The Ages of a Myriad of Brilliant Stars (II)

Yu Dafu

    Yu Dafu (1895~1945)，modern writer, original name Yu Wen, was born in Fuyang county of Zhejiang province. When he was seven years old, he was sent to a private school to accept initiative education. Latter he came to study in middle schools of Jiaxing, Hangzhou and so on. As clever and diligent, he made a solid foundation of Chinese classical literature in his youth. In 1911 he began to make the old style poetry, and contribute them to newspaper. In 1912 he entered Zhijiang University as a preparatory student, but later he was dismissed by the school authorities for joining in the student strike. He went abroad to Japan for further studying in 1913 when he widely browsed lots of Chinese and foreign literary and philosophic works. Fully suffered the humiliation and discrimination in Japan, he was stimulated to be patriotic, as well as got sad and indignant to this world. Therefore, he transfers to literature creation from economic research, and in 1921 he participated to initiates the Creation Society and published the earliest vernacular short story collection "To Perish", which vibrated the literary arena by its “astonishing selection and bold description”. In 1922 he was graduated from Tokyo Empire University Ministry of economic affairs. Then he returned to our homeland to compile the quarterly publication "Creation" and "Creation Weekly Report" and so on. Since 1923 he began to teach in Beijing University, Wuchang Normal University etc. After withdrawing from the Creation Society in August, 1927, he began to compile the monthly publication "Flowed rapidly" with Lu Xun, and compiled "Popular literature" as the chief editor in 1928. In 1930 he initiated to establish the Chinese Free Revolution Union and participated in the League of Left-Wing Writers. At the beginning of 1933 he joined the Chinese Civil Rights Safeguard Union. Under the white terror deterrent he migrated to Hangzhou from Shanghai. Wandering about natural sceneries of Zhejiang and Anhui province etc, he wrote many exquisite travel notes.

    Along with the national movement of fighting against Japan surging upward, Yu Dafu’s patriotism was aroused again. He devoted himself to the war against Japan, and participated in the national government military commission political department’s third hall to take the propaganda work of fighting against Japan, and went to the front lines to pay consolation to those injured officers and soldiers in the war, besides, he undertook to be the director of Anti-enemy Association of Chinese National Literary and Art Circles. At the end of 1938 he went to Singapore to be engaged in the publication edition and the Anti-Japanese war. In 1942 he exiled to Sumatra and retired using an alias “Zhao Lian”. Soon, when the local Japanese Constitution Ministry of War forced him to translate for them, he protected and rescued many local people and the overseas Chinese in secret, and learned many secret crimes of the Japanese constitution Ministry of War. Yu Dafu was killed by the Japanese military police in secret after their surrender in 1945. In 1952, the Central People's Government subsequently confirmed him as “the martyr who died for a just cause for the emancipation of the nation”, and constructed a pavilion in his hometown to commemorate him.

    Yu Dafu created many works in his life. Since 1928, Yu Dafu compiled "Dafu works" successively to get them published, after that he also compiled "Dafu Anthology", "Clog Mark Everywhere", " Dafu Diary", " Dafu Travel Notes", "Light Reading", "Yu Dafu Poetry Copies", "Yu Dafu Anthology", as well as " Dafu translation of Short Article Collections" and so on. Yu Dafu's writing style is unique, the achievement is outstanding, especially is famous for his novels and prose which have great influence. Among them, novels "To Perish" " Vitriol Rock selection ", “Immersing in the Spring breeze ", "Trifling gift offered at time of bereavement", "Late Sweet-scented Osmanthus", novelettes "Confusing Sheep", "She Is a Tender Woman" and "Flees" and so on are the most famous. The novel mainly describing those frustrated intellectual youth, and often boldly carrying on the self-betrayal is rich in the romanticism and sentimentalism. His writing style is free and natural, the language is fresh and exquisite, and so his works intensely express a color of subjective feelings. His prose, expressing the feelings straight and displaying the depressed mood of a rich-talent intellectual in a troublous society, are also fresh and beautiful, as well as magnificent and full of charm. The same with his novels, his prose are sincere, warm, bright, as well as merry and lively.

