Want to fly. Paris's traces

Author: Xu Zhimo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: The great masters of the May Fourth New Literature were all exceptionally talented and eloquent. Xu Zhimo was one of the most representative figures among them. He gained fame for his poetry, pioneering a new literary style. His prose was equally outstanding and widely acclaimed. His close friend Liang Shiqiu once remarked, "Zhimo's prose surpassed his poetry." Xu Zhimo was immersed in the realm of poetry throughout his life, and he was equally devoted to the realm of prose, which he called his "left-hand Muse" (borrowing from Yu Guangzhong's words). Before his passing, he had published three prose collections—Autumn Leaves, Fragments of Paris, and Self-Analysis—matching the number of poetry collections he had published. His prose was boundless, covering a wide range of topics, and his emotions were sincere, his tone approachable, his expression unrestrained, and his language vivid and rich. Describing it as "thick and inseparable" was truly fitting. Whether in long works like Fragments of Paris and Autumn or short pieces like Sunrise Over Mount Tai and A Poet, whether in passionate diary entries filled with love or heartfelt letters between lovers separated by distance, his prose was always the same. Works like What I Know of Cambridge, Self-Analysis, Wishing to Fly, and Manshu Fei'er have long since become celebrated masterpieces of modern Chinese prose.