Throughout the history of China's classical literature, poetry and prose, like the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, cross the history of prose development. In fact, the development history of prose is also a history of constant change, differentiation and evolution. We can see that every creative peak or theoretical research climax is accompanied by the renewal of creative themes, creative techniques, creative styles, creative theories and creative concepts. Therefore, we should not only examine the static existence of prose in a certain historical environment, but also examine its dynamic formation and change in a certain period. Every division of it can be regarded as the expansion of the field it refers to, and every change can be regarded as a supplement to the past prose creation and theory. In this way, we can break through the research habit of defining the category of prose once and for all, enrich its text and theory in the process of continuous development, and finally form a flexible and good development trend, which not only provides us with many useful inspirations, but also leaves some questions that still need to be asked.
The development of essays in the 20th century, such as essays, in which "what people say, what people can't say and who dare not say" [1] is true, true and interesting. The rise and prosperity of essays are obviously related to English essays, that is, the development of essays in China is not only due to China's long history, but also due to foreign literature. 19 18 years, Hu Shi mentioned for the first time in the article "On the Literary Revolution of Construction" that there are many foreign prose styles worth learning, and there are many "genres that China never dreamed of" [2]. Since then, Fu Sinian put forward the concept of "prose" for the first time, and introduced the English prose guide to the China prose circle. In How to Make a Style of Vernacular Chinese, he put forward that prose is "limited to miscellaneous styles, and only English prose is first-class" [3]. However, these words did not attract people's attention. It was not until June 192 1 Zhou Zuoren specially introduced and advocated the publication of "Beautiful Essays" that it attracted the attention of prose writers. He clearly pointed out that "there is a so-called thesis in foreign literature, which can be roughly divided into two categories." First, criticism is academic, and second, it is narrative and artistic, which is called beautiful writing. Here, narrative and lyric can be separated, but there are also many mixtures. This kind of American writing seems to be the most developed among people in English-speaking countries, such as Addison, Lamb, Owen and Hawthorne, which are very famous in China. Recently, Gao Siwei, Ji Xin and chesterton are also good writers of American writing "[4]. Zhou Zuoren's introduction has opened the door to a treasure house of exotic prose and provided a new frame of reference for new literature writers who explore the creation of modern prose style. Since then, there has been an upsurge in the translation and introduction of French and Western prose in China. As some literary historians have said, "The translations of German Nietzsche, English essayist, Turgenev, Baudelaire, Tagore and Wilde were scattered in a large number of newspapers and magazines at that time. At that time, famous prose writers were familiar with foreign languages and could read and ponder foreign prose treasures directly without translation. In the translation and introduction of British and American essays, Japanese sketches, German aphorisms, Russian, French, German, Spanish and Indian essays and prose poems, modern China writers have enriched the artistic techniques of prose and improved their ability to express their lives. The introduction of foreign prose has effectively promoted the growth of China's modern prose "[5]. Indeed, there are obvious traces of western prose in the works of many writers in China's modern prose history.
1928, Zhu Ziqing wrote "On Modern China", pointing out that even Zhou Zuoren, who believed that modern prose originated from prose in the Ming Dynasty, was obviously influenced by foreign countries. "And the rest of the writers, sometimes more foreign influence, like Mr. Lu Xun and Mr. Xu Zhimo" [22]. Yu Dafu also said later: "The influence of English prose is a deep-rooted potential force in our intellectual class that will not be eliminated in another ten or twenty years." Like the late prose writer Mr. Liang Yuchun, some people call it Elijah of China. It is at this end that we can also imagine the great and profound influence of English prose on us [6]. On the other hand, foreign prose theory has also played an important role in the development of China's modern prose. Following Zhou Zuoren, Wang Tongzhao wrote the classification of prose and introduced the characteristics and functions of English prose according to the exposition of prose in Hande's monograph "An Introduction to Literature". Hu's Whispering Prose not only discusses the important features of Whispering Prose, but also summarizes the inheritance and transformation of this style since Montaigne and Bacon. Such a lengthy summary of the history of English prose is Mao Rusheng's Evolution and Art of English Prose in the 1930s. The most influential theoretical translation is the book Out of the Ivory Tower by Masaaki Shirakawa, a Japanese literary critic translated by Lu Xun. Among them, Essays and Essays and News Magazine introduce chapters of western prose, which have become classic expositions often cited by China prose writers and prose theorists. These articles have played an important role in the development of China's modern prose. Signal 1: Do you feel that your present job is boring?
