Novel of Mao Dun

Author: Mao Dun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-04-01
Features: A great writer is not measured by how later generations place his plaque on the altar; what truly matters is whether his works remain immortal in the hearts of readers across generations. Tolstoy is immortal not because of his hereditary nobility, but because he wrote War and Peace, Anna Karenina, and Resurrection. Mao Dun, who authored Corrosion, The Rainbow, Midnight, The Silkworms, and Lin Family Store, is equally immortal. When it comes to the breadth of creative themes and the magnitude of his works, Mao Dun ranks among the top two in modern Chinese fiction. Without Mao Dun, Chinese fiction would be far less vibrant. Mao Dun said, "I lived truly, experienced a complex episode of life in a turbulent China, finally felt the sorrow of disillusionment, and the contradictions of life. In my depressed mood and lonely life, I was still driven by the will to overcome difficulties. The contradictions of life, in my depressed mood, in my lonely life, still dominated me. I wanted to ignite a tiny light from the ashes of my life in this chaotic, gray world." Thus, he rationally used the scalpel of words and strictly followed his own ABC of Novel Writing to dissect society. He was not sentimental about the past or empty about the future, but instead placed reality on the operating table to "stare at," "analyze," and "unmask" it. Many of Mao Dun's works are classics that withstand the test of time, repeated reading and savoring. Although the era he depicted is no longer suitable for today, the human element that flows from his works transcends temporal boundaries and is eternal. Consider this: aren’t all masterful writers like this? Precisely because of this, Mao Dun’s position in literary history is irreplaceable. The selections in this book are just his short stories, and glimpsing the craftsmanship of a master is already enough.