The characters in Xiangxi world in his works are one aspect of China's national character.
Together with Lu Xun's national character, he is a complete national character of China people.
Therefore, Shen and Lu Xun are worthy of being great writers who transformed China.
Shen Congwen is the most fierce scholar in Beijing School. You can refer to "Beijing Scholars: Academic Style" (Gao Feng works, Shanghai Education Press, 2000 edition). When he presided over the literary supplement of Ta Kung Pao, he had a heated argument with Shanghai school and had a discussion with the old man Crescent Moon. His character is not the peace shown in his works, but a man who hates evil and has no room for sand in his eyes. As for his relationship with Xiangxi, it is better to say that Shen Congwen recreated the Xiangxi world. Just like Li Ao's "Up the Mountain, Up the Mountain, Love", when discussing this book, he said that all the women here are unreal. I have combined the advantages of the women I have walked through in my life and shaped the images of these seventeen women. He went on to say that the world in the novel is the world in the author's mind, and it should also be the world in his imagination, so don't treat these seventeen women, even the dead and the living. Through comparison, can we also say that the Xiangxi world written by Shen Congwen is also the Xiangxi world in his mind, not the Xiangxi world in his eyes, and it is a beautiful mind and harmonious social environment that reflects its beautiful scenery and peaceful landscape world. Cheng (the first president of our DS) made an incisive exposition of Shen's world. He said that Xiangxi is not so simple in Shen Congwen's mind, otherwise he (Shen) would not have written so many love tragedies and life tragedies. For example, it is precisely because Xiangxi is so beautiful and quiet that it is uneven, but it is beautiful, beautiful like a fragile vase, which may be broken at any time, facing a broken situation in the chaotic social background at that time, so he had to pick up a pen and write down the once beautiful world for future generations to remember. Xiangxi, the ancient ancestral home of Miao nationality, has been occupied and assimilated by Han rulers for thousands of years, and its living space is shrinking day by day. However, the process of feudalism is slow, and feudalism only rules towns, docks and other Han nationality gathering places. The majority of shanzhai villages are still dominated by patriarchal clan system, and their political and economic structure, ethics and social customs are quite different from those of the mainland society under the feudal dense network. In particular, simple primitive religious beliefs have simplified class relations and inspired the enthusiasm and dedication of the Miao people. Shen Congwen summarized Xiangxi society as: "the simplicity of life emotion, the simplicity of concept and the pastoral environment."
From the perspective of cultural-historical evolution in a broad sense, Shen Congwen pays attention to the historical changes caused by the promotion of urban civilization and reactionary political oppression in the simple and ancient rural society of western Hunan. On the one hand, he used his delicate, beautiful and lyrical pen, with a little fantasy, to shape the beautiful "Border Town" and constantly admired it. At the same time, he also deeply felt the unreality of Border Town and the inevitable destruction and desolation of the castle that marked the excellent tradition. And with the progress of history and the continuous enrichment of writers' social experience, this feeling is getting stronger and stronger. As a result, these magnificent and bright colors were gradually washed away by the "long river" of history, revealing his historical sadness about the gradual erosion of rural civilization: "Beauty is always sad." This is the writer's emotional reaction that he is too enthusiastic about society, too fond of people and too attached to everything in life. This conflict between ideal and reality embodies the opposition between "invariability" and "change".
one
After the erosion of feudalism and capitalism twice, great changes have taken place in Xiangxi society. The villagers in Xiangxi under Shen Congwen's pen stick to the "normality" of the Xiangxi world. The so-called "normality", that is, the "normality" of human nature, refers to the simple and beautiful human nature that has not been infiltrated and distorted by modern civilization. This is a constant cultural factor in western Hunan, which will remain unchanged for thousands of years. It is also the cultural connotation bred by the natural economic lifestyle of farming and navigation in Xiangxi since ancient times. There are many typical examples of "normality" of human nature in Xiangxi world in Shen Congwen's works:
Newlyweds will not avoid doing things that make everyone angry in broad daylight, nor will they be ashamed of being caught, because they think it is very natural to do such things in such fine weather.
In the Yuan Dynasty, it was the cook's understanding. Ten years later, hooligans became big officials. He is still a cook, still so naive, enthusiastic and loyal to his duties, longing to put the military flag in the fortress again.
Idiot loves beautiful women, but doesn't believe in the fact of death, kidnapping doctors for treatment.
The old woman selling pears is in a world where money is not recognized, but she follows an old adage, that is, you get what you pay, and insists on the honesty of charging more money and giving more pears. ...
