain the matter, because the "goddess" in the preface refers to the collection itself, meaning the poet hoped that the publication of "The Goddess" would have a resounding social impact. In reality, the naming of "The Goddess" was somewhat related to Guo Moruo's translation of "Lake of Dreams." "Lake of Dreams" is a novella written by the famous German 19th-century writer Theodor Storm (1817–1888) during his youth. The story is a tragic love affair between a young man and a young woman, strongly condemning arranged marriages and praising steadfast love. The writing is elegant, the psychological portrayal meticulous, and the depiction of natural scenery vivid, earning it popularity among readers worldwide. In 1919, Guo Moruo's classmate Qian Junxi translated it and sent the manuscript to Guo for review. Qian adopted a colloquial narrative style for his free translation, but Guo felt that this "could not express the original's literary charm" and agreed to revise it. According to Qian Junxi's recollection, Guo "used the scenery of the Bodo Bay as a model, comparing it to the imagined colors of Lake of Dreams, shaping the atmosphere and characters." Guo refined the verses, adding rhyme, making them "both loyal to the original and in tune with contemporary tastes, which was much better" (as seen in Qian Chao's "Recollections of Guo Moruo's Early Studies in Japan"). Still dissatisfied, they did not publish it. In "Lake of Dreams," the protagonist, the young poet Reinhard, and Elizabeth wrote a poem after a picnic: "At the edge of the mountain here, the wind is silent; the branches hang low, and she sits in the shade. She sits among fragrant grass, she sits in the sweet fragrance; the bluebottles buzz, their wings flickering in the air. How lonely the forest is, how clever the girl; her golden hair covers her head, illuminated by sunlight. Far away, the cuckoo's call reaches my heart; her eyes are like gold, the goddess of the forest." (Guo Moruo later included this poem, titled "In the Forest," in his "Translated Poems Collection.") This "goddess" actually refers to Reinhard's young love, Elizabeth, as well as a symbol of beauty in Reinhard's heart. Guo Moruo greatly admired this poem and thus chose the poetic "goddess" as the name for his beloved first collection of poems. Both "Lake of Dreams" and "The Goddess" were published by Shanghai Taodong Publishing House in 1921, the former in July and the latter in August. The story went like this: In March 1921, Guo learned in Japan that Taodong Publishing House was planning to reorganize its editorial department and had appointed Cheng Fangwu as the new director of the literature section. Determined to return to China and work with Cheng Fangwu, he left Japan in early April and met with Cheng Fangwu in Mienji before traveling together to Shanghai. Upon arrival, he discovered that the reorganization of the editorial department was entirely unfounded, leaving him disappointed. Nevertheless, he accepted Cheng Fangwu's invitation to visit Hangzhou and enjoy the West Lake. After returning, he stayed at Taodong Publishing House's editorial office, idling away the time by revising and compiling "The Goddess" and translating "Lake of Dreams" with the "feelings he had experienced on the West Lake." Qian Junxi recalled: "When Guo returned to China and toured Hangzhou, the famous and tranquil West Lake, with its rich and vibrant nature, broadened his horizons. There, he further refined the text of 'Lake of Dreams.'" The revised "Lake of Dreams" had a fresh language, sincere emotions, and vivid imagery, completely different from Qian's original translation. Both "Lake of Dreams" and "The Goddess" were Guo Moruo's debut in translation and creation, like a pair of newly born twin sisters.