Collected Works: A Sequel

Author: Lu Xun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-01
Features: Less than a full year has passed, yet the amount of satirical essays written has already surpassed that of last year. Since moving to the seaside in autumn, I have only seen clouds and water, and mostly heard the sound of wind and waves, almost completely isolated from society. If the environment does not change, it is unlikely that I will have any more pointless ramblings this year. With nothing to do by the lamp, I compiled the old manuscripts; I also prepared them for publication to provide for those who wish to read my satirical essays. What is discussed here still does not reveal the mysteries of the universe or the truth of life. It is merely what I have encountered, thought of, and wanted to say, allowing it to be shallow or extreme, and sometimes writing it down with the pen. To boast a bit, it is like the songs and tears of joy and sorrow—then it was merely a way to vent my frustrations and express my emotions, and now I no longer wish to compete with anyone for what is called justice or fairness. If you want it that way, I will insist on doing it differently; if you demand obedience, I will refuse to kowtow; if you insist on maintaining the solemn and noble facade, I will poke it a bit—but beyond that, there is nothing more significant. As the name suggests, it is merely "satirical essays." Most of them since January are included here; only one essay has been removed [2]. The reason is that it listed many people, and it was neither possible nor easy to obtain their consent, so it was not appropriate to publish it without permission. As for the title? The year and month have changed, but the situation remains the same, so it is still called "The Collected Works of Hua Gai." However, since the year and month have indeed changed, it is necessary to add two more characters: "Continuation." This book includes thirty-two satirical essays written by the author in 1926, along with one written in 1927. It was first published in Beijing by Beishu Bookstore in May 1927. The author published six editions during his lifetime.