My father Zheng Zhenduo

Author: Zheng Erkang / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Editor's Anecdotes As a father who was both a writer and an editor, he discovered and nurtured many talented writers during his long tenure as the editor of renowned literary publications such as Literary Weekly and Monthly Novel. Among them, several later became "master-level" or "literary giants." Many touching and vivid stories are included in these experiences.
1. The Earliest Research on Lao She's Writings
In the "Works Preview" section of the June 1926 issue of Monthly Novel, there was a small paragraph:
"Shu Qingchun's The Philosophy of Lao Zhang is a long novel with a satirical tone that our writers have yet to explore."
"Shu Qingchun" was Lao She. The Philosophy of Lao Zhang was his debut work. When it was first published in Monthly Novel in July 1926, it was credited under the name "Shu Qingchun." However, starting from the August 1926 issue, the second part was published under the pen name "Lao She." From then on, "Lao She" and his The Philosophy of Lao Zhang gradually became familiar to readers. The person who wrote this "preview" was Zheng Zhenduo, the editor of Monthly Novel. Though the words were few, it was a piece of writing dedicated to researching and introducing Lao She.
In the "Last Page" section of the January 1927 issue of Monthly Novel, there was another passage introducing Lao She's work:
"Starting from Issue No. 3, we will publish a long novel titled Zhao Ziyu. It is a lengthy work, and the author, Lao She (who wrote The Philosophy of Lao Zhang), has written a more progressive novel compared to his previous one. It depicts not teachers or idle civilians, but students—the kind we often encounter and interact with. Lao She uses a light and subtle style to write about the lives of Beijing students and the life in Beijing apartments, making it very realistic and moving. The personalities of the characters like Zhao Ziyu come to life vividly in the readers' minds. The latter half of Zhao Ziyu becomes overly serious in its narration, losing the humor of the first half, yet the writing remains lively. Moreover, it concludes with the story of a great sacrificial figure, which deeply moves us. This book makes us laugh at first, then feel touched, and finally, it fills us with indignation."
The author of this brilliant passage was also Zheng Zhenduo. Therefore, it can be said that Monthly Novel's editor Zheng Zhenduo was the first to introduce Lao She's works to readers, and he was also the first to research and write about Lao She.
Lao She went to England in 1924 and taught Chinese at the School of Oriental Studies in London. During this time, he met Xu Deshan, who was studying religious history at the University of Oxford, and they became close friends. Encouraged by Xu Deshan, Lao She began writing novels and was recommended to his father by Xu Deshan. The successive publication of The Philosophy of Lao Zhang and Zhao Ziyu in Monthly Novel greatly inspired Lao She, leading him to write The Two Horses and embark on a literary career. However, at that time, Lao She and his father had only begun to communicate through writing and had not met in person. It was not until 1927, when his father traveled to Europe, that they met in London.
In early 1930, Lao She traveled from London to Singapore and then returned to China via Shanghai, stopping in Shanghai and staying at my home. The last 20,000 words of his fairy tale-novel The Birthday of Xiao Po were completed at my home (the total was about 60,000 words). In Fuzhou, people have a habit of eating two meals of congee a day, with only a dry meal at noon. Fearing Lao She might not be accustomed to this, my father always had my mother prepare noodles or steamed buns and steamed mantou for him. After finishing his work each day, my father would gather with Lao She in the study after dinner, brew a pot of fine flower tea, and they would chat and drink tea together, getting along very well. Sometimes, they would also drink yellow wine or white wine, with snacks like peanuts and tofu slices.
Lao She stayed at my home for about half a month before packing up and heading north. This was the longest period my father spent with Lao She, and from then on, they became close friends.
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