Bing Xin

    Bing Xin (1900-1999) old name Xie Wanying, Fujian Changle person, was born in a naval officer family who was patriotic and agreed with reformation in Fuzhou on October 5, 1900. When she was only 7 months, her family moved to Shanghai. Then they moved to Shandong Yantai when she was 4 years old and lived nearby Yantai's sea for a long time. The sea influenced her personality and opened her mind. Patriotic Father’s aspiration of powerful nation deeply affected her immature mind. In summer dusk, Bing Xin took a walk along with father on the seashore and asked father to talk about Yantai's sea. facing the sunset glow on the sea, her father told the young daughter, there were many attractive harbors on the seacoast of North China, such as Weihaiwei, Dalian, Qingdao. But they were occupied by foreigners, not belong to Chinese. Only Yantai’s sea is ours. Father's speech was deeply engraved on little Bing Xin’s mind.

    In Yantai Bing Xin started to study. In the period of studying in family, she had read famous works of classical Chinese literature, and read "the Romance of the Three Kingdoms", "All Men Are Brothers" when she was 7 years old. At the same time, she also read “Talk collection” published by Commercial Press. It selected many famous critical realism works in 19th century such as "Remaining life by a little Meat" of Dickens, who was renowned writer in England. When reading that pitiful David escaped from brutal boss to his grand aunt and suffered hungry, Bing Xin ate small bread as the dessert, and realized she was so happy.

    After the Revolution of 1911 Bing Xin returns to Fuzhou along with her father and lived in a yard in entrance to Yangqiao Lane of Wanxingtong Stone Shop in south back street. The family of grandfather lived here. There were many couplets on the pillars, which were written down by Bing Xin's uncles. It was Lin Juemin’s house, who was one of seventy two martyrs in Huanghuagang. His family feared to be involved in Lin’s accident, thus sold the house and evaded to the countryside. The man who bought the house was Bing Xin’s grandfather Xie Luan’en. Bing Xin entered into preparatory course of Fuzhou Female Normal School in 1912 and became the first girl officially studying at school.

    In 1913 her father Xie Baozhang was appointed to military director of Naval Department in Beijing National government. Bing Xin moves to Beijing with father and lived in Scissors lane of Hard Lion Alley. She entered in Beiman Female School next year. Then she studied in scientific theory preparatory course of Xiehe Female School in 1918, yearning for a doctor who healed the wounded and rescued the dying. Influenced by “5.4” movement and New Culture Movement, Bing Xin closely connected her destiny with nation's promotion. She was engaged in the trend of times, was elected the secretary of student union in university, and participated in propaganda work in Beijing Female Student Federation. Surged by patriotic student movement, she published the first prose "Feelings of Case in 21" and the first novel "Two Families" on "Morning Newspaper" in August, 1919. She used the pen name “Bing Xin” on the novel at first time. Since directly displayed significant social problems, the work thus quickly evoked great repercussions in the society. Bing Xin said that May fourth Movement of 1919 “shook” her on the literature creation. The question novels such as " She is Sallow Alone", "Leaving from Country", "Worry in Autumn Wind and Rain" reflected feudal family’s trample to humanity, intense conflicts between old and new generations, as well as the pain of the people in warlord war. Meantime, Xiehe Female School was merged into Yanjing University, Bing Xin joined in famous Literature Research Society as a young student. Instructed by “Life Group”, she published the novel "Superman" and the poetry "Stars", "Spring Water" evoked great repercussions in the literature circles, and impelled the creation of new poetry. In 1923 Bing Xin won the scholarship of American Wells Female University by good results. Before studying abroad, she published the dispatch prose "Sending to Junior Readers", which became the foundation work of Chinese child literature. When she was 20 years old, Bing Xin was already very famous in Chinese literature circles.