Some people in the Xiangxi world, like the last knights in the Middle Ages, were not cheered and respected, but laughed at and insulted. They don't seem to be aware of the social changes in western Hunan, or they are aware of it without changing their original intention. With the unique stubbornness of the mountain people, they stick to their own mode of production, lifestyle and emotional expression, and stick to the "normality" in the western Hunan world. This is not a conscious struggle, and "reason" and "will" are not perfect to this extent. They just unconsciously continued the tradition of their ancestors. Their behavior belongs to that era, that region and that specific historical environment.
two
With the transformation of society to modernization, feudalism and urbanization in western Hunan have been advancing in an indisputable and irresistible way under the cover of artillery fire. All the old things belonging to yesterday have been assimilated, replaced and swallowed up, and new life, concepts, culture and customs have been gradually established and consolidated.
In the process of social transformation to modernity, there will inevitably be "changes" that are beneficial to social development and "changes" that hinder social development. As a "countryman", Shen Congwen focused on the latter. He found that the "diseases" carried by modern material civilization had been wrapped in some muddy water and rushed into the countryside, which contributed to the "changes" in the western Hunan world. The "change" here refers to the "change" of human nature, and refers to the vulgar outlook on life that is only practical and profitable caused by the "change" of social history.
Due to the establishment of the new political and economic system, Hunan people have lost their original model of simplicity, frugality, peace and integrity. If the feudal Xiangxi still maintains the super-utilitarian interpersonal relationship formed on the basis of mutual cooperation and blood identity of some small-scale peasant economies, then, after decades of erosion of urban civilization, with the general decline of small-scale peasant economies, "the integrity, simplicity and human beauty of rural society are almost gone." Instead, it is cold money and naked interests.
1937 Shen Congwen returned to his hometown and watched the "normality" of the western Hunan world gradually eroded by "change" and wrote Long River. This is the first time that a writer has written a major theme. Although I didn't finish it, I still felt the writer's deep feelings about the gradual erosion of the "normality" of the western Hunan world from the first volume. Cui Cui's pure affection for his sweetheart in Border Town still appears in Yaoyao in Long River. But officers and squires seem to have lost their former integrity and generosity. They are politically autocratic, economically extortionate and mentally bored, and they are a group of rural souls corroded by modern civilization. The weather-beaten and well-informed old sailor also lost his former stability and self-confidence in the symbolic "new life", inquired about it everywhere and asserted: "Good looks will never last long." The "long river" of history keeps rushing forward, bringing hope and "disease". Although it brings changes, Shen Congwen is concerned about the "disease" that corrodes the rural soul, and it is the "change" of human nature formed by the "change" of social history.
three
As mentioned above, "Chang" is the "Chang" of human nature in the western Hunan world, which refers to the simple and beautiful human nature that has not been infiltrated and distorted by modern civilization. "Change" refers to the change of human nature in the western Hunan world, and refers to the vulgar outlook on life that is only practical and profitable caused by the "change" of social history.
There is a relationship between "invariability" and "change" in Xiangxi world. On the one hand, "change" makes "unchanged" have an idealized form, and the "change" of human nature embodies the "unchanged" of simple and beautiful human nature in the countryside. In Shen Congwen's works, nothing can describe "Chang" in the most idealized form than raising "humanity" to "divinity". "All the calls of life have their solemn significance." Physical desires and emotional needs should be fully affirmed and praised as long as they come from the heart. In After the Rain, The Witch's Love and The Legend of Ahei, young men and women are free to fall in love, without the bondage of feudal ethics and without the interference of their parents and brothers. Love means "grasping your heart and putting it in front of your lover, without money, appearance or pretense, as long as you have a real and passionate song." Even love is everything, and this is the value of life. Mei Jinbao in Mei Jinbao and the Sheep and the young couple in Xiao Jing Yue Xia are both willing to "go where they can only go and never come back" in order to gain eternal love. These are the most idealized "normality" of human nature, that is, "divinity".
On the other hand, "invariability" makes "change" appear morbid in reality, and the "invariability" of pure and beautiful human nature exposes the corroded side of society. For example, Bai Zi had a tryst with prostitutes in Bai Zi Diaojiaolou for several months, laughing and having an affair with a flower dog, and Guisheng secretly loved the boss's daughter in Guisheng. These children who are attached to feudal economic relations are also insensitive to feudal toxins. Their love is not as warm and pure as that of the dragon and Zhu, and it is inevitable to be mixed with impurities. Bai Zi's complacency, Mix's inaction, Guisheng's burning of houses and desertion all show that they are infected with the impotence of civilized people to some extent.
four
The "unchanging" and "changing" of Xiangxi world reflects Shen Congwen's love for the traditional cultural factors of Xiangxi world and his helplessness in the erosion of Xiangxi world. The reason why there is such love and helplessness is inseparable from Shen Congwen's personal growth track and spiritual course.
