? This is an early work by the Japanese writer Natsume Soseki, also known as "Taocao". Looking up this author, we found that he enjoys a high status in Japan and is called the "national writer". At the same time, he is also proficient in English, Chinese poetry and calligraphy. His contribution can be seen from his being printed on the 1,000 yen banknote before 2004.
Except for the popular trend of Harukami Muraki, I have never read anything by Japanese writers before. This may be due to my preconceived impression of this nation. It wasn’t until people around me mentioned and recommended it that I read this article with the mentality of giving it a try without any expectations. After reading it, I realized that I had begun to enjoy the process of reading it without even realizing it. I was surprised by a male writer's subtle and accurate description of the relationships between characters, their mentality, and trivial matters in life. Every time I read a paragraph, I feel a sense of pleasure that expresses my indescribable feelings. Perhaps the translation was done well, and it didn’t feel like I was reading a translated work. I think it might have something to do with the cultural categories of Japanese and English. Every time I read an English translation, I always find it more or less difficult and unsmooth, unable to appreciate the beauty of the language. It would be better to read the original text. Perhaps Japanese and Chinese have historical origins, so it is easy to achieve emotional resonance through language. In addition to language, there may be many similar aspects in our way of thinking, life style, etc., so this is probably why it moved me.
This is an autobiographical novel. The experience of the male protagonist "Kenzo" is very similar to that of the author himself. He was adopted by his biological father to his adoptive father when he was very young, and when he grew up, he was sent back to his biological father by his adoptive father. There was no deep affection for him on either side and he was pushed around like a rubber ball. When he grows up, he becomes a tool to be used. Later, he finally became an adult and went to study abroad. After returning to China, he had the ability to make a living, got married, had a daughter, and lived an independent family life. It seems that the pain and troubles of childhood are over, and I can finally take charge of my own life. But the story begins here. Many years later, his originally comfortable life was broken by a group of people around him who "looked like relatives but not relatives". The word "money" became a lingering worry in his life and was constantly mentioned. The adoptive father appeared like a ghost again to ask for money, and the stepmother also paid a groveling visit in the hope that he could help. His father-in-law, who had a weak relationship with him, also reached out to him after his career was ruined. He has to spend a little money every month to help his sick sister and incompetent brother, while his wife, who suffers from hysteria at home, does not work and has to take care of the children, and at the same time he has to hire a maid to help. All this makes the protagonist upset and cranky. In fact, such stories are quite common both in the past and in modern times. What we are looking for might be an outburst from the protagonist, a heated argument in dialogue, or a quick ending to the action. But there is not much in this work. The author does not seem to be affected by such a situation, but just calmly narrates the progress of the matter, and then spends a lot of pen and ink describing Kenzo's mood, thoughts, memories, character and actions, but there is no summary of life insights. Reading these words, I feel like I am analyzing myself in life and vividly expressing my mood at the moment when something happens.
Among them, I was deeply impressed by the on-and-off depiction of the relationship between Kenzo and his wife. For example:
"...the wife feels that neither of them will blindly obey the other, and the husband feels that the wife cannot be guided after all. The couple has been quarreling over this old issue since a long time ago, but There is still no solution..."
"Kenzo is very stubborn, and his wife also accepts death, so they look down on each other. No matter what they do, the wife follows her father's standards and demands her husband, and she is always a little dissatisfied with her husband. The husband is resentful of not being recognized by his wife. The stubborn Kenzo even openly shows his contempt for his wife.
"Kenzo's theory. , unknowingly coincided with the theory his wife used to deal with him. They kept going in circles like this, no matter how tired they were, it didn't matter. When Kenzo's excitement calmed down, he would suddenly wake up. Stop in the circle; my wife will also stop suddenly in the circle when clearing the obstacles in her mind.
At this time, the two joined hands again, talking and laughing, but they still couldn't get out of that circle. "
What a vivid description of the relationship between the sexes. It is in this kind of "confrontation" that couples in life come and go. Perhaps Kenzo has more of the deep-rooted "machismo" of modern Japanese men. Just like in the old days in China - wives are just accessories, they are clumsy and just tools for reproduction. However, the wife in the work is not a submissive person without thoughts and feelings. She is sometimes tolerant, but she also has her own understanding and methods. She doesn't even have a name in the work, but it doesn't affect her vivid figure.
There is also a very powerful description of the relationship between Kenzo and his adoptive mother Chang, which made me react conditionedly. The topic of parenting came to mind.
“A Chang is a woman who is good at pretending. No matter what the occasion, as long as she is strong to herself, she will shed tears immediately. She is simply a ‘living treasure’. She regards Kenzo as an ignorant child and is relatively relaxed in front of him, but in fact, her inner heart has been completely exposed in front of Kenzo, but she didn't realize it. ...Her hidden ugliness determines her personality, and the person who understands her ugliness best is the child who grew up in her warm embrace. "
? Warning, don't mistakenly think that the villain is easy to coax and deceive.
After reading more and more works, I seem to like the description of returning to nature more and more. No I would like to see a philosophical summary of life. Everyone knows the truth, so why waste time listening to you. What's more, the easiest thing to accept is to embody the truth in the story, leaving no trace but making people understand. This is kung fu. I think it is because of such a tortuous growth experience that Natsume-kun developed his delicate writing style and emotions. Or perhaps Japanese writers’ works are strong in this aspect, and you need to read more to experience it.
I also learned that roadside grass is really the name of a kind of grass, and it is also a herbal medicine, which is good for digestion and strengthening the spleen.