May Fourth Movement, Lu Xun, and the May Fourth Movement

Author: Mao Dun, Yao Xueyin / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Mao Dun's letter to Yao Xueyin (October 23)
Xueyin brother: I received your letter of August 22 and then went to Beijing Hospital for treatment of my worsening chronic asthma. After more than two weeks of hospitalization, I was discharged, but on the evening of October 2, I was admitted again due to diarrhea and fever. While in the hospital, I received your letter of October 7. Recently discharged, yet with low-grade fever and high white blood cell count (around 13,000), I was almost admitted again. Fortunately, I managed to avoid it. The cause of this low-grade fever is likely due to digestive disorder, reduced appetite, and a mild cold. Currently, I am taking both Chinese and Western medicine, and my condition has slightly improved, though I remain very weak, bedridden, and have a backlog of letters to reply to. Now, I am selecting important ones and having them written by others in my stead.
In Wuhan, the weather is likely already cool and crisp, ideal for writing. However, after reading your letter of October 7, I learned that the publication of The Rise of the Liang Family still lacks certainty. Whether the Youth Publishing House will resume operations and what its new direction will be are, as you mentioned, still uncertain. My understanding in Beijing is similar to yours. I believe you should, for now, focus solely on completing the first drafts of volumes 3, 4, and even 5, without worrying about these unresolved issues. Who knows—perhaps in two or three years, the publishing house will be ready to publish your book, and you will have the complete drafts ready. Wouldn’t that be better? (When I say "publishing house," I do not refer solely to the Youth Publishing House.)
You also mentioned in your letter that you decided to pause writing volume 3 starting in September and instead revise and polish volume 2. I wonder how things are progressing now. I have read the first draft of volume 2, and I think it is fundamentally excellent. You can refine every word and polish it later, but for now, completing volume 3 is the priority. If you can finish the first draft of volume 3 by the end of this year and the first drafts of volumes 4 and 5 next year, that would be wonderful. That would be far better than spending time refining volumes 2 and 3 while leaving volumes 4 and 5 unwritten.
Cao Xueqin wrote Dream of the Red Chamber and likely completed an initial draft of 120 chapters before refining the first 80. Unfortunately, the later 40 chapters were lost. The Rise of the Liang Family is far grander in scope than Dream of the Red Chamber, and you are no longer young. If you only have the final drafts of the first two volumes but no initial drafts of the remaining three, it would be a great regret! I believe you can still live at least another ten years. If you can complete the first draft of the entire book next year and then refine it volume by volume, with a final draft taking another two years, by then, with this rare gem in hand, I’m sure everyone will be eager to publish it.
Currently, with only two volumes completed, it is natural for publishing houses to lack the foresight and courage to commit to such a massive five-volume work. Regarding your suggestion that Jiang Xiaotian recommended you write a report to the Chairman, I think it would be unwise to act hastily. Wait until your full manuscript (even if it’s just a first draft) is completed and no publishing house is willing to take it on, then approach the Chairman. The situation will be different then. This is my opinion—whether it is appropriate, I leave to your discretion.
As for your plan to print a trial edition of volume 2 to gather feedback, primarily from workers, peasants, and soldiers, if it’s not feasible for now, I don’t think it’s a major issue. In short, the most important thing is to strive to complete the first draft of the entire book as quickly as possible.
You asked me to write something as a keepsake—let me do so when I have time.
With best regards!
Shen Yanbing
October 23
P74-P75