Yang Shuo's prose, especially in his later period, is exquisitely structured, implicit and concise, and has a poetic mood. This is not only because
His feelings are pure and rich, and he is born to write prose; It is also inseparable from his efforts to inherit the tradition of China's poetry and prose. Of course, sometimes his writing is a bit artificial, which can only be regarded as a few grains of sand entrained in a clear spring.
Yang Shuo is a man who pursues perfection all his life. His best essays are not only beautiful in artistic conception, but also beautiful in characters, such as the beekeeper in litchi honey and the vivid female "Dan Qing expert" in La Traviata. In recent years, some critics criticized Yang Shuo's prose style as "monotonous". I don't think we can understand Yang Shuo's prose without pursuing perfection and idealism. Yang Shuo's prose, condensed, may have monotonous shortcomings. But the beauty of pure idealism is also lovely and respectable.
Yang Shuo has been a bachelor all his life. He treats people warmly, but his personal life is simple. For a long time, only a young civil servant took care of his life. Why didn't he get married? Become a mystery in the circle of literati. Ding Ning, a female writer, revealed a secret in her prose. In his early years, he lived in True Love, but he still misses her in middle age. Unfortunately, this woman died prematurely. In the early 1950s, Yang Shuo was introduced to lovers by enthusiastic people, including actors and literary editors. There are many charming girls. It is said that Shuo Yang dozed off in love, which is a bit strange. In fact, judging from Yang Shuo's prose, he is a very emotional person. He wrote some beautiful Chinese and foreign women with gentle and affectionate pen and ink, and some met briefly and became friends instantly. Why doesn't he get married for life? I think this is inseparable from his lifelong pursuit of perfection.
Unfortunately, Yang Shuo died young, in turbulent times. If he dies, I believe he will become a great prose writer. But in my heart, the writer Yang Shuo is still alive, like a clear spring. I hope readers love him.
Xu Chi-Dance of the Wind
I seem to see the dance of the wind, and the dance is chic and elegant. I think only this image can symbolize Xu Chi, a romantic poet, writer and his writing style.
Xu Chi was born in a water town in the south of the Yangtze River and learned English very early. He has translated and published the novel Parma Monastery by Stendhal, a great French romantic writer (the old translation of the secret history of Parma Palace), and cooperated with Yuan Shuipai to translate ehrenburg's novel The Fall of Paris. Before the founding of New China, he was not only a poet, but also a famous translator.
After the founding of New China, he worked as an overseas reporter in the early days, took over the editing of Poetry Magazine in the middle and late 1950s, and wrote full-time and professionally in the 1960s. He traveled to many places in the east, west, north and south of the motherland, visited important factories and mining bases, and set foot in steel, oil, hydropower and water conservancy. Places of interest, lingering. His most influential works are prose, travel notes and reportage, surpassing his poems. His prose is gorgeous and exquisite, with a unique romantic atmosphere and personal style. Even if you look at the titles of these essays, such as The Myth of Fish (writing about the Reservoir), Beauty, Magic and Richness (writing about Yunnan), Jinding of Emei, Dance of Heaven, you know that Xu Chi's personal imprint is engraved on them.
One day in the early 1960s, I went to Wuhan to see him. In People's Literature, he praised a lyric novel "Forward" written by the female writer Zi Han, saying that the novel inspired him and he wanted to write a novel. I asked him for a manuscript at once. But what he wrote, he did not disclose in detail, only that it was about intellectuals. At that time, there happened to be a symposium on drama creation in Guangzhou, and the atmosphere in the literary and art circles was relatively relaxed. Soon, he published "Under the Qilian Mountains" (the first part), which was quickly published in the headline of a certain issue of People's Literature 1962. This is an artist's work, featuring Shang Dawei (based on the experience and deeds of Chang Shuhong, director of Dunhuang Art Institute and painter). This article is unusual. From the beginning, I wrote about the art salon in Paris. All kinds of artists and schools of art are dazzling, showing the author's rich knowledge and profound insight, just like a "Paris expert" or an expert in painting art; Then I wrote about the romantic relationship between Shanda and a French girl: returning home after graduation and walking hand in hand; Then there is the legendary story of Shangda taking a French girl to Dunhuang; Then the girl escaped, and Shangda stayed in Dunhuang and started his brilliant artistic career ... The next chapter is interspersed with the story of engineer Sun Jianchu, who is one of the discoverers and founders of Yumen Oil Mine. It was rare at that time to write the works of intellectuals, especially artists, with exotic and romantic colors. The publication of this work actually caused a sensation. It's just that people don't make big things public, but tell each other privately, calling it "refreshing" or even "empty footsteps" of course has different views. After all, it is dominated by intellectuals. At that time, few critics wrote articles in newspapers and periodicals to recommend and publicize them.
After People's Literature was published in a prominent position, Xu Chi felt encouraged and started his next "romantic" creative journey. He plans to write a biography of Chen Bohua, a famous actress in China's plays, and a biography of Zheng Zhenduo, a writer, entitled Peony. On the eve of the Cultural Revolution, Peony was sent to the editorial department of the publication. As the string of class struggle becomes more and more tense, the atmosphere in the literary and art circles becomes more and more tense. The editor-in-chief no longer dares to make up his mind to publish a work involving the life of a traditional opera actress in the old society, including the occupation of "hiding beautiful houses". Xu Chi hit the wall and came back.
He was marginalized in the "Cultural Revolution" and could not create. However, the elegant and chic Xu Chi never lost heart, and began to study China's Dream of Red Mansions and Russian Tolstoy from the perspective of creation, and wrote hundreds of thousands of manuscripts. Followers of the Gang of Four ordered Xu Chi to retire and receive a pension. Xu Chi a wry smile, the writer is a tireless worker, how can you retire?