Sally didn't love her finance major very much when she was studying in college, but she joined a foreign bank when she graduated without a chance to change careers. "I always feel uneasy about my work. I feel that my present job is meaningless. I fantasize that I can be a reporter, a host and a lawyer one day, instead of facing money that doesn't belong to me all day. In recent years, I have reported to the correspondence course of journalism major of Beijing Broadcasting Institute, and I have also reviewed for a period of time to get a lawyer qualification certificate. "
In fact, Sally's foreign investment bank has a good environment and is an ideal career with high income in the eyes of many people. When many masters and doctors are competing for the position of a foreign bank, now Sally feels it is really necessary to recharge her batteries. "I'm going to apply for a master's degree in international finance. My boss is very supportive of this. After all, it is my major. Now that I have decided to continue in this line of work, I can't fall behind. Doing it in a down-to-earth manner should not be wrong. "
Expert opinion: In today's competitive workplace life environment, it is difficult to "love and do". What we can do is to "love one line and do another" and try our best to achieve the harmony and unity of making a living and living. Otherwise, we will delay our life. If you want to continue in this industry, charging is the only feasible way, otherwise it means you will "depreciate".
Signal 2: Are you in the "stagnation" period of your career?
Tracy is the sales manager of a famous clothing brand, who has been in charge of the business in the northern region for 3 years. This enviable position in the eyes of others made her decide to resign overnight. "I feel that my career is facing unprecedented stagnation, always doing what I have done before, repeating more than innovating, and it is difficult for me to make greater achievements in the company in my current position."
Retract your fists and accumulate more strength, waiting for the next attack. Tracy explained why she resigned. After graduating from graduate school, she gave up generous treatment and a good career foundation, which puzzled many people around her. But she said that after working in her job for several years, she has always been a brave fighter, and now it is time to stop and adjust herself. "I have decided to go to France to continue my major in fashion design. I'm not worried about my future job. It is because of this confidence that I chose to resign. "
Expert opinion: People will have a so-called "stagnation" period at some stage of their career. Once this happens, it is a signal that you need to recharge. It is important to correct your own mentality, establish the concept of "no career stability, only skills stability and renewal", and turn the career process into an endless process of learning and improvement.
Signal 3: Did you suddenly find a UFO at work?
Xiao Mo, who has worked in the IT industry for nearly five years, said frankly: "The system of finding a job once and for all has become history, and I have been in a race with the latest scientific and technological knowledge. In the information age, knowledge is expanding, and the information just mastered may be out of date in two days. If you don't update your knowledge in time, you will be easily eliminated. " This kind of "UFO" that often appears at work makes Xiao Mo very nervous. Sometimes she doesn't want her colleagues and boss to see her embarrassment and loss. She had to spend a lot of energy to cover it up, but the effect was not ideal.
"At first, I thought it was just me making a fuss. Later, the situation became more and more serious. I gradually had a great psychological burden and even went to see a psychiatrist. Finally, I was inspired by the words of a senior. He said,' There are only two kinds of people in the future workplace: one is extremely busy because of work and study; The other is people who can't find a job. I don't want to be the latter person. "
Xiao Mo attended several IT industry trainings organized by American experts at his own expense. Although the cost is high, he can learn with peace of mind, and the "UFOs" he used to go to are gone.
Expert opinion: "On-the-job charge" is a good way to prevent "talent devaluation". If you want to "not depreciate", you need to constantly "charge". Learning is endless, so we should establish the concept of lifelong learning. As people often say: you can never rest, otherwise, you will rest forever.
The Influence of Western Prose on China Literature (2)
Signal 4: Is your career path too smooth?
Anfei is the chief financial officer of a trading company, in charge of all the accounting work of the company, and can also be regarded as the man in charge of the whole company's purse. It has been eight years since I graduated from college. Although I don't have the certificate of "certified public accountant", I can work, but I have to go through thick and thin.
