Human and Book Grow Old, Open the Volume of Literature Series

Author: Li Junwei
Publisher:
Publishing Date: March 1, 2005
Features: Mr. Li Junwei does not indulge in sentimentality, does not engage in empty rhetoric, nor does he hastily judge. His joys, sorrows, and emotions naturally flow through his elegant and effortless, cloud-like and flowing prose. His portrayals of Yan Ying, his university classmate and a close friend of Eileen Chang; of Dong Dingshan, the American writer; and of Tang Daling, the "King of the Tabloids," are all unique in perspective, rich in charm, and hold significant historical value. His series of writings on Eileen Chang, such as The Atmosphere of Eileen Chang and The Mrs. in "Mrs. Wu Rejoices," are not only masterfully written but also invaluable documents in the study of "Zhang Xue." His deep interest in modern fashion is evident not only in his novels but also in his essays. Works like On Dressing and Chang'an and the Cheongsam are eloquently written, sparkling with wit, and can rival Eileen Chang's renowned masterpiece, On Dressing Up. In summary, reading the essays in People and Books Grow Old is both enlightening and thought-provoking. Li Junwei, pen name Dongfang Dedi, was born in Shanghai in 1922. He graduated from the College of Arts at Shanghai St. John's University in his early years and, after the victory in the War of Resistance, served as a reporter and editor for Shanghai World Morning News and Shanghai Da Guo Bao respectively. Under the influence of his brothers Dong Leshan and Dong Dingshan, he embarked on the path of fiction writing. His works have been published in various magazines such as Novel, Life, Literary Tide, Happiness, and Universe, with some collected into Gentlemen and Ladies (published in the late 1980s by Shanghai Bookstore Press as part of the "Shanghai School Fiction Selection" edited by Mr. Wei Shaochang). Since the 1950s, Mr. Junwei moved to Beijing, and "Shanghai School" became "Beijing School," while he transformed into an editor for film publications. From then on, he retired from the literary scene, vanishing from China's literary landscape for many years. It was not until the reform and opening-up period that Mr. Junwei "resumed his old career," serializing his long story Noble Ladies (originally titled The Grass Is Indifferent) and his short story Heartbroken Jade in Shanghai Xin Min Evening News. However, as they were all signed with his real name, no readers would have associated the Li Junwei of today with the former Dongfang Dedi. Due to various reasons, Dongfang Dedi was forgotten. It was not until 1998, fifty-two years later, that the co-authored work Thirty Years of Modern Chinese Literature (Revised Edition) by Qian Liqun, Wen Rumin, and Wu Fuhui was published, officially bringing Mr. Junwei and his fiction into the literary history. The book describes him as follows: "A writer who combines popular and avant-garde styles, especially Dongfang Dedi, with just one book, Gentlemen and Ladies, uses magnificent prose to depict the loss of old families on the bustling Shanghai streets and the difficulty of finding a new spiritual home. His style blends elegance and populism, resembling Eileen Chang, conveying a sense of desolation amidst prosperity. Dongfang Dedi, like Eileen Chang, shares a connection with modernism in his choice and creation of imagery." It is worth mentioning that several articles in this book, such as The Atmosphere of Eileen Chang, On Dressing, and The Mrs. in "Mrs. Wu Rejoices," were rediscovered by Professor Chen Zishan, an expert in modern Chinese literature, from the dusty archives of the last century and included in this collection, making them particularly precious. Additionally, Professor Chen Zishan wrote a six-thousand-word preface to promote the book. Throughout the editing process, Mr. Li Junwei maintained close contact and proofread the book twice, while Professor Chen Zishan proofread it once. Moreover, the more than thirty illustrations in the book are mostly old photographs, adding to its charm.