Sun Xun (1944-2020.12.11)
In front of my eyes, there is often a shot of a thick elder gently shaking a delicate light fan that does not match his tall stature, greeting me with a smile, a polite, and amiable, and a kind, and a kind expression in his bones, an elegance that cannot be learned or pretended. Behind that elegance may require many idioms to express: Botong ancient and modern, thoughtful, weightless, arbitrary, easy to come, easy to master, high-minded, not alarmed, countless readers, insight into the autumn... I have known him for 28 years, and in my eyes and heart, his appearance has not changed, his image has not changed, and his charm has not diminished. He is Mr. Sun Xun, a famous scholar who studies ancient Chinese novels.
I remember that at that time, Mr. Sun often walked with Mr. Wang Xiaodun, and the two figures formed a sharp contrast and became a scene on campus. Whether I was sitting in front of him or standing in front of him (I remember that I was basically standing in front of him), I felt that he was much taller. Probably not only because he is tall, but also because in my heart, he has always been a generous elder, a wise man in life and a great learner. Later, I became more and more contacted, and I became more and more impressed by his big strokes, big patterns, and great wisdom - whether it was his "red studies" research or his study of classical literature, especially classical novels, or the recruitment and planning layout of the Institute of Literature of Shanghai Normal University at that time, the vigorous development and prosperity of the School of Humanities later, or the smooth approval and consistent ranking of the only national key discipline of comparative literature and world literature of Shanghai Normal University... But what impressed me most about Mr. Sun was not these, but the three sentences I was told at three key times.
"Write more articles, less involvement in mundane affairs"
In July 1996, I graduated with a master's degree and went to work at the School of Foreign Languages of Shanghai University. It was a sweltering summer, and after checking in, I came to Shida New Village to visit Mr. Sun. That day, Mr. Sun's wife, Professor Sun Juyuan, opened the door for me with a smile, kindly let me sit down, and poured me a glass of ice water to sit down and enjoy the air conditioning, and the sweat on my body fell. The combination of "two grandchildren" is a beautiful talk of Shanghai Normal University. After a while, Mr. Sun returned from outside. After changing into a cool and comfortable half-sleeve and shorts, he leaned over and sat down on a low stool and casually said to me: "Zhenwu, graduate, work!" Congratulations! You can write, be competent, and have a future. I send you eight words: write more articles and participate less in mundane affairs. ”
Mr. Sun has a wide range of communication in the three religions and nine streams of Shanghai Beach, and is "great wei" in many fields. I know that this is a golden advice, and naturally it is firmly remembered in my heart. There are many trifles in life, and there are many chores, but if you can grasp the center of gravity, have no distractions, and dig deep along one aspect, in time, you will definitely achieve something. This truth seems simple, but many people have been grasping at the eyebrows and beards all their lives, picking up sesame seeds and losing watermelons, lack of concentration, lack of perseverance, and it is still difficult to penetrate when they are seven or eighty. I still remember the happy way Mr. Sun was when he saw me when I was a Doctor of Doctorate and published articles in magazines such as Literary Review and Foreign Literary Review. "Zhenwu, that's right. The article is very well written! Come back to Normal University after graduation! "That kind of encouragement and trust makes you feel like drinking an ice drink under the scorching heat of the sun, which is extremely refreshing!" Write more articles, less participation in mundane affairs", these eight words are my motto over the years. Whenever the chores and chores are piled up in front of me, I will quickly cut through the mess and quickly devote myself to my main business.
Mr. Sun Xun and his wife Professor Sun Juyuan
"If you have a name, you must cherish this name"
In February 2004, my translation of "The Da Vinci Code" became an overnight hit in China, and I gave hundreds of media interviews for this purpose. Subsequently, dan Brown's series of cultural suspense novels such as "Digital Castle", "Angel and Devil", "Deception" and "The Lost Secret" were published in turn, and my name appeared frequently in the newspaper and various news. In the middle of the summer of 2006, I walked to the office of Mr. Sun, dean of the School of Humanities and Communication at Shanghai Normal University, holding a hardcover illustrated copy of the Da Vinci Code in both hands. Mr. Sun stood up, took the book with both hands, flipped the page number, looked at the illustrations, smiled and said to me kindly: "Zhenwu, I have often seen your name in the past two years, and the exposure rate is very high!" It's good to be famous! "Mr. Sun always speaks with words in his words, and he has a deep meaning. I still just stood there, examining Mr. Sun's expression, feeling that his words were not finished.