"Because I feel that I am fully qualified for this job, the leaders value me more. To tell the truth, it's not easy to find a job, and it's even harder to' stand on your feet'. I don't need to delay my daily work to get a certificate. In that case, the boss will have an opinion of me, too. Many of my classmates continue to take various certificates and attend various classes after work, hoping to' jump ship' to a bigger company and even take time off to study. Therefore, their work performance is affected and they get treatment that does not match their abilities. "
Expert opinion: Maybe Anfei's words are true at present, but if they are analyzed in the context of the era of knowledge economy, they are untenable. How does a "single talent" make itself a "compound talent"? It is the key to implement skill reserve and maintain and increase value. "More skills don't overwhelm people", and "charging" and "dedication" should not conflict. "Charging" is for better "dedication", which should be a vigilant side for professional women.
Signal 5: Are you ready to change jobs in the future?
After graduating from Foreign Languages Institute, Michelle worked as a secretary for a British chief representative for two years in an international shipping company. During this period, she contacted some large enterprise consulting institutions at home and abroad. When they made the overall strategic planning of China market for Michelle's foreign company, Michelle gradually began to realize the infinite prospect of consulting industry, which made her consciously collect information and materials in this field and make plans for her future.
"My major is English. Today, I don't seem to have any special skills except speaking English normally like a foreigner. So, after working in this shipping company for two years, I finally applied for an MBA from Columbia University. I want to work in a multinational consulting company after finishing my studies, and provide all-round solutions for business operators. Of course, there is a price. The only way to jump from traditional industries to emerging sunrise industries is to charge. " Export-oriented talents who know the rules of international business are favored. Therefore, charging in time to increase the capital of career struggle must be closely linked with your career planning, so as to apply what you have learned.
Western essayists are mostly humanists, and their works certainly affirm and praise people. For example, Montaigne holds a split view on "people". He believes that people should know themselves clearly, and his life's work is to conduct a calm study of human nature. First of all, he attaches importance to "people" and people's lives. He said: "The best and most reasonable thing in the world is to be kind and fair to others. The most difficult science in the world is to know how to enjoy this life and how to adapt to nature. " Of all our shortcomings, the most serious is to despise our own lives. "Montaigne's ideological nourishment, writing characteristics and writing style. Ideological nourishment comes from classic writers, whose writing characteristics are arbitrary and their writing style is simple and lively. Classical writers refer to ancient Greek and Roman writers, and Montaigne grew up drinking the milk of classical culture. He posted 57 aphorisms on the pillars of his study, of which 25 were from Greek and 32 from Latin. His writing is characterized by being very casual. " When writing, I usually have no plan. With the first word, the second word comes. I trust paper as much as I trust the first person I meet. "His prose is simple and lively, regardless of length. He said: "I like that simple language, whether it's writing or speaking." It should be rich, lively, concise and powerful, not exquisite and unpretentious. "It should be said that the influence and contribution of Montaigne essays. It has created a new style of modern prose and exerted a far-reaching influence on prose all over the world. Its reputation can be compared with Petrarch, Boccaccio, Shakespeare and Cervantes. Prose did not come from Montaigne, but existed in ancient Greece. Montaigne inherited it and gradually formed his own style-essays on the basis of Greek prose. Its most striking feature lies not in the theme, length and conclusion of the article, but in the process of thinking only by the author. Montaigne named his collection Essays, which is rare in the fashion world. The French word "essay" means "try" and "experiment". From this perspective, Montaigne is the founder of a new literary genre. Since Montaigne, there have been thousands of imitations, so Montaigne's creation has world influence. This influence naturally spread to China and played an important role in the development of China's prose. For example, Zhou Zuoren's thoughts are very complicated. During the May 4th Movement, he had the dual personality of "traitor" and "hermit" (detached from reality), but he was also a master of modern prose, and his historical position in this respect should be fully affirmed. He introduced the concept of "beautiful writing" from the west very early, and advocated "expressing ambition" prose to express his personal feelings. Therefore, the artistic feature of his sketches is to chat more, learn from the styles of Ming sketches and foreign sketches, and form a natural and meaningful style, or summarize it with the word "leisure". After reading his works, such as Drinking Tea, Wu Pengchuan and Wild Vegetables in Hometown, the astringency and simplicity that people can chew are obviously influenced by Montaigne. Of course, so do other essayists, such as Yu Pingbo and Feng Wenbing.
