Tian Jiaying's father died when he was three years old. The talented little son became the mother's hope and was regarded as a treasure. At the age of six, my mother sent Tian Jiaying to a private school, and soon transferred him to a primary school in the north of the city. Illiterate mothers often hold Tian Jiaying in their arms, let him sit on his lap, and then hold a book to listen to him recite three-character classics, thousands of words and ancient poems. Listen, listen, touching Tian Jiaying's thin shoulder, he said emotionally, "doll, be energetic and be a man!" " "My mother hopes that Tian Jiaying will become an adult. When Tian Jiaying was 9 years old, his mother left, and his brother and sister-in-law forced him to drop out of school. In his early years, Tian Jiaying became a "pharmacist" in a pharmacy.
Seeing his brilliance, his companion's father Xu knew that he had a desire to be a writer when he was young, and he often invited him to come home, read to him and tell him stories about famous writers at that time ... Tian Jiaying later recalled: It was he who educated me and made me start reading Life Weekly and articles by Lu Xun and Guo Moruo with what I learned at school. In this way, although I didn't get formal development, I fell in love with new literature strongly.
Dreaming of becoming a writer, she worked as an apprentice in a drugstore, but under the guidance of Xu, she persisted in studying hard even though her study and living conditions were extremely bad. His family lives in a Chinese medicine shop in Guaishu Street, north of Chengdu, and the attic is actually a warehouse for stacking medicinal materials. Tian Jiaying's bed is a wooden board supported by dry branches and dead leaves, covered with a thin mattress; A triangle table and a low stool are all the equipment in the bedroom. My brother and sister-in-law are not allowed to go upstairs with lanterns and matches because dried Chinese herbal medicines are easy to cause fires. In order to study, Tian Jiaying dug a small window on the wooden wall facing the street to let the muddy yellow street lamp in. He was so happy that he read by a ray of light in the middle of the night. Because the street lamp is dim, the light entering the small window is very weak. When reading, be sure to be close to the window and keep your eyes on the book, so that your eyes are tired and your body is tired. On winter nights, my feet and legs are stiff and I tremble all over. However, Tian Jiaying never stopped reading at night. Later, Tian Jiaying found an old kerosene bucket and put it opposite the bed with a small hole, and lit a kerosene lamp inside, so he could lie down and read, which not only solved the problem of freezing people in winter, but also solved the contradiction of reading at night and causing fire.
During his two years as an apprentice, Tian Jiaying read a lot of classical novels. Eastern Zhou Dynasty, History of Three Kingdoms, Romance of Three Kingdoms, Water Margin and Dream of Red Mansions ... Tian Jiaying read a set of Zi Tongzhi Jian when he was 13 years old. Because of lack of money, Tian Jiaying loves to buy cheap anthology of live leaves, and he has learned many famous ancient poems of China. After a lot of reading and self-study, Tian Jiaying has a certain language foundation, as he himself said: "It's good to be a writer. I encourage myself to take risks. 1934, my articles were published in some publications, and I began to become a literary beggar who earned a living by collecting manuscript fees. " This year, Tian Jiaying was only 12 years old. In what magazine was his earliest article published? I don't know. Fortunately, most of the articles that appeared in newspapers from1June 1936 to1937+065438+1October have been preserved, which has become the most valuable historical materials for people to understand Tian Jiaying's mental journey during that period.
1936 March 12 Huaxi Daily included Tian Jiaying's prose "Spring". Between the lines, Tian Jiaying reveals the indifference of the world he suffered deeply. The article writes like this:
"Spring is here, I should breathe the warmth of spring. However, is Chunyang too indifferent to me? " "I am not happy, I am irrigating myself with my own tears. Melancholy child, are you suffering? Yes, I'm children of the night. I grew up in difficulties and sufferings, in blood and saliva, in terror and darkness. "
Tian Jiaying continued to write, telling her feelings about life with a pen. Popular articles such as lights, roads, streets, curtains and wells are frequently seen in newspapers: "At the beginning of Deng Hua, I went to cross the street and the street", "Spring breeze enriched the plain with flowers and weaved beautiful colors between heaven and earth", "The road was made by people, and the road that people came out was made by people.
Articles appeared in newspapers one after another, and the name "Tian Jiaying" was gradually noticed, familiar and accepted by readers. Readers praised Tian Jiaying's articles for their fluency and conciseness, such as flowing water, active and insightful thoughts, novel and pioneering artistic conception, which made people deeply awake and work hard. However, who knows that the author is still a teenager of thirteen or fourteen, and who knows that "Tian Jiaying" is Zeng Zhengchang, an apprentice of Guazaoshu Street Pharmacy!
