Chapter 6 five

There is nothing but artificial nobility in this street; but worldly eyes love Nestle haircuts.I forgot to eat at the restaurant and am not hungry at the moment.Staggering drunkenly, he suddenly remembered that the continuation draft in his pocket had not yet been delivered. I often take the third-class tram. A thin man in a Tang suit sat next to me.This person is as thin as a bamboo pole; but his voice is extremely loud, and when he speaks, he sprays saliva everywhere.The conductor grinned, revealing a row of shining golden teeth, and listened intently to his description of Yao Zhuoran's footwork.

(I should have a collection of my short stories, I think. Short stories are not commodities, so no one will copy them. I should have a collection of my short stories.) Walk into the newspaper office and place the continuation on the conveying table.It's getting late at night, and it's time for the communication to rest. Den den den, that Mai Hemen who made up Hong Kong Wen Er ran down the wooden ladder with a torrential pace.As soon as he saw me, he proposed to drink at Queen's Road Diamond.I'm an alcoholic and he knows it.I cannot refuse his invitation.The diamond's marinade is excellent, and it is an irresistible temptation for drinkers.After sitting down, he took out a short story from his briefcase and asked me to take it home, read it carefully, and then give him some criticism.I said: I am a writer of popular novels, and I am not qualified to appreciate other people's literary and artistic works, let alone criticize them.He smiled, and after handing over the work to me, he asked some questions about literature and art as usual:

Since the May Fourth Movement, as a department of literature, what achievements has the novel made? Why talk about this kind of problem?Better drink some wine and talk about women. What do you think of "Midnight"? "Midnight" may be passed on, but Lu Xun said in a letter to Wu Bo: There is no better long work now. What about Ba Jin's "Torrent"? This kind of question is very nerve-wracking, let's talk about women. In your opinion, since the May Fourth Movement, have we produced any works that are more outstanding than "Midnight" and "Torrent"?

Have a drink, drink a drink. No, I must tell you. In terms of my personal taste, I prefer Li Jieren's "Dead Water", "Before the Storm", "Big Wave" and Duanmu Hongliang's "Korqin Banner Grassland". Mehman then raised his glass and wished me health.I'm a drinker, and Mehman calls me an escapist.I admit to loathing ugly reality; but once again Mahomet has asked me to speak of the short stories of the New Literary Movement.I don't want to talk about this kind of issue. After drinking two glasses of wine, I actually said a lot of drunken things.

Mehman is a good young man who loves literature.When I say hobbies, I am naturally different from those who specialize in reading Sihao novels.He decided to accept literature as drudgery, willing to pay the price of toil without expecting anything in return.He is very pure, and his family background is not bad. There is only one reason for joining the newspaper as an assistant editor: to gain more social experience.He knows I like to drink, so he often buys me a drink.A few days ago, after reading a few books on how to make short stories, I wanted to talk to me about this topic, and invited me to Lanxiang Pavilion for a few drinks.He said Maupassant, Chekhov, O.I have read most of the short stories by Henry, Maugham, Balzac, etc., and I want to talk about our own.I don't want to talk, just toast and drink.Now, seeing that I was a little drunk, Mehman restrained me from drinking any more and forced me to answer his questions.I was reluctant to discuss this issue, but I became more emboldened after drinking.