The Influence of Western Prose on China Literature (Ⅲ)
Therefore, the influence of prose since the May 4th Movement lies in the content first, that is, the prose of this period, which involves natural things, people of all colors, ancient and modern Chinese and foreign countries, and political affairs ... It can be said to be all-encompassing and ubiquitous. You can write domestic and international and social contradictions and struggles, economic construction, literary debates, ethics, literary essays, reading notes and diaries; It can be local customs, travel notes, essays, knowledge notes and literary anecdotes; It can talk about everything, or it can be lyrical and interesting. Zhi Tao can inspire people with thoughts, beautiful feelings and sentiments, broaden their horizons, enrich their knowledge and make them relaxed and happy, so he can be chosen as the subject of prose. These essays transcend the vast space and time, feel life, express themselves alone, praise the world, express their feelings for mountains and rivers, yearn for harmony, pursue perfection and so on. The unique personality, frank feelings and colorful inner world of the Ming and Qing literati in these exquisite sketches; Secondly, in terms of thought, because prose is mostly the product of true feelings, those excellent chapters have sparks of thought, which shows the author's profound understanding and incisive views on the times and life. It requires a particularly keen mind. Even lyric prose needs not only sharpness, but also particularly sharp ideas. This is also the realm that prose and lyric prose should pursue. Almost all the sensational works contain bright ideas and solid ideas. There is a flashing ideological focus that jumps over the eternal flame of thought, so prose writing requires short and pithy, seeing the big from the small and hitting the point; Thirdly, formally, under the influence of English prose, the May 4th prose is more free, lively and flexible than other literary genres. Lu Xun pointed out in How to Write: "In fact, the genre of prose can be arbitrary." Bing Xin said in "On Prose": "Prose is relatively free". Of course, the words "casual" and "casual" here are not careless. Free and flexible prose writing is "a carefully carved article with the appearance of random graffiti." (Beichuan Shirakawa: "Out of the Ivory Tower") The characteristics of free and flexible prose writing, in writing, first refers to flexible expression, not limited to a certain expression. Therefore, prose writing can remember people, describe things, describe scenes, express feelings, make sense, shout, roar, attack, praise, humor, irony, sing loudly, sing softly, ramble, laugh and curse, and explain things with witty remarks … all kinds. Secondly, writers can freely and flexibly choose various genres to write, such as inscriptions, sketches, travel notes, letters, diaries, prefaces and postscripts, random thoughts, essays, memoirs, feelings after reading, etc. Anyone can choose, which varies from person to person. Fourthly, most of the essays in this period are natural and agile, clear-cut, fresh and lively, which shows the author's boldness and openness. The forms of articles are flexible, there is no fixed system and norms, and the number of words can be more or less, ranging from a few hundred to more than 40 words. In the way of expression, it uses scenery, narration, lyricism and discussion at the same time, which is wonderful in making the best use of things, so it often makes the iron pen interesting and wonderful. Essays are both open and acceptable, can be unconstrained and unconstrained, and can also be refined; He is not only good at dispersing wrong sentences, but also good at arranging complete sentences. Generally speaking, he writes functional sentences and paints whole sentences. In addition, the agility of language also means that words have a sense of rhythm and jumping, ups and downs, and are full of fun.
In a word, influenced by English essays, China's essays during the May 4th Movement, especially essays, are natural in nature and rarely described with gorgeous descriptions. Most of them are embellished with prose poems, but they are full of interest, expressing their own spirit, not sticking to one pattern, refusing to write, and sometimes their feelings and scenes will be full of thousands of words in an instant, which is amazing. The true feelings are revealed under the blending of scenes, and the article is natural and smart, which is easy to reach the artistic realm of ethereal and mellow, and is a true and vivid portrayal of the literati's mentality. These sketches are famous for being lofty, indifferent, scattered and charming, but they also reflect individuals and those impetuous, uneasy, wild, depressed, confused, anxious and painful emotions. One mountain, one valley, one pavilion and one garden are full of fun and lingering, which is also the key to the future development of China's prose. It shows strong personality and pursuit, spirit and true feelings, and is full of feelings of life, which, to a certain extent, impacts and denies traditional morality and lifestyle, thus opening up the territory of literary prose expression.