/kloc-at the beginning of 0/936, Tian Jiaying broke off economic relations with his brother and sister-in-law who hindered his study and progress, and made a living by writing articles for newspapers. This year, Tian Jiaying completed the primary school course by himself and was admitted to Chengdu No.1 Middle School. How happy he is to return to school! Tian Jiaying, who is more mature, left a deep impression on his classmates with his industrious spirit and diligent style: a bowl of rice porridge with crispy rice and two or three slices of salted radish in the morning; At noon, a biscuit or simply skip meals and plunge into the library. Tian Jiaying's classmates recalled that there was a library named "Modi" in County No.1 Middle School. Business hours are from 12 to 18 every day. This is the place where Tian Jiaying often goes, and it takes an afternoon. Collect a set of "everything library". Tian Jiaying has read three musketeers, La Traviata and War and Peace. Mr. Chen, the librarian, joked that he was a bookworm, a bookworm.
Tian Jiaying, who yearned for the literary road, was influenced by the anti-Japanese national salvation upsurge and the impact of the anti-Japanese agitation. 1936 in the second half of the year, Tian Jiaying joined the vanguard of national liberation in China and the progressive group "Haiyan Club" led by the Communist Party of China (CPC). Among the progressive youth organizations, Tian Jiaying began to contact Marxism-Leninism. The new truth and new world described in Popular Philosophy, Seeing a New World from a Man and the Producers' Party Manifesto made Tian Jiaying shine. Through reading and thinking with reality, I understand that the only way to build an equal, rich and happy society is to take the road guided by the manifesto of the productive party. Going to Yan 'an as a producer of * * * became Tian Jiaying's yearning.
The passion of literary creation made Tian Jiaying extremely excited. He was not satisfied with only publishing articles in newspapers and periodicals. He set up a literary publication, Laser, in series with a few like-minded friends, mainly publishing poems, essays and reportage. Tian Jiaying published a collection of essays Nostalgia and Hands in the inaugural issue. He said in the article: "I live in the mud, and I am constantly struggling." "There are two black hands, one tightly around my throat and the other blindfolded. Don't let me see the light, the struggle failed again. I want to save my strength and prepare for the third struggle. " Articles and publications strongly express young people's desire for light and their accusations against darkness, and the first issue actually sold more than 200 copies. People see Tian Jiaying and other young writers active in the literary world, cheering for the laser!
After the Xi incident, the school spirit of Chengdu No.1 Middle School, which is relatively closed, changed. The works of Lu Xun, Mao Dun, Ba Jin, Ye Shengtao and Zhu Ziqing were circulated on campus, and Tian Jiaying read them eagerly. Ba Jin's Home, Spring, Autumn, Thunder and Electricity have the deepest influence on Tian Jiaying. After reading the book "Ba Jin's Home", Tian Jiaying wrote: I read "Home", "What is presented to me is the anger of some young people who are struggling to break through this narrow cage and fly to the broad horizon", "So I love Chueh-hui, and he bravely embarked on a bright road" (Huaxi Daily 1937 After the Lugouqiao Incident1. Determined to follow the * * * production party, Tian Jiaying often meets Ceng Yanxiu, Zhao Quartz and He Haoju in Shaocheng Park to go to Yan 'an. When they were followed or suspected by spies, they came to the home of Zhao, the fourth brother of Zhao Shiyan, a revolutionary martyr, atNo. 1 13, Xiyu West Street. Zhao's son, Zhao Quartz, is a classmate and close friend in County No.1 Middle School. It is also a place where progressive young people such as Zhao Quartz get together. Zhao's sister, whose husband Li Shuoxun was killed by the Kuomintang, often lives here with her youngest son and daughter Li. Zhao Juntao's sister, professional revolutionary Zhao Shilan, is also in Chengdu. Zhao Shilan and Zhao Juntao met here, got in touch with each other, and soon fell in love with young, smart, talkative, full of ideals and passion Tian Jiaying. They read Liberation magazine and An Introduction to Leninism published in Yan 'an to Tian Jiaying and told him the truth about the China revolution. When Tian Jiaying expressed his determination to go to Yan 'an to Zhao Shilan, Zhao Shilan and Zhao Juntao jointly wrote to Li Fuchun in Yan 'an and Xia Xuzhi (Mrs. Zhao Shiyan-author's note) of the Wuhan office of the Eighth Route Army in Wang Ruofei, recommending Tian Jiaying to them.
Tian Jiaying was determined to go to Yan 'an to take part in the revolution. His last article "Road" written in Chengdu was published in the second issue of Golden Arrow Monthly, the official publication of Bashu Writers and Artists Association. Tian Jiaying said in the article: "My words seem to come from my heart", "I feel my whole heart is talking", "Yes, I should go. Why should I stay away from my own group? Why should I watch their activities and watch them bleed drop by drop? I'm leaving. For my friends and myself, I should turn my voice into action. It's time for me to hand over everything, and I will hand over my life "... This is his confession of joining the revolution and his farewell to friends in Chengdu!
10, and Zhao quartz embarked on a journey to the north. After passing through Chongqing, Wuhan, Zhengzhou and Xi, I traveled more than 7,000 miles, overcame many difficulties and finally arrived in Yan 'an.