Yuguan

Author: Xu Dishan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Xu Dishan was early influenced by Buddhist thought. His early short stories often depicted life in Southeast Asia, imbued with exotic charm, featuring intricate plots and a romantic atmosphere. In the novel "Yu Guan" published in 1939, Yu Guan, a widow who becomes a Christian, bravely proclaims the teachings of Christ's love in the face of a violent soldier, embodying a savior's spirit. The protagonist, Yu Guan, is a widow who, after converting to Christianity, tirelessly spreads the gospel across the land, eventually vowing to cross the ocean alone despite others' advice. Due to the author's deep affection and expertise in Buddhist philosophy, he could understand and study Buddhism from a philosophical perspective, thereby enlightening readers with profound and rich life wisdom. Xu Dishan was a distinctive and uniquely styled writer who emerged during the May Fourth New Culture Movement. His novel "The Bird of Fate" was published in the revised issue of Story Monthly. His collection of essays and short stories, The Rain of the Empty Mountain, was one of the earliest collections of essays and short stories published after the May Fourth Movement and was serialized in Story Monthly for a long time in 1922. He was one of the founders of the most influential New Literature group in the history of the New Culture Movement—the Literature Research Association. In the early stages of the New Culture Movement, he introduced novel themes and conducted unique artistic explorations, exerting a far-reaching influence. The renowned writer Shen Congwen said in the 1930s: "In China, using the lives of non-Han ethnic groups as the basis for creation and employing the profound wisdom and clarity of Buddhist scriptures to showcase the beauty and elegance of prose, while ensuring that the essence of poetry is not lacking—Lu Hua Sheng is one of the authors who brought prose to a harmonious realm (alongside Zhou Zuoren, Xu Zhimo, Feng Wenbing, and others, though they should be discussed separately). This harmony refers to blending the love of Christianity, the wisdom of Buddhism, modern civilization, and ancient emotions into a seamless whole without forced contrivance." (Shen Congwen, "On Lu Hua Sheng") In the early stages of the New Culture Movement, Xu Dishan's works, whether in fiction or essays, undoubtedly played a role in advancing the movement.