Six years after Qian Zhongshu's death, Jiang Yang, his wife, writer and translator, began to write The Three of us at the age of 92, remembering the close relatives of a family of three with a calm, long and full of sadness. Writing this book is my daughter Qian Yuan's last wish.
In the book, Jiang Yang wrote that she had a "Wan Li Long Dream": the family got together and stayed together, but lost each other on the "ancient post road" of life, leaving her alone with endless thoughts. It is also true and illusory.
From 65438 to 0935, Qian Zhongshu and Jiang Yang went to Oxford, England to study and gave birth to their daughter Qian Yuan. Qian Zhongshu died in 1998, and Qian Yuan, the daughter of a professor from Beijing Normal University, died of cancer a year ago. Qian Zhongshu's family is indifferent to fame and fortune, neglecting social intercourse, and their feelings for each other are far deeper than ordinary people. In Jiang Yang's pen, this is the "most common" and "unusual encounter". "The three of us, but more than three people. Everyone becomes several people, "Jiang Yang described the intimate relationship between three people in The Three of Us.
Sometimes, Jiang Yang is the "backbone" of the family. Qian Zhongshu often "does bad things": he knocks over the ink bottle, stains the tablecloth of the landlord's house, breaks the desk lamp and damages the door shaft. Jiang Yang said, "Never mind, I'll fix it." He was relieved. Sometimes, Qian Zhongshu decides the important events at home. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Qian Zhongshu was promised a UNESCO post. He immediately declined politely and explained to Jiang Yang, "If you don't eat carrots, you won't be beaten with a big stick!" Sometimes, my daughter Qian Yuan is the oldest. Jiang Yang wrote in the book, "When Qian Yuan grows up, she will take care of me like a sister; Will accompany me, like a sister; Will take care of me, like a mother. " Qian Yuan said, "My father and I are two urchins of my mother. My father is not worthy to be my brother, but only my younger brother. " . Qian Zhongshu and Jiang Yang's works are the same, but their most proud work is their only daughter.
Qian Yuan's pencil sketch is recorded at the back of the book, which shows Qian Zhongshu's mortal face in her daughter's eyes: there is a picture of Qian Zhongshu reading shirtless on a summer night; A painting shows that he is "well dressed and has no teeth"; There is even a picture of him "going to the toilet", but the title is "indoor music", which makes people laugh.
The unpretentious "ordinary feelings" of great scholars especially touched readers. The first edition of The Three of Us published by Beijing Sanlian Publishing House printed 30,000 copies. Only 12 days after listing, bookstores all over the country ran out and had to print another 30 thousand copies. The hardcover edition of the book has been launched in Hongkong and will be released in Taiwan Province Province soon. The editor of Sanlian Publishing House and an old friend of Qian Zhongshu's family said in an interview, "This family is very rare. We are all independent scholars and have made great achievements in the academic field. In addition to their academic ambitions, the three of them are also very consistent in their attitudes and ideals in life. They are sober and have strong self-control, never follow the trend, endure loneliness and bury themselves in their studies. Their human touch is particularly worthy of respect. "
The publication of the new book brought Jiang Yang back into the public eye. But she said that because she was in a hurry to edit Qian Zhongshu's collected works and her daughter's works, she "the most important thing is time, and the biggest problem is too many phone calls." (End)