Chronology of Zhou Zuoren (1885-1967)

Author: Zhang Juxiang, edited by Zhang Tieling
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2000-04-01
Features: Although the rain is so fine that it cannot be seen, the sky is extremely gloomy, making one feel quite oppressive. On such occasions, one often indulges in daydreams, imagining oneself in a small cottage by the river, leaning against the glass window, warming oneself by a white charcoal fire pot, drinking clear tea, and chatting with friends—such a scene is quite pleasant. At midnight, when things are quiet and pedestrians are scarce, one can enjoy the colors of the light, ponder the stars in the sky, pretend to be deaf and dumb, take a sip of bitter tea to moisten one's throat—this is a harmless and beneficial pastime for oneself. This attitude, Fei Ming said, is somewhat like Tao Yuanming. However, "Tao Yuanming's poetry delights in mentioning Jing Ke," and when he picked chrysanthemums under the eastern fence, he naturally did not forget the great affairs of society. Living in a study where the crowing of chickens and barking of dogs are unheard, drinking bitter tea, reading leisurely books, and writing humorous essays, his life is far removed from quarrels and is leisurely. This path of leisurely seclusion leads one further away from the crowd, yet the affairs of the world and their evaluations are always determined by the crowd. Thus, bitter tea can easily turn into a bitter fruit. If we focus solely on this aspect of leisure, in the eyes of the vast majority of people, the transformation from bitter tea to a bitter fruit can be considered a great or small tragedy of the "Bitter Tea Studio."