Sure enough, he spoke again. "Zhenwu, I would like to tell you one more word: If you have a name, you must cherish this name!" This sentence, I was like a bucket of cold water poured on my head, but then I felt more enlightened and deafening. After that, I tried to minimize my appearance, minimize exposure, and at the same time reduce mundane, chores and chores, and mainly focused on improving my scientific research ability and teaching level.
"Grinding a sword in three years is far better than grinding ten swords in one year"
In the following ten years, I published some academic works, published many academic papers, published dozens of reviews in newspapers, gave many lectures, and held many conferences. In March 2016, I came to Shanghai Normal University to work, focusing on the national key disciplines of comparative literature and world literature, of course, I had to visit Mr. Sun for the first time.
"Zhenwu, welcome! You're finally back! "Mr. Sun's appearance and demeanor have not changed at all. He got up neatly from his seat and turned to his desk to shake my hand. This was the first time Mr. Sun shook hands with me, and I was flattered, so I hurried forward and held the warm hand that Mr. Sun had stretched out with both hands. He was always in the high light, and I always felt that I had to look up to see him. I especially enjoyed listening to him, the kind of wise, deep, but down-to-earth words. Sure enough, Mr. Sun spoke again.
"Zhenwu, you have achieved a lot of results over the years and done a good job. I believe you will do better in your future work. But I also want to give you a word: three years to sharpen a sword, far better than a year to grind ten swords. "Since I was a child, I have heard my father say that Zhou Yu has three steps and three plans, not as good as Kong Ming's three steps and one plan, and a tiger gives birth to a few in a nest, which is far better than a dozen rats in a nest." Mr. Sun's words are always so timely, always able to point to the acupuncture point, just right, to the point. Indeed, although the quantity is important, it cannot simply win by quantity, and the accumulation of simple quantity cannot achieve a qualitative leap. This is also the consensus of the current academic community. Mr. Sun's words are a high-level summary and summary of these experiences.
In April 2018, the author of this article and Mr. Sun Xun held a conference on the western transmission of Chinese literature at Shanghai Normal University
In December 2018, it was early winter, and I met with Mr. Sun again, and I wanted to ask him to help me read the recommendation book for my major national projects. Mr. Sun took the recommendation book, commented on it with his mouth, and revised it in his hand. I stood next to him, took out my phone and kept recording. As Mr. Sun spoke, he suddenly became asthmatic. At this time, I realized that Mr. Sun had been unwell for some time. But I didn't expect that it would be the last time I would listen to his teachings and meet him for the last time!
As a scholar, Mr. Sun's promotion and help to the post-study, the cultivation and love of talents, are recognized by the academic community, and I feel the same as many post-learners. Mr. Sun is like his name "Xun" and his WeChat name "Sunzhi Shimin" (classic "Shang Shu Shu Shu Zhi Zhi Xia"): "Only learn Sun Zhi, Wu Shi Min, Shu Xiu Nai Lai." "), humble and sensitive, "inferior to his ambitions as if he cannot do anything; sensitive to learning if he is not enough", always vain to accept others, diligent to encourage himself. Mr. Sun has left us a lot of legacy, one of the revelations is that as scholars, we should be like him, humble, knowledgeable, good to others, for the benefit of one party, but also to reward the future learning, the academic torch to pass on!
In January 2020, Mr. Sun Xun was discharged from the hospital and recuperated in Wuxi and other places
In my heart, Mr. Sun has not gone, the tall, dashing, optimistic, open-minded smiling and groaning wisdom old man and dunhou elderly have always been by our side, always accompanying us to study, work, life and progress.
Author: Zhu Zhenwu
Editor: Qian Yutong
Editor-in-Charge: Shu Ming
*Wenhui exclusive manuscript, please indicate the source when reprinting.