How Does Water Begin to Play - Selected Poems from "World Literature" 50 (Poetry. Art)

Author: Gao Xing (Editor-in-Chief) / Ding Pin (Illustrator)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: "How Water Begins to Play" reflects the passage of historical time, social changes, and the joys and sorrows of humanity through elegant and exquisite writing from various perspectives. Although it is just a tiny drop in the vast ocean of literature, it casts a brilliant and glorious light. The selected works are mostly masterpieces by renowned authors, with a few emerging talents who have already made a mark on the world literary stage. The selectors have paid attention not only to the different styles, schools, and techniques of the authors but also to the meticulous efforts of the translators in rendering the works. Thus, these works are not only rare flowers and unique grasses in the garden of world literature but also the fruits painstakingly nurtured by translators with blood and sweat. These works are the essence of "World Literature," giving us a glimpse of the whole through three hundred issues, fulfilling our spiritual needs while also serving as a benchmark and model for guiding healthy reading. The author hopes that "World Literature" will continue to uphold its editorial principles and remain a bright lighthouse in the vast sea of foreign literature in our country in the years to come.
[Foreword] The Sesquicentennial of Three Hundred Issues (In lieu of Preface I) by Yu Zhongxian
Since its inception in 1953, "World Literature" has a full half-century and a half. Through storms and trials, it has published three hundred issues (up to the third issue of 2005). Among them, 139 issues were published before the "Cultural Revolution" from 1953 to 1966. In fact, the 138th issue was published at the end of 1964. The entire year of 1965, the editorial staff went to the countryside for the "Four Cleanups," and the publication was suspended for a year. After much effort, they managed to publish one issue in 1966, but it was suspended again for a decade due to the outbreak of the "Cultural Revolution." This demonstrates the hardships they faced in those turbulent times.
In 1977, "World Literature" resumed publication but only as an internal trial edition, issuing two issues that year. The following year, it published four issues before transitioning to open publication. Thus, the fifth issue of 1978 continued the serial number from over a decade earlier, making it "Issue 140." This means that "World Literature" had six additional issues beyond its serial number, a unique phenomenon in the special period after the overthrow of the "Gang of Four."
Time flies. Four more decades have passed, and the era has entered the 21st century. "World Literature" has now edited 160 issues. The current situation is vastly different from what it was back then, and the state of literature has also changed significantly. However, the editors' love and dedication to literature remain unchanged. The editors calculated that over the three hundred issues, there are 80,000 pages, approximately 64 million words. This is a numerical reflection of the contributions of generations of editors to our spiritual civilization.
I have worked at "World Literature" for twenty years, except for the four years I spent studying in France. I have roughly edited nearly one hundred issues. The leaders who led the editorial department when I joined, such as Gao Mang, Li Wenjun, Jin Zhipei, and others, have all retired. Most of the editors have also retired. However, in my daily work, I have always felt a spirit that has been supporting and encouraging the younger generation of editors—that is, the love for literature and the dedication to the work. This is the invaluable spiritual wealth of the veteran editors of "World Literature," and we have the confidence and responsibility to inherit and carry forward it.
To commemorate the three hundred issues of "World Literature," with the strong support of Yilin Publishing House and the diligent efforts of Mr. Ding Pin, we have launched these two illustrated books, aiming to showcase the harmonious beauty of poetry, prose, and painting. In terms of content selection, we have considered both the principle of selecting works by renowned authors and high-quality translations, ensuring that the works have distinctive characteristics of their time and high translation quality. At the same time, we have also focused on brevity and conciseness, striving to match the length of the text with the illustrations to create a visual echo. Additionally, we have tried to take into account the different periods in which the works were published in "World Literature." Interested readers may notice some trends: the different themes and artistic features of the works we have selected in different stages.
We hope this will serve as a catalyst to propel "World Literature" to even greater heights.