Intellectually, everyone knows how important "now" is, but emotionally, some people are so attached to the past that they can't help revisiting it over and over again. What makes people feel the most intimate and unforgettable is often not the warm embrace of my mother when I was a child, nor the encouraging eyes of my teacher when I was enlightened-these simple impressions are pleasant, but what is really unforgettable is other complex and strong impressions. As soon as I close my eyes, I always think of my childhood experience first. If you happen to encounter environmental changes at this age, such as from the city to the countryside, the sunset on the hillside, the river, the end of the field, the smoke from the kitchen over the village, and the novel and subtle feelings they bring you, will always be engraved in your mind. Shen Congwen came to the city from the countryside and left a complex and strong impression on him.
Shen Congwen, who grew up in the wild and beautiful land of Xiangxi, went to "know the subtle light, strange colors and movements of John Wan white things in this vast world under the sun" when he was a child, and accepted the feelings and enlightenment of nature. This unique life education has formed his special devotion to all things in nature. Even as an adult, he is still "uneasy about current events, but often stares at the future of life." Shen Congwen always looks at the world with children's eyes, regardless of utilitarian gains and losses, and only pays attention to the beauty of light and color and the pleasure of human senses. Therefore, he saw a world full of joy and vitality forever. His name is "Chang." Although he has also seen the scarred life under the corrosion of urban civilization, he believes that human nature is good and that tomorrow will be better than today.
On the one hand, Shen Congwen saw the beautiful world of Xiangxi in his childhood; On the other hand, in the long process of national development, he also saw the cruel oppression suffered by the Miao people. After the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the bloody slaughter of the central rulers continued. Miao people are kind and enthusiastic, but under such long-term suffering, it is inevitable to form some special psychological habits. According to an expert who studies Miao psychology (if you know an expert, you'd better indicate the name and works of the expert), in Shen Congwen's era, Miao people had a stubborn distrust of political power in the modern sense and even the entire political activities that resulted from it; Although they live in Chu, their bodies are full of fantasy blood, but because they see more bloodshed scenes, they will inevitably be forced into a numbness and indifference, as if they were not used to grief; They live in the backcountry and are protected by nature. While they are immersed in a trance that is integrated with me, their rational analysis ability is bound to be much weaker. For many years, they have been called "Man Zi" and gradually got used to their special status. Although this has planted some unconscious feelings of tolerance and inferiority in the hearts of many Miao people, it also often causes stubborn resistance from the other side. ...
When Shen Congwen was a child, he saw the beauty and humiliation of the western Hunan world. What kind of experience did Shen Congwen have as an adult? From Xiangxi to Peiping, Shen Congwen crossed a huge historical space. Just when Shen Congwen looked back and looked down with a nostalgic preference, he found an invisible but powerful hand tearing at his idol, so he was saddened and helpless. History is ruthless, and its progress needs to pay a huge price; What is reasonable and beautiful in tradition is or will be irretrievably lost under the step-by-step advance of feudalism. This historical retrogression made Shen Congwen deeply feel that the world has changed and everything has to change. "Good things never last" and "Good things always make people sad". Therefore, "an example of a work is saturated with a kind of local lyric poetry.
A helpless writer, in the face of irreversible changes, can't help showing his regret, his melancholy and his attachment, so he lamented: "Like a star, like a rainbow, it disappeared in a blink of an eye. What remains in the hearts of future generations is a symbol of light. "
In the past, there were two kinds of criticisms of Shen Congwen's articles describing the western Hunan world: one was that his novels lacked content and were considered as "empty writers"; Another judge that his description of Xiangxi society was untrue and distorted the truth of rural life in Xiangxi at that time. In fact, both of these criticisms made the same mistake, that is, they failed to see what kind of writer Shen Congwen was and ignored his unique creative starting point. If he has no intention of describing specific social movements, he can't be judged as "empty" just because he can't see such descriptions from his works; As long as the scope of a writer's subject matter is not strictly limited, it should be admitted that in the writer's pen, ethereal emotions also have undeniable value. Similarly, if Shen Congwen is not describing the real Xiangxi society in the 1930s, but trying to reproduce the "normality" in his mind about the past Xiangxi world, how can he be blamed for the distortion caused by his reference to Xiangxi reality? That true standard doesn't agree with his novel. I list these two criticisms here just to show that even if I evaluate a writer with a critical attitude-I think this is understandable, I should also maintain respect for that writer, at least I should know what kind of writer he is first.
