This Life, This World -- My Emotional Journey: My Emotional Journey

Author: Hu Lancheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: Due to Zhang Ailing, the world has once again revisited Hu Lancheng. In fact, this man's talent is no less than that of the talented Ms. Zhang. Due to the times and circumstances, he has remained silent until now. This Life, This World has finally been officially published in mainland China. A man, with his delicate and graceful pen, slowly recalls his long life, starting from the memories of his hometown. It was a picturesque Jiangnan town with blooming peach blossoms, lush mulberry trees by the paths, lively theatrical performances, and the splendor of flowers during the New Year. There was also the lingering affection of traditional weddings. Yet once he left, he never returned home throughout his life. "I was not only a roamer to my hometown but also to the years." Meeting Modern Women Zhang Ailing was merely a fleeting episode in his life, not deeply engraved. But for that woman, she believed she had found her lifelong companion who cherished and understood her. In the end, it was just a misunderstanding, and the roamer drifted even further to distant lands.
The turmoil of his later life was driven by the times. Hu Lancheng, more often than not, was associated with the label of "collaborator." In reality, he was just a pure scholar of literature. This Life, This World is written with a light, graceful, and round style, with distinctive charm in word choice. The adjectives used are particularly refined. Hu Lancheng has demonstrated great skill in the Chinese language, with sentence structures that flow effortlessly, turning and twisting with ease, "elegant yet alluring." – Yu Guangzhong
Hu Lancheng's literary talent is sweet and enchanting, differing from the traditional literary orthodoxy of "feeling the times and mourning the nation." His lyrical historical perspective actually traces back to Zhou Zuoren, Fei Ming, and Shen Congwen, and should not be underestimated. – Wang Decheng
His lack of loyalty was also evident in his private life. The Hu Lancheng in This Life, This World is a rare Don Juan figure in Chinese literature. His feelings for women were sincere but not exclusive. What he sought was "laughter and joy that please the heart, songs and dances that move the soul," and his affections would change with his wandering, how could they be tied to one person! He considered himself a master of "eternal bonds of indifference," but in the eyes of others, he was just a fickle roamer who switched sides at dawn and dusk.
Now, when discussing his This Life, This World, I approach it with this attitude: the man may be discarded, but his writing cannot be dismissed because of him... Amidst the buzz surrounding Zhang Ailing's tragic passing, This Life, This World by Hu Lancheng has once again been the subject of much discussion. This book was once recommended to Yu Guangzhong as one that "combines wisdom and beauty." Last year, Jia Pingwa also praised it highly after reading it. Bu Shaofu recently shared his views on Hu's writing, stating, "It's said Zhang Ailing is talented, but in fact, Hu Lancheng is even more talented." After reading it, I largely agree with the claim that Hu Lancheng has brought a fresh perspective to Chinese prose.