    On President Jackson Ocean Liner to the US, Bing Xin and Wu Wenzao were acquainted with each other. Bing Xin studied literature degree in research Institute of Wells Female University in Boston; Wu Wenzao studied sociology in Dartmouth Institute. They gradually got a deeper understanding by letters. In the summer of 1925 Bing Xin and Wu Wenzao studied French in Kangnai’er University together. They fell in love in quiet and beautiful campus. In 1926 Bing Xin won doctor of literature degree and returned to china; Wu Wenzao continued to study doctor of sociology in the US Columbia University. After returning back, Bing Xin was appointed the teacher in Yanjing University, Beijing Female Literature and Math Institute and Chinese department of Qinghua University. On June 15, 1929, Bing Xin married to Wu Wenzao in Linhu Xuan in Yanjing University, which Situ Leideng presided

    After married, Bing Xin still carried on her creation ceaselessly. Her works usually praised mother love, child’s heart and nature, reflected careful observation to social inequalities and the life of different social classes, and conveyed a litter satirized with pure and meaningful style. The representative works were novels "Divide" in 1931 and "Winter Girl" in 1933, the outstanding prose "South Return-To give to Mother in heaven" in 1931. In 1932 "the Complete Works of Bing Xin" including three volumes of novel, prose and poetry, which was the first writer's complete work in the history of modern Chinese literature, was published by Beixin Press. In 1936 Bing Xin went to Europe and America with Wu Wenzao for one year, and visited Japan, the US, France, England, Italy, Germany, Soviet Union. In England Bing Xin talked the relation between literature and China with Wu Erfu, who was the vanguard writer of stream-of-consciousness and modernism novel.

    In 1938 Wu Wenzao and Bing Xin left Beijing with children in wartime, and then moved from Shanghai, Hong Kong to Kunming in Yunnan. Bing Xin taught in Chenggong Simple Normal School, experienced hardships of the war with the whole nationality. In 1940 she moved to Chongqing and was appointed senator of government senate. She participated in All-China Literature and Art Circles Resistance against Japan Association soon, was engaged in cultural national salvation, and wrote the influential prose "Sending to Junior Readers again" and "on Woman". After the War of Resistance against Japan, in November, 1946 she went to Japan with Wu Wenzao, her husband and sociologist, and gave speech in Japanese East Society and literature department in Tokyo University, was appointed the first foreign female professor in Tokyo University to teach “modern Chinese literature”. In Japan Bing Xin and Wu Wenzao united overseas Chinese intellectuals in complex conditions and were engaged in patriotic peace activities positively. As a loyal patriotic intellectual, Bing Xin inherited the fine traditions of Chinese intellectuals that everyone has the responsibility to save nation and never stop to pursue light. During the wartime, she had communicated with Zhou Enlai, and published works on the progressive publications at Zhou Enlai’s invitation. Zhou Enlai also invited her to visit Yan’an. Although she didn’t visit as planned, their hearts beat in harmony. In the War of Liberation, Bing Xin refused to join campaign of the representative of “Kuomintang Congress”, and supported the relatives to go to liberated area. After the foundation of People's Republic of China, although she lived in Japan, she still sided with the motherland and supported Wu Wenzao to cast off Kuomintang resolutely.

    Inspired by the very good situation of People's Republic of China, the couple of Wu Wenzao and Bing Xin risked their lives to break through the difficulties, returned to settle down in Beijing in 1951. Premier Zhou Enlai received the couple of Wu Wenzao and Bing Xin kindly, and affirmed and saluted their patriotic feelings. Bing Xin saw the picture of prosperity in China, and was engaged in cultural undertakings and international exchange. She visited India, Burma, Switzerland, Japan, Egypt, Rome, England, Soviet Union, and built ties of friendship with people in the world. She also published massive works to eulogize the motherland and people's new life. She said: “there isn’t winter, we awaken spring.” She worked hard and published many translations. Her prose and novel were collected in "Small Orange Lamp" "Ode to Oriental Cherry" "Gathers up fallen ears of grain Slightly Grips", which all won universal praise.

