Modern Prose - Selected Prose of Guo Moruo

Author: Guo Moruo (Authored by Guo Jinhou, Edited by)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: Guo Moruo was an outstanding scientist, writer, and revolutionary figure in China. As a writer, Guo Moruo was renowned for his originality in poetry and drama. In fact, his prose was equally pioneering but has been largely overlooked! To correctly understand Guo Moruo and scientifically evaluate him, it is necessary to comprehensively study both his life and his works. Guo Moruo, originally named Guo Kaizhen, was also known by the childhood name Wenbao and the pseudonym Shangwu. He was born in Jiazhou Prefecture (now Shabanzhen, Leshan City, Sichuan Province), which was celebrated as the "Land of Fragrant Roses." His literary pen name "Moruo" was derived from the Mofang River (known as Dadu River or Tong River in folk terms) and the Ruoshui River (known as Qingyi River or Ya River in folk terms), representing his hometown. During his childhood, he received rigorous training in traditional studies, particularly poetry. His mother recited poems to him from his cradle and later taught him Tang and Song Dynasty poetry, including the works of Wang Wei, Meng Haoran, Li Bai, and Liu Zongyuan, which deeply influenced him. At the age of five, he began formal education, where, in addition to the usual teaching of the "Four Books" and "Five Classics," he was also taught "Poetic Critiques" (by Sikong Tu), "Thousand-Family Poems," "Essentials of Tang Poetry," and "Three Hundred Poems of Tang Poetry"; alongside "Zuo Zhuan," he was also taught "Donglai's Broad Discussions." This comparative and complementary approach not only fostered Guo Moruo's fundamental views on poetry—such as "the essence of poetry lies in expression," "poetry is a pure reflection of poetic meaning and realm," and "the creation of poetry should be spontaneous and natural"—but also nurtured his passion for history and his inclination to challenge conventional narratives. After the age of ten, he followed the trend of abolishing the imperial examinations and promoting modern schools, attending Jia ding Higher Primary School and Chengdu Higher Normal School. While maintaining his love for literature, he also embraced new learning, revered the seventy-two martyrs of Huanghuanggang, enjoyed Lin Yutang's translated novels, and participated in the entire process of the Xinhai Revolution in Sichuan. He was constantly influenced by the ideals of "strengthening the nation through wealth and military power" and "saving the country through industrialization," aspiring to acquire practical skills to serve the nation and revitalize China. To realize this lofty ideal, he left his hometown and Sichuan. Guo Moruo's works were always closely tied to his life of continuous revolution, and it can be said that they are a concrete reflection of his such life.