Shen Congwen is really a complicated writer. Most of his pen and ink are still used to render the simplicity and beauty of Xiangxi people, but he also has many chapters, all of which criticize the hidden dangers and ulcers of Xiangxi society explicitly or implicitly. They are often in such sharp contrast with those beautiful pastoral pictures that it is almost impossible to know which one represents Shen Congwen's sincerity. He fell into a deep contradiction between behavior and emotion. No matter how he criticizes the "change" of the western Hunan world, praises the "unchanged" of the western Hunan world, and even leads to a kind of doubt and negative judgment on the whole modern civilization, he is actually a rebel of the western Hunan society. He came to Peiping from a thousand miles away in western Hunan. Since then, although he has been running around, he has always been comfortable with urban life. As a writer, Shen Congwen will always be a resident of a noisy city, not a hermit by the Yuanshui River.
People are always contradictory. Shen Congwen's contradiction is inevitable. In a sense, his yearning for the "normality" of the western Hunan world was caused by his contact with the cultural life of Peiping. When he decided to express his feelings in the form of modern novels, it was doomed that he would fall into the contradiction between behavior and emotion.
The "changelessness" and "change" of Xiangxi world are closely related to Shen Congwen's growth track and spiritual course, and the "change" of external society is also an important factor in its formation. Although Xiangxi people have lived abroad for a long time, the drastic changes in the whole society still have a profound impact on the personnel arrangements in Xiangxi, such as the Ganjia riots and the reform of the country. As small as feelings for children, personal grievances, etc. These have left a deep or shallow mark on the memory of Xiangxi people. Under the accumulation of the past and reality, and under the mutual watch of the ancients and newcomers, Xiangxi people made a rational review of the development history of the whole nation and even all mankind in Xiangxi. The continuous civil war before and after the Anti-Japanese War in 1930s, as well as the reactionary dark rule of the Kuomintang over the Miao and Han nationalities, eroded the Xiangxi world, where the natural economy has been running since ancient times, and gradually eroded the simple and beautiful human nature by the vulgar outlook on life that is pragmatic and profitable, thus forming its own historical view of "unchanging" and "changing". Filled with strong Xiangxi customs. This is the direct cause of "unchanged" and "changed".
Among them, there are inherent philosophical factors. Marx once said: "The development of history is always strikingly similar." From the experience of Xiangxi people, in this river that flows day and night, the stones and sand, rotten vegetation and broken boards on the water seem to be the same as now ... a hundred years ago and a hundred years later. "refers to the replicability of human history, which is jointly promoted by human inertia and inertia of being content with the status quo. Therefore, this "river" has precipitated "the joys and sorrows of several human beings for many years." However, compared with "stories written in words" ... another group of people killing each other in this land of another era ",it is easier to" take us back to the past four or five thousand years. " The paddle sound of river boats beating on the water surface, the echo of oil hammers colliding with oil presses in the oil mill, accompanied by ancient long and sad boat songs and the sound of horns, and the heavy sound of horns, water trucks fly around. In essence, "history is one-off, once it has passed, it will never reappear." "Chang" is only a historical representation, an emotional logic about history, and a self-comfort of Xiangxi people who are content with reality. Change is the true meaning of history. "Change" is a universal law of nature, which refers to the uninterrupted struggle between the opposing sides of spear and shield inside things, making the nature, form or situation of things different from before. However, due to the unique historical situation of the ethnic minorities in western Hunan (that is, the rulers of the Han Dynasty all called them barbarians and suppressed them by force), "change" is permeated with a strong sadness: it is linked with the "change" of the whole society. They have no choice but to refuse, for example, in the face of the assimilation and conquest of the central dynasties, they have to fight against trapped animals for their own livelihood. Almost every dynasty has such bloody records. The ever-changing community is like a huge stone mill, which crushes many people's souls, such as political chameleons, swallowing crow slices, playing with women's feet, and some even gambling with decadent body and mind ... "Change" is the historical crux that has always plagued Xiangxi people.
It is the combination of the writer's own factors (Shen Congwen's personal growth track and mental journey) and the external world factors (the social and historical "change" encountered by the Xiangxi world) that makes Shen Congwen's perspective pay attention to the conflict between the "unchanging" and "changing" of human nature in the Xiangxi world, and become a classic in the history of literature, which constantly affects the thinking and exploration of literary scholars.
Shen Congwen said: "I am a countryman. Wherever I go, I always carry a ruler and a steelyard, which is always out of tune with the general society. " Inappropriate and too serious and persistent, it embodies Shen Congwen's unique life temperament. Yesterday's Xiangxi, the beautiful and barbaric world, has gone away like a touching legend, leaving only the soul of the countryside still fighting for the trapped animals and the corroded rural society.