    Since the Great Cultural Revolution broke out, Bing Xin’s house was confiscated. She was forced to live in “cowshed” and denounced by the rebels under the burning sun. At the beginning of 1970, Bing Xin, who was seventy years old, was transferred to May seventh cadre school in Hubei xianning to be reformed through labor. Bing Xin and Wu Wenzao returned to Beijing to do some translation works assigned by the party and government before American President Nixon visited China in 1971. She put in the concerted effort with Wu Wenzao and Fei Xiaotong to finish the translations of "Outline of Universal history " and "Universal history". Facing to the deviation of economic construction and political life, Bing Xin was puzzled and lost in thought. Although been treated unfairly in the ten years turmoil of “Great Cultural Revolution”, she was calm to uphold the truth. She also paid much attention to the development of our country and the life of the people. She once wrote in "Century Impression" that “my heart is always rock-firm to love my motherland and people in the last 90 years”. The practice proved that Bing Xin could go through thick and thin with our party together.

    After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Communist, our motherland entered a new historical stage. Bing Xin also greeted her second high tide of creation and kept forging ahead. In June, 1980, Bing Xin suffered cerebral thrombus first and bone fracture latter, which forced her to put down the pen. She said that “her life starts from 80 years old”. "Vacant Nest" won National Outstanding Novel Prize. Then she created the excellent works "All the Callings now Rank first ......" and "Buddhist Monk Come from afar". Besides "Sending to Junior Readers for three times", she created four series articles continuously, namely "Writing down My Thought", "My Autobiography", "about Man", "Fuli Miscellany". Great quantity, rich content and unique creation style, all showed that she entered a new stage in the literature creation. The works "My Request", "My Thanks", "Letter for a Reader's" published when she was near ninety, are full of honest and sincere feeling to speak out her innermost thoughts, which showed her deep love to the motherland and people. She contributes ten thousands Yuan for the primary schools in her hometown, National Hope Project, China Rural Women Education and Development Fund and people in disaster areas of Anhui. She responded with full support as Ba Jin proposed to establish Modern Chinese Literature Museum and contributed her massive collections of books, manuscripts, calligraphies and paintings to establish “Bing Xin Library”. As a folk diplomatic ambassador, Bing Xin visited and brought Chinese literature, culture and friendship to the world. She made great contribution to National unification and friendly intercourse with people from all over the world. She is a glory model of patriotic intellectuals. In 1995 "Bing Xin Complete works"(eight volumes) was published by Channel Literature and Art Press. In the same year the publication symposium was convened at the Great Hall of the People. Zhao Puchu, Lei Jieqiong, Fei Xiaotong, Han Suyin, Wang Meng, Xiao Qian, Xie Mian were present. They paid high tribute to the great literature achievements and compassion of Bing Xin.

    Bing Xin is the contemporary with the 20th century. She kept up with the changing situation and persisted in her creation for 75 years. She is the pioneer of New Literature Movement. Her creation demonstrates the great history of modern and contemporary literature from the literature revolution in the May 4^th  to the literature in new stage. She founded “Bing Xin style” and carried on the firm practice for literature modernization. She is one of the earliest writers of child literature in our country and famous writer of modern Chinese novel and prose, poet and translator. Her translated work such as Lebanon Khalil Gibran’s "Prophet" and "Sand and Foam", Indian Tagore’s "Gitanjaei" and "The Gardener", and play collections are all literature translations of fine quality. In 1995 she was conferred Cedar Medal by Republic of Lebanon president. Her works has been translated to various languages and greatly admired by the readers at home and abroad.

