Bai Jin's Prose -- Students Reading Classics

Author: Ba Jin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Most of Ba Jin's prose works are collected in more than 10 prose anthologies such as Notes from a Sea Voyage, Confessions of Life, Travel Notes, Dragon, Tiger, Dog, Reminiscences, and Random Thoughts. The most outstanding pieces in Ba Jin's prose are those that recall the departed and celebrate the noble spirit of ordinary people. Early works like In Memory of Brother Fan and Commemorating Han Weng, as well as post-1949 pieces such as In Memory of Lu Xun, Mourning Jin Yi, and Comrade Liao Jingqiu, as well as the deeply moving In Memory of Xiao Shan. The greatest characteristic of Ba Jin's prose is its sincerity and warmth, moving readers with genuine emotion. This is mainly due to his preference for using the first person in his writing. Ba Jin expresses his feelings without relying on passion, but rather through passionate language and ornate, elaborate expressions. Instead, he writes as an old friend confiding in you, with genuine emotion shining through the words, naturally infecting the reader. His language is clear and flowing, natural and unforced, revealing literary talent in simplicity, transcendent beauty in openness, and rigor in naturalness. In Memory of Xiao Shan is one of the most representative works that embody the style of Ba Jin's prose. It is an elegy written in memory of his deceased wife. The text, written in ordinary narration, is filled with heart-stirring sorrow. Through this sorrow, it conveys his deep love for his wife, his condemnation of the Cultural Revolution, and his hatred for the executioners—all naturally flowing out, once again showcasing the natural and authentic artistic charm of Ba Jin's prose.