Selected Works of Ba Jin (3) Autumn

Author: Ba Jin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1996-09-01
Features: Ba Jin's original name was Li Yaotang, styled Fugan. Born in 1904 in Chengdu, Sichuan, he was a renowned modern Chinese writer. He grew up in a family of officials and landlords, witnessing various social evils. The May Fourth Movement broadened his horizons and instilled in him a belief in opposing the feudal system and pursuing new social ideals. In 1927, he went to France for studies and wrote the long novel The Dusk the following year. In late 1928, he returned to China. After 1931, he actively participated in the anti-Japanese movement and maintained close ties with Lu Xun. Lu Xun regarded Ba Jin as "a passionate and progressive writer, one of the few outstanding authors of his time." He is currently the president of the Chinese Writers' Association. Most of his major works were written in the two decades after 1927. These include the long novels The Love Trilogy (Fog, Rain, Light), The River Trilogy (Family, Spring, Autumn), and The War Trilogy (also known as Fire), as well as the middle novels A Cold Night and The Garden, along with a collection of short stories, fairy tales, and essays.
The River Trilogy is set in the early 1920s in Chengdu, Sichuan, after the May Fourth Movement, and depicts the historical collapse of the feudal family (the Gao family) during the new revolutionary period. The work presents the entire life of a feudal official family, mercilessly exposing the corruption, decadence, and hypocrisy of the feudal landlord class and the cruelty of feudal rituals. Ba Jin portrays the images of feudal family women such as Mei, Hui, and Ruijue, whose suffering and tragic deaths serve as a heart-wrenching indictment of the feudal marriage system and old rituals. Meanwhile, the deaths of servants like Mingfeng and Qian'er more profoundly reveal the social reality of class discrimination and oppression. The work does not stop at exposing the evils of this "family" or revealing its inevitable collapse but further depicts the awakening and rebellious generation, represented by Juehui. This highlights the characteristics of the May Fourth era and "proclaims the death sentence of an unreasonable system."
A major feature of Ba Jin's works is that they are born from emotion. This is very similar to Cao Xueqin. Additionally, Ba Jin excels at constructing grand epics, skillfully organizing numerous characters and complex events. The plots are full of twists and turns, progressing layer by layer toward the climax. He is also adept at portraying the psychological activities of characters, delving into their souls, creating works that are profound and three-dimensional.