    Bing Xin is a renowned government official. Since the foundation of People's Republic of China, she was appointed the second, third session director, secretary of secretariat, consultant of Chinese Writers Association, commissioner and vice-president of the second, third, fourth China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, vice-president of Central Committee of China Association for Promoting Democracy, the first to fifth deputy of the National People's Congress, the fifth to seventh commissioner of the Standing Committee and the eighth and ninth commissioner of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, vice-chairmen of Children's Foundation of China and commissioner of All-China Women's Federation. She was engaged in various activities with great compassion of motherland, people and child. She made great contribution to Chinese literature, the undertakings of women and children, and the system of multi-party cooperation and consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party. The people paid high tribute to Bing Xin that she is an outstanding literature master of the 20th century, loyal patriot, renowned government official, and close friend of the Communist Party. Bing Xin made various achievements and contribution. She devoted herself to child, motherland, people, the whole society and all mankind. Bing Xin’s well-known saying is that “love is everything”. Her words and deeds and woks of million words, showed her faith in motherland, people and the future of all mankind. She deeply loves all outstanding cultural achievements of our nation and all mankind, life, happy things, as well as the appearance and character of rose. She is pure, kind-hearted, resolute, brave and honest, which enable her to enjoy high prestige among the readers at home and abroad. Chinese people are proud of Bing Xin.  

Shen Congwen

    Shen Congwen (1902-1988), old name Shen Yuehuan, was born in Hunan Fenghuang. Since 14 years old he joined in the army and roamed the frontier area in Hunan, Sichuan, and Guizhou. In 1924 he started literature creation. After the War of Resistance against Japan broke out, he taught in Southwest United University and Beijing University in 1946. After the foundation of People's Republic of China, he worked in China History Museum and History Research department in China Social Science Institute and was mainly engaged in research on ancient Chinese clothing. In 1988 he passed away of illness in Beijing. Shen Congwen published thirty novel collections "Gravel Ship", "Congwen collection" and six novels "Border Town", "Long Flow", totally more than 5millon words. Shen Congwen mainly performed and reconsidered the village world with special significances. He thought that “beauty is from life”. Although he lived false, selfish and indifferent metropolis, he was infatuated with actual beauty of human nature. He said man build house on water or earth in the world. It is not me. I only want to build Greek small temple. I would elect a small earth and use hard stones. My ideal construction is Fine, solid, symmetrical, small but not delicate, in which “humanity” is consecrated. (The words was selected from "Preface of Exercise Anthology ").

    Shen Congwen's creation style was romanticism. He pursued the poetic sentiment of novel, mixed realism, dream, symbol together. The works with simple language, pithy sentences, protrusive branch and bright local colors showed unique graceful bearing of humanity in countryside. The works were full of the worry and philosophy of life and benefit and enlighten people. Shen Congwen’s novel were mainly two kinds. One was the theme of western Hunan; another was the theme of city life. The former described person’s primitive and natural life form of in western Hunan and praises the beauty of humanity; the latter described the dissoluteness of city life to promulgate the lost of humanity in metropolis. The village world was showed through compared with metropolis society. “The distortion of humanity” in metropolis society formed a sharp contrast with “harmony of human and nature” of life ideal. Unique measure of value and intense philosophy speculation were the bridge between metropolis life and village world in Shen Congwen’s creation. The criticism of “modern literature” with the core of money and the pursuit of ideal romanticism fostered Shen Congwen to write the song of ideal life "Border town". The novel "Border town" was his representative work, which showed Shen Congwen’s esthetics ideal of “beauty” and “love”. "Border town" was the most prominent work which displayed the beauty of humanity. The love tragedy of Cuicui and Tansong in western Hunan reflected that people cannot grasp own destiny before “nature” and “human affairs” and repeat the same sad life. Shen Congwen placed secret worries of nationality and individual on "Border town". After the liberation, he was engaged in cultural relic research, wore and wrote "Longfeng Art" and "Ancient Chinese Clothing Research".

