Lu Xun's former home

Author: Zhou Zuoren
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-01-01
Features: "I printed my notes on 'Bai Cao Yuan' as a standalone volume and selected several related essays from other writings to compile the second part, titled 'Inside and Outside the Garden.' I also included the sections 'Lu Xun in Tokyo' and 'Old Tales of Bu Shu Book House' as appendices. Some parts may seem brief or incomplete, but it's no longer feasible to revise them, as most of the corrections would require rewriting, which would be too troublesome. I think the omissions are still acceptable, as they are better than excessive details that might lead to falsehoods. As for some characters I intentionally omitted, there is no need to add them now. Regarding my grandmother, I should elaborate slightly. The previous grandmother, surnamed Sun, lived in the Kua Hu Bridge area outside the city gate, next to the Kuai Pavilion. Her birth and death dates are recorded in the family chronicle but are not accessible for verification. She gave birth to a daughter in Xianfeng Wuyao (1858) and a son, Bao Yi Gong, in Qingshen (1860), likely passing away shortly after. The later grandmother, surnamed Jiang, lived in Lu Xu outside Chang'an Gate, coincidentally also the hometown of the poet Yang Wan. She was born in Daoguang Jinming (1842) and passed away in Xuantong Gengxu (1910) at the age of 69. She had a daughter born in Tongzhi Wuchen (1868), who was only a dozen or so years older than Lu Xun. Kind-hearted, she was particularly close to the younger cousins, often playing and telling stories with them. On her wedding day, the children refused to let her leave, some even insisted on riding in her sedan chair. Her husband's family, surnamed Jin, lived in Dongguan. Her brother-in-law, Yuchen, was a scholar and, being the only son, wore a small gold ring in his left ear, giving him a somewhat effeminate appearance. However, their marriage was harmonious, and they had a daughter, Azhu, born in Guangxu Xingmao (1891). But there were always some issues between the sisters-in-law. In the year Guisi (1903), after Jiefu Gong was imprisoned and rumors spread about his in-laws causing trouble, he flew into a rage, ordering the family to sever ties with the Jin family. This was difficult to achieve but worsened the relationship. The following year, in the eighth month of Jiawu, her younger sister-in-law passed away due to childbirth complications, ending this tragedy. She had delirium during her illness, claiming red bats were coming to greet her. Lu Xun later wrote an essay questioning the bats or the gods, why they did not grant longevity to good people, his words often harsh. While her death was a blow to the children, it was far worse and more devastating for the grandmother. She was a traditional woman with a pessimistic view of life, having no sons of her own. Her daughter was the only light in her darkness, and now it was completely extinguished. Although she often lit candles and incense before the birthdays of Bodhisattvas, kneeling on a large stool to pray to the heavens, she never recited Buddhist prayers or visited temples. Once, when a local Christian missionary came to spread the gospel, urging her to save her soul for the future, she replied, 'I can barely take care of this life, how can I find time to worry about the afterlife?' Her later years may resemble the 'diseased wolf' described by foreign poets."