Lu Wenfu: Why is it said that reading is also painful?

Lu Wenfu (1928-2005) was a native of Taixing, Jiangsu Province. He was the editor-in-chief of Suzhou Magazine, the vice chairman of the China Writers Association, and a deputy to the National People's Congress. He is the author of "Dedication", "Qinggao", "Gourmet", "Honor", "Eryu Zhoutai", "Deep in the Alley", "Hawker Family", "Wall", "Lu Wenfu Anthology", "Novel Talk Outside the Door" and so on. Lu Wenfu has lived in Suzhou for a long time and is known as "Lu Suzhou" by Suzhou people, and most of his works depict the life of Suzhou people in the city, humorous and witty, making people feel a kind of bitterness and depth in their open arms. I saw him many times during my work in Suzhou, and I was deeply impressed by his wisdom and pride. When he was seriously ill, he was entrusted by Mr. Wang Meng to visit him. Originally titled "Reading Is Not Happy", this article was originally published in the "Reading Music" column of the Xinmin Evening News edited by Mr. Cao Zhengwen, and later included in the book "Hundred Famous Artists Talk About Reading" edited by Cao Zhengwen. This is a good article about reading that is worth reading carefully, and it tells the meaning and value of reading through the "unhappiness" brought by reading. Reading books let people know their own smallness and inadequacy, know that learning is a bottomless pit, and will no longer be arrogant. Reading books allows people to no longer be fooled and deceived, and to know the truth of the world.

Forty years ago, I once read an essay about the joy of reading, and I still remember a few of them: "The joy of reading is like the joy of reading, the grass in front of the green window is not removed; the joy of reading is pottery, and the bright moon and frost are high..." Since ancient times, there have been many articles of persuasion, some of which have moved to fame and fortune, and some of which have moved to be elegant and elegant. I may have been influenced by that essay and thought that reading was very happy and elegant. Now I really want to talk about the joy of reading, but I can't enjoy it. Looking back on the experience of reading books for half a lifetime, I always feel that reading is a bit bitter, and I have suffered disasters and troubles because of reading and writing books

Most of the happiness in the world is probably retained in memories and reverie, and when it is, it is not happy. In retrospect, how happy it was to read in school, enthusiastic and innocent, carefree. In fact, at that time, in order to cope with large and small exams, it was also very difficult, and a big exam was similar to having a serious illness. I still have a nightmare that I can't answer the exam paper, or I break out in a cold sweat when I can't fill it out. Reading is not a disco jump!

Reading some novels should be a lighthearted pleasure. I also read and played in the beginning, and reading and reading it gave rise to distress: how is there everywhere in this world there are disasters and injustices, evil and adultery. Reading the emotional place burst into tears, covering up the long whistle, I couldn't help but want to transform society. Fiction also has a function that makes people dissatisfied with the status quo and motivates people to strive for a better life.

It was not so easy to transform the old society, and it was not enough to read only novels, essays and poetry. Politics, economics, history, and philosophy have all become subjects that must be studied. Every science in the world is a bottomless pit, no reading or less reading, not knowing where these holes are, and not knowing its depth. After reading more books, I feel that there are holes everywhere, holes in holes, holes connected to holes, bending and curving, deep and incomparable. So there was a longing, an anxiety, eager to explore the mysteries of the world. Reading is not only about seeking knowledge, but more importantly, thinking about the knowledge obtained in books and the phenomena in real life. The results of exploration and reflection are sometimes suddenly gained, and sometimes they are more confused and sleepy. Confusion and regret force you to pursue bitterly, and when you suddenly have gains, they will prompt you to express different opinions, so that you will cause trouble, be jealous, and be very distressed. It can be seen that reading is not so happy.

The joy of reading is not mainly in the green window in front of the grass, but in the fact that one day you will feel a little understanding of the world, no longer fooled and deceived by others and yourself, and when you have to be fooled and deceived by yourself, you also know in your heart that you do not take it as true (including being deceived by books), and if necessary, you can also pierce it, so that those who fool others know: He is fooling others at the same time, he is also fooling himself.