Qian Zhongshu

    In 1932 Qian Zhongshu knew Mr. Yang Jiang in Qinghua University and graduated in next year. He taught in Shanghai Guanghua University. In 1935, he married to Mr. Yang Jiang and studied abroad in England. Two years later, he got the degree of vice doctor by "China in England Literature in 17th and 18th Centuries”. Afterwards he went to France University of Paris with Mr. Yang Jiang to be engaged in the research. In 1938 he was appointed exception professor by Qinghua University and head of English department in National Lantian Normal school in next year, and started the creation of "Art Discussion Record". In 1941 Pearl Harbor Incident broke out. He stayed at Shanghai and taught in Zhendan Female Liberal Arts and Maths School. During the period, he completed "Art Discussion Record", "Writing nearby Life’s Edge". After the War, he was appointed professor of foreign language in Shanghai Jinan University and editor of English hall publication "Book Quarterly” in Nanjing Central library. In the following three years, his work collections "Human Beast Ghost", novel "Besieged city", poetry discusses "Art Discussion Record" were published and evoked repercussion in academic circles.

    In 1949 he taught in Qinghua University. In 1953 he moved to the institute of Chinese literature, completed "Song Poetry Selection", and participated in the compilation works of "Tang Poetry Selection", "History of Modern Chinese Literature" (the part of Tang period).

    In 1966 Great Cultural Revolution broke out, he was dispatched to “May seven cadre school” with Mr. Yang in November, 1969 in Henan. In March, 1972 he returned to Beijing. "Tube Awl Edition" was finally edited in August.

    In 1979 "Tube Awl Edition" and "Four Old Articles" were published. In 1982 he was appointed vice-president and special consultant of Chinese Social Science Institute. In 1984 "Art Discussion Record" (supplementary) was published. In next year "Seven Decoration Collection" was published.　　

    On December 19, 1998, Qian Zhongshu passed away in Beijing at the age of 88.

Zhang Ailing

    Zhang Ailing was an important writer in the history of modern Chinese literature, whose ancestral home was Hebei Fengrun. She was born in Shanghai in 1921 and moved to Losangeles in the US in 1995. That day was “Midautumn Festival”, the reunion holiday in China, but nobody stayed with her.

    Zhang Ailing was an “exceptional talent” in the history of modern Chinese literature. The words in her works had true life and went straight into your heart. People could get great pleasant in reading Zhang Ailing’s books. Perhaps we can know truth, get knowledge and shock from other works, but only reading Zhang Ailing's works, we are joyful, even the tragedy work "Eighteen Spring".

    Zhang Ailing was an ordinary person. But compared with other people, Zhang Ailing had delicate life. Her work discovered the pleasure of life. Zhang Ailing's talent is that she discovered and wrote down to tell you know, but she does not show off. The most famous collection of Zhang Ailing is "Legend". Zhang Ailing's life is a real legend. Zhang Ailing’s family had prominent background, but declined in her generation. Zhang Ailing’s childhood was not happy. Parents divorced and father once threatened to kill her. She escaped from father's family to mother's family, but her mother went to England soon. She passed the examination of London University, but she had to study in Hong Kong University because of Pacific War actually. When she graduated, Hong Kong fell. She had to return to Shanghai. The marriage of Hu Lancheng and her was also a big misfortune. She was fortune to become famous in the literature circles, but which unexpectedly became the indictment after the liberation, finally she had to go to foreign countries.

    Zhang Ailing's character was contradicting. She was a hedonism who was good at conveying art and life, also a person who was full of tragedy to life. She was the young lady of famous family, but arrogantly declared that she was independent petty townspeople. She bemoaned the state of the universe saw clearly people’s “pity” behind “ridiculousness”, but actually showed indifferent unfeeling in real life. She was understanding and reasonable, but persisted in her ways on the clothes and getting along with people. She made conversation with the readers in articles, but maintained the distance and didn’t let the bystander observe her innermost feelings. She was successful in Shanghai in 1940s, but lived in the seclusion in the US after several dozens years. Some people said only Zhang Ailing may simultaneously experience bright noise and extreme aloneness.