Over the decades, the harvest of short stories has not been rich, but it has not been completely unrepresented.However, because there are too few far-sighted publishers; because readers don't encourage authors much;Needless to say, those works that were once published in magazines but did not form a single volume, that is, works that were lucky enough to win the favor of publishers, often went out of print after only one or two thousand copies were printed.Readers' lack of encouragement to authors not only prevents great works from being produced; it also prevents some relatively excellent works from being circulated or preserved.Because of this, the younger generation of Chinese writers, seeing Lin Yutang, Li Jinyang and others being recognized by the Western reading circles, practiced foreign characters hard, pinning their hopes on foreigners.In fact, it is an undoubted fact that foreigners cannot understand China.In their impression, Chinese men must have braids and Chinese women must have their feet bound, so their appreciation of Chinese short stories is limited to a few words and two beats.There was once a French book critic who read "The True Story of Ah Q" and said it was a sketch of a character.Such criticism is of course unfair, but what can be done?How can a person who knows nothing about the Chinese social system and the background of the times fully appreciate the benefits of this novel?However, there is one thing we have to admit: most of the short stories created since the May Fourth Movement are not strictly short stories.Especially in Mao Dun's short stories, many of them are condensed medium-length or long-length outlines.His "Spring Silkworm" and "Autumn Harvest" are well written, and together with "Long Winter", they form a collection with a style similar to that of J.Steinbeck's "Little Red Pony" is somewhat similar.As for Ba Jin, who has written many novels, he has also written many short stories.But among these short stories, only "The General" is worth mentioning.The situation of Lao She is similar to that of Ba Jin. His short stories are far inferior to "Camel Xiangzi" and "Four Generations Under One Roof".In my opinion, in the field of short stories, Shen Congwen is the most accomplished, most Chinese style and Chinese style.Shen's "Xiao Xiao", "Dark Night", "Husband" and "Sheng" are all masterpieces.Shen Congwen is one of the very few Chinese novelists who can be called Stylist since the slogan of literary revolution was chanted.When it comes to Style, one cannot but think of Zhang Ailing, Duanmu Hongliang and Lu Fen (Shituo).Zhang Ailing's appearance in the Chinese literary world is like a light appearing in the dark.Her short stories are not strictly short stories, but she has a unique style, a style that combines the style of chapter novels with modern spirit.As for Duanmu Hongliang's appearance, although it was not as sensational as Mu Shiying's, it also surprised many interested readers with his talent revealed in his works.Duanmu's "Distant Wind and Sand" and "The Melancholy of Heron Lake" are both first-rate works.If Duanmu's novels are compared to coffee, Lu Fen's short stories are like a cup of light Longjing.Although Lu Fen's "Valley" won a prize for literature and art, it was not his best work.His best works should be "Limen Shiji" and "Orchard City Tale".I often have this guess: Lu Fen may be a Xiuwu.Anderson's admirers, otherwise, these two books and Hugh Wood.Anderson's Winesburg.Ohio" would never have had a similar style.As far as my personal reading interest is concerned, his "Expectation" should be classified as one of the top ten new literature short stories.I'm so sorry, I've babbled a lot, you must be getting bored, let's have a quick drink!

However, Mehman didn't feel annoyed at my drunken talk.After taking a sip of his wine, he asked me to continue. (That's his courtesy, I suppose.) So I smiled at him, took a swig of whiskey, stuffed a big piece of chicken into my mouth, chewed, and said: Homen, let's talk about something else.Have you watched the "Genius and Beauty" by Lee Stage? have not seen.I heard that there were two short stories during the Anti-Japanese War that won unanimous praise from readers. You mean Yao Xueyin's "Half a Cart of Wheat Straw" and Zhang Tianyi's "Mr. Warwick"!

Yes, it is these two articles.What do you think? "Half a Cart of Straw" was written quite successfully; but "Mr. Warwick" is a bit of a sketch. As far as your reading interest is concerned, how many excellent short stories have we had since the May Fourth Movement? Where do I remember so much?Let's talk about women. Mehman doesn't seem to be very interested in women, and alcohol is also very ordinary.His interest in literature probably surpasses everything else.He made sure I answered his questions.The attitude is firm, and there is dissatisfaction on the face.I had no choice but to answer like this:

As far as I can remember, Shen Congwen's "Life" and "Husband", Lu Fen's "Expectation", Duanmu Hongliang's "Melancholy of Lulu Lake" and "Distant Wind and Sand", Yao Xueyin's "Half a Car of Wheat Straw" "In addition to Lu Xun's "Blessing", Luo Shu's "Born Wife", Tai Jingnong's "Worship", Shu Qun's "Child Without a Motherland", Lao Xiang's "The Story of a Village Child Dropping Out of School", Chen Baichen's "Little Wei" Jiang Shan, Sha Ting's "Murderer", Xiao Jun's "Sheep", Xiao Hong's "March in a Small Town", Mu Shiying's "Foxtrot in Shanghai", Tian Tao's "Desolation", Luo Feng's "The First "Seven Pit" are excellent works.In addition, Jiang Muliang and Fei Ming also have works worthy of discussion.

