Mud Paint Collection

Author: Shen Congwen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: In one place, a rooster is crowing, as if placed in a large jar, and its location remains unclear. Two dung carriers know they are about to start their busy work and squat on separate stone benches, preparing for their own lives. In the sky, meteors are falling, casting long, bright streaks, which are very beautiful and pleasing to the eye. Some coffins and small boats resemble a village, without any conflict, living their days. During high tide, the distance between the coffins and the boats seems even closer. The entire book consists of fragments of 1930s China's hardships, a "Les Misérables" in Shen Congwen's writing. In the towns, everything is decaying, emitting suffocating odors, and the poor live like pigs and dogs. In the mountainous rural areas, the land is desolate, with ten out of every ten households empty, and farmers have become like beasts of burden. "The land is suffering," as the saying goes, and this is evident here. Shen Congwen's outstanding, non-"pastoral" writings are often overlooked. Before his death, he had a wish to carefully select his works and publish a series of small, compact booklets. It was not about how exquisite or luxurious they were, but about clear handwriting and a simple yet elegant style that was comfortable to look at. The small size made them easy to collect, carry, and read. This selected edition differs from previous compilations. We have added some texts from his past works to the front of each booklet. These include essays, diaries, reviews, unfinished works, and mainly letters—all collected and organized in recent years, most of which have not been published before. Regardless, these chapters either reflect the author's views on society, literary creation, and historical and literary research at the time, or reveal his circumstances, inner conflicts, joys, sorrows, and frustrations. Publishing them may help readers gain a broader understanding of his works, his character, and the historical context of the time.