    Some modern female writers are good at intelligence. Some are good at expressing feelings. But Zhang Ailing’s works combined talent and sentiment and maintained unique. Zhang Ailing wrote pure literature and art works and love stories. "Gold Lock Record" and "Yangge" are admired and applauded by experts. The readers are intoxicated and stupefied reading "Eighteen Springs". She was an elegant and vulgar writer. She was educated in Western school, but was deeply in love in Chinese novel. Her creation studied the traditions of "Red Tower Dream" and "Jin Ping Mei". Very few literature writers follow the traditions.

Zhao Shuli

    Zhao Shuli (1906~1970) was modern and contemporary writer. His old name was Zhao Shuli and pen names were Yexiao, Wu Dai. He was born in a poor peasant family in Shanxi Qinshui. He participated in agriculture working since childhood because of poor family, so he liked folk literature and local drama very much. His father Zhao Heqing was versatile in agriculture, star configurations, medical skill, and often bring his son to participate in “Eight Sound Meeting” which was an amusement association in countryside. Thus Zhao Shuli was familiar with village life, understood farmer’s hardship and versatile. After graduated from the elementary school in 1923 he taught in primary school in countryside. In 1925 he entered into Shanxi provincial fourth normal school in Changzhi. Influenced by the new ideological trend in “5.4”, he began to contact new literature. Then he was dismissed because of attending student strike. In 1929 he was put in prison by Yan Xishan in Shanxi, and released next year. He worked as calligraphy and painting seller, mountebank, messenger, note taker, taught in private school and suffered the difficulty of life. In 1936 he was appointed Chinese teacher in Shangdang village normal school and joined next year Shanxi Resistance against Japan and National Salvation Association. After the War broke out, he engaged in propaganda and civil administration work. In 1939 he edited "Yellow River Daily", "War Life", "Chinese and was appointed editor of Xinhua Bookstore in North China in 1944 and "New Populace" in 1945. After the foundation of People's Republic of China, he was appointed chief editor "Talking and Singing ", "Acrobatics" in Beijing, and member of Chinese Cultural federation, director of Chinese Writers' Association, president of Chinese Acrobatics Worker association. After 1957 he returned to village in Shanxi for a long time. In 1965 he worked in Shanxi Cultural Federation. He suffered persecution and passed away in Great Cultural Revolution. There was “Potato Group” in the history of literature, which took the renowned writer Zhao Shuli as representative. Their works had simple national style, vivid language, fresh local color, thus were popular in readers. Ma Feng, Xi Rong, Shu Wei, Sun Qian, Hu Zheng formed a writer community in later 1950s, and created outstanding works with “potato color”. The representative works of “Potato Group” were Zhao Shuli’s "Xiao Erhei Married", "Li Youcai Allegro", "Sanli Bay", "Li Jia Zhuang's Vicissitude", "Registration", Ma Feng’s " Know before Three Years", "My First Higher authority", Xi Rong’s "Building Stable", "Girl's Secret", Sun Qian’s "Scab’s Story", Hu Zheng’s "Two Clever daughters in law", as well as the works of the young writers Han Wenzhou, YangMaolin, Li Yimin, Yi Fu, Cheng Yi. Zhao Shuli, the pathfinder of “Potato Group”, was called “stencil pen” and “sage” in modern novel by his great literature achievement and held an important status in the history of modern Chinese literature. The important reason of his success was that he took root in southeast of Shanxi, was familiar with countryside and people. The description of custom and cultural and character were full of bright national characteristics. Through his estheticism, Zhao Shuli took simple folk custom as vivid creation topic, profoundly reflected village life in Shanxi from1930s to 1960, and displayed a vivid picture scroll of custom in countryside.

