Older than me - Huang Yongyu tells the stories of great writers such as Qian Zhongshu, Shen Congwen, Zhang Leping, etc.

Author: Huang Yongyu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-07-01
Features: What kind of great artist does a great artist like Huang Yongyu see? In this new prose collection Elderly Elders Than Me, the 80-year-old Mr. Huang Yongyu tells us stories about the elders who are even older than him. In this book with Huang's unique style, Mr. Huang Yongyu uses witty and unconventional language to narrate the "elderly elders" he has met: Qian Zhongshu, Shen Congwen, Li Keran, Zhang Leping, Lin Fengmian, Zhang Boqiu, Xu Linlu, Liao Bingxiang, Zheng Ke, Lu Zhiyang, Yu Suoya, and Huang Miaozi. Through these little-known touching stories of China's contemporary outstanding artists, we can savor their spiritual pursuits and personal charm in their encounters, friendships, and deep connections with these art masters. What is truly worth savoring is their spiritual pursuits and personal charm. For these cultural giants, Mr. Huang writes with ease and humor, without the usual flattery or adulation. He writes about uncommon small incidents with a touch of charm. For example, he writes about Qian Zhongshu: "Qian Zhongshu lived to be 88 years old. He was born in 1910, 14 years older than me. I was honored to have been criticized together with him in Shanghai in 1947 for a magazine called Comrades that only lasted one issue. The criticism was fierce and serious, saying that what we had done in culture was harmful to the people and that we would inevitably come to a bad end." These elderly elders who are older than Mr. Huang are actually not old. Even in just a few thousand words, they exude enough vitality and spirit. "Alas! Everything was missed; young people often miss the elderly. The stories are like dry fruits hanging at the tips of tree branches in winter, already too painful to lift." When you close the book, you will see this poetic and sorrowful passage written by Mr. Huang Yongyu on the back cover. Then, you will also feel genuine luck for having finally not missed these elderly elders in the book. It is worth mentioning that the cover inscription and the cartoon portrait of Huang Yongyu in this book are both done by Mr. Huang himself. The book also includes more than ten illustrations drawn by him, which are also works of art worth savoring.