Mehman took a sip of his wine and asked another question. We are in such a great era, why can't there be a great work like "War and Peace"? I laughed. He wants me to give reasons. In the history of Russia, there is only one Tolstoy.I answer. He still asked me to tell the specific reasons. Unable to withstand his repeated instigation, I gave several reasons: (1) The life of a writer is not stable. (2) The appreciation level of ordinary readers is not high enough. (3) The authorities have no way to protect the rights and interests of writers. (4) The trend of profiteering and piracy continues unabated, making writers reluctant to engage in hard work. (5) There are too few forward-looking publishers. (6) The objective situation lacks encouragement. (7) NO REAL BOOK REVIEWERS. (8) Author fees and royalties are too low.

Mehman took a sip of his wine and asked another question: Cohen said in "History of Western Literature" that drama and poetry have long been united; but is it possible for novels and poetry to be united? There is no shortage of great epics and story poems in the history of literature; and poetic novels abound.I know what you mean, of course you don't mean these. In your opinion: What will the novel of tomorrow be like? The French anti-fiction school seems to have blazed a new path, but that is not the only path.Beckett and Nabugoff will also have some influence on the novelists of tomorrow.In short, time does not stand still; nor can a novelist stay at a certain stage forever. Homen raised the question of realism again, but I had no intention of opening it.I just want to have a few more glasses of wine and have a good dream. Reality is still a cruel thing, I am willing to walk into the world of fantasy.If wine can teach me to forget the blues, why not drink more.Reason is a limp, lost in the thick fog of the mountains, knowing not what to do.Some people can't take advantage of the spring, but throw themselves into the lake of emotion. a cup.two cups. The devil stole the lantern, when the heart room forgot to lock.Where there is silent condensation, wise men dream of tomorrow's smile. a cup.two cups. Homen is still asking questions.He is very young.I wanted to fly far away like a bird, but at first I was swimming in a wine glass. The lamp thief laughed wildly on the apple tree, feeling very happy, as if he had said an obscene word to the girl in the dark. Suddenly remembered Picasso's "Woman in a Rocking Chair". In the future of atoms, high-rise buildings will be built in the center of the earth.Gamma lines are probably more useful than Polaris.War is the most terrible visitor, and the cry of babies is the cry of protest. A similar phenomenon occurs in popular articles, no one wants to know how thin or fat the mind is. Someone said: the plane will fall sooner or later. However, the one who really fell from the sky was the one who had such worries. Use a color pen to draw two wings on your mind, walk into the past, see how Wu Song rejected Pan Jinlian's courtship; see how Lin Daiyu buried her own hope; see how Guan Yu let Cao Cao go in Huarong Road; see how Zhang Junrui's boldness Cross the whitewashed wall; see how Bao Longtu breaks the yang world during the day and manages the yin division at night. One cup, two cups. You can't drink anymore, let me send you back!He said. I am not drunk. One cup, two cups. The floor and hanging lamps switch positions, and a thousand eyes form a pattern on the wall.The psychiatrist said that Stravinsky's fingers were crazy, but he forgot that Li Taibai rode by on Chang'an Avenue.The sun is blue.When Li Taibai is drunk, the sun is blue.When Stravinsky was drunk, the moon lost its roundness. Amidst the laughter, countless gold stars dancing together appeared in front of my eyes.Reason enters the kaleidoscope and immediately sees a blur of color.It is very possible that Tang Sanzang would be fascinated by the charm of the spider while sitting in the silk cave.Anyone who has attained the Tao can hear Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" thousands of years ago. (My mind is also drunk, I think. Why don't you let me have another drink? The street scene in Hong Kong at night is more beautiful than the color photos on postcards. But Hong Kong at night is when the devil is active. Why send me home?) Standing in front of the mirror, I saw a beast.