Lin Yutang

    Lin Yutang (1895~1976) was litterateur. His old name was Hele then was changed to Yutang, Yutang. His pen name were Maolu, Zaiyu Qiqing and so on. He was born in Fujian Longxi. He graduated in Saint John University and studied abroad in US and Germany. After returned to China In 1923 he taught in Beijing University and Beijing Female Normal University and supported patriotic student movement. After 1932 he organized "Confucian Analects", "World", "Universe Wind" and impelled essay creation, and became the leader of Confucian analects. In 1936 he lived abroad the US. In 1947 he was appointed art and literature director of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, principal of Southern Coast University in 1954 in Singapore. In 1966 he settled down Taibei. He wrote "Cut and Stroke Collection", "Enlightened English Textbook", "Enlightened English Grammar", "Great Wildness Collection", "My Speech", "Life Art", "My country and My People", "Nothing which is not Read", "Passing Scenes in Beijing", "Scared by the Moan of the Wind and the Cry of the Cranes" and "Language Hall Article Collection" and so on. 

Xu Zhimo

    Xu Zhimo (1897~1931) was modern poet, prose writer, original name Zhang Xu, pen name Nanhu and Yun Zhonghe, Zhejiang Haining Xiashi person.

    In 1915 he graduated from Hangzhou first middle school, and then studied in Shanghai Hujiang University, Tianjin Beiyang University and Beijing University. In 1918 he went to the US to study banking. In 1921 he studied abroad in England and became special student in London Cambridge University to research political economy. In two years of Cambridge he was gradually influenced by west education, European and American romanticism, and aestheticism poets. In 1921 he started to create modern poetry. After returned to China in 1922 he published massive works on newspapers and periodicals. In 1923 he participated and initiated New Moon Society and joined into Literature Research Society. In 1924 he organized the weekly "Modern Comment" with Hu Shi, Chen Xiying, and was appointed professor of Beijing University. He was the translator When Indian great poet Tagore visit to China. In 1925 he went to Europe to visit Soviet, Germany, Italy, and France. In 1926 he edited the supplement "Shi Juan" of "Morning Paper" in Beijing. He developed Rhyme Poetry movement with Wen Yiduo, Zhu Xiang, and affected the development of modern poetry. He moved to Shanghai in the same year and was appointed professor of Guanghua University, Daxia University and Nanjing Central University. In 1927 he participated and initiated New Moon Bookstore. In the next year he was appointed chief editor of the monthly "New Moon". And then he went abroad to visit English, American, Japan, India. In 1930 he was appointed member of Chinese Culture committee and England Poetry Society. He taught in Beijing University and Beijing Female University in winter of the same year. At the beginning of 1931, he organized the quarterly "Poetry Publication" with Chen Mengjia, Fang Weide, and was elected for director in China Branch of the International Association. On November 19, he went from Nanjing to Beijing by plane and was killed in the air crash because of fog in Jinan. He created poetry collection " Zhimo’s Poetry", "Jade Night", "Brave Tiger Collection", "Wander", prose collection "Fallen leaf", "Paris's Scales and Claws", "Examine self", "Fall", novel prose collection "Wheel ", drama "Bian Kungang" (wrote together with Lu Xiaoman), diary "Aimei Note", " Zhimo’s Diary", translation "Manshufei’er Novel Collection". "Xu Zhimo Anthology" was published. Xu Zhimo’s poetry had fresh words and expressions, harmonious rhythm, special metaphor, rich imagination, exquisite mood and elegant mind. He pursued gorgeous artistic form and bright artistic individuality and became representative poet of New Moon Society. He was also accomplished in prose. "Examine self", "Want to fly", "CamBridge I Knew", and "Jade Free Talk Living in Seclusion” were all handed down for generations.