Autumn in Jinan
Lao She
Autumn in Jinan is poetic. Suppose there is a medieval old city in your fantasy, with a large sleeping city tower, a narrow ancient stone road, and a wide stone city wall. A clear stream flows around the city, reflecting the shadow of the mountains. On the bank are squatting figures in red robes and green robes. The girl in pants. If there is such a realm in your fantasy, it is Jinan. If you can't imagine it - and many people can't - please come to Jinan and have a look.
Please come in the autumn. That city, that river, that ancient road, and that mountain shadow are all prepared for you all year round. However, with the addition of Jinan's autumn colors, Jinan has transformed from a simple painting into a quiet and beautiful poetic realm. This poetic autumn scenery is unique to Jinan. God gave the art of summer to Switzerland, the art of spring to West Lake, and the beauty of autumn and winter to Jinan. Autumn and winter are not easy to separate. Autumn is already asleep when it is a little deep and winter becomes winter. God is not willing to wake it up suddenly, so as a favor, autumn and winter are all given to Jinan.
There must be mountains and water in the realm of poetry. Then, please look at Jinan. The mountains with different colors, different directions, and different heights become even more different in the autumn colors. Let’s talk about the color. The pine trees on the mountainside are green and black. Coupled with the slanting autumn sun, the green and black are darker than gray and lighter than black, covering the yellow grass next to it into a layer of gray and transparent. The shadow of yellow, the foot of the mountain is lined with strips of various colors, layer by layer, some are yellow, some are gray, some are green, and some seem to be lotus color. The color on the top of the mountain also changes with the movement of the sun. The different colors on the top of the mountain are not important. The different colors on the mountainside really make people want to write a few lines of poetry. The colors on the mountainside are always changing, especially in autumn, when the sunshine can suddenly cool down for a while, then warm up for a while. This change is not drastic, but the colors on the mountain feel this change and immediately change with it. Suddenly the yellow became more realistic, suddenly it became darker, suddenly it was like there was an invisible layer of mist flowing there, and suddenly it was like a gentle breeze mixing the colors for "nature", gently applying a layer of all kinds of colors. And all of them are light and beautiful. With such a mountain, coupled with the blue sky and the clear and warm sunshine; it is so blue that it seems to turn from blue to green, but not completely green; it is so clear and warm that it is almost dry, but there is a bit of cool breeze, just like As gentle as poetry; this is the autumn of Jinan. Moreover, because of the different colors, the height of the mountain is more obvious. The high ones are higher and the low ones are lower. The angular curves of the mountains are more real, clear and thin in the clear sky. Look at that tower on the top of the mountain!
Look at the water again. In terms of quantity, quality and form, where can the water be better than Jinan? There are springs - there are springs everywhere - there are rivers and lakes, which are divided by form. No matter it is a spring, a river or a lake, they are all so clear and sweet. Oh my, Jinan is the "natural" sweet heart, right? The camellias in Daming Lake in summer and the green willows in Chenghe River are naturally beautiful. But when you look at water, you have to look at autumn water. Jinan has autumn mountains and autumn water. This autumn is autumn because the God of Autumn lives in Jinan. Let’s not talk about anything else, let’s just talk about the green algae in the water. That greenness, apart from the greenness in the heart of God, there is probably nothing else that can compare to it. This bright green color is revealed through the clarity of the water, just like a beauty appreciating her own beauty through a mirror. Yes, these green algae are enjoying the sweetness of the water for themselves, not for anyone else to see. They know their little green thoughts, they are there kissing the water skin all year round, dreaming of green sweet dreams. Naughty ducks, touch them once or twice with your golden paw. The shadow of the raccoon girl kisses their green leaves once or twice. Only this is their sweet trouble. I envy the dead poet!
In autumn, the water is as cool as the blue sky. There are some white clouds in the sky and some ripples on the water. Between the sky and the water, there is clear, warm air, with a little scent of osmanthus. Shan Yinger is also more real. Autumn mountains and autumn waters kiss illusoryly. The mountains are motionless and the water is slightly noisy. The medieval old city, with its autumn colors and sounds, is Jinan and poetry.
If you want to know what winter is like in Jinan, let’s listen to the explanation next time.
(Originally titled "Some Impressions (Continued 4)", first published in Volume 1, Issue 5 of "Qi Da Monthly" in March 1931)