Mr. Shen Changwen is an editor and a generation of publishers, throughout his life, he has been active in the editorial and publishing industry, but his circle of friends and influence are far beyond editing and publishing, throughout the ideological and cultural circles. I am a descendant of Mr. Shen outside the circle, and I have been in contact with Mr. Shen for thirty-five years, and it seems to me that Mr. Shen and other publishers have some differences, and these "differences" have left me with many things that are impressive and worth remembering.
Mr. Shen in the mid-1980s. When I first met Mr. Shen, he was like this.
One
Mr. Shen always calls himself an "intellectual", and his oral autobiography is also named "Knowing". The original meaning of the phrase "knower" is somewhat pejorative, but Mr. Shen is happy with this title, and sometimes he is proud of it. This, in addition to the self-effacing and witty nature of his personality, is directly related to the nature and status of the editor and publisher as he understands it.
In Mr. Shen's view, editing and publishing is an intermediary and service work. As early as the early 1980s, in the afterword of a certain issue of "Reading", he said in response to the suggestion that "Reading" should be classified as "elite culture" by some readers, saying that the task of "Reading" was only to introduce, guide and absorb, and its main work was not to create and build academically. If another term can be coined to express the nature of "Reading", it may be reluctantly called "bridge culture", that is, people may reach the other side of "elite culture" through it, but it is not the other side itself.
Editors and publishers should be "intellectuals", not "intellectuals" like authors and some readers. To do a good job in editing and publishing, we should position ourselves as practitioners of "bridge culture", do a more comprehensive understanding of social phenomena and cultural phenomena and observe and study a considerable degree, and although we do not pursue spiritual creation with the main energy, we are committed to transmitting the realm and thoughts ("knowledge") of "intellectuals" who have created spiritual aspects to readers. This "knower" is somewhat similar to the "miscellaneous family" mentioned before, but it is not very different. One of the important differences is that the "knowing molecule" must have considerable discernment ability. If we do not "know", we will not be able to process and transmit the "knowledge" of "intellectuals" very well, and sometimes it is even difficult to distinguish between true and false "intellectuals".
From this point of view, editors and publishing workers must not only understand the grammar of words and related professional knowledge, understand "Qi, Qing, and Ding", but more importantly, "know" and become "knowers". This "knower" that Mr. Shen considers himself is also an uncrowned king, just like the glorious title of journalist. He borrowed the name and part of the connotation of "knowing molecule" from Wang Ji, giving it different meanings with its own characteristics.
To do a good job of this "knower", we must first deal with the relationship with the reader. Mr. Shen proposed two "taboos" for the editor of "knowing molecules" in the editorial of "Reading" magazine, which can be said to be two basic bottom lines or "red lines". One is that between the editor and the reader and the author, there is no relationship between "dictatorship and dictatorship", but to meet each other sincerely and treat each other as equals. Editors of publications such as Reading have no right to teach readers what "should" be. This tone of using seven or eight "shoulds" to indicate readers in articles will disappear in the future in the length of "Reading". Another is that even if the personnel is vicissitudes, "Reading" still strives to pursue a realm, and has an equal exchange and human connection with the author and the reader. The reasonable and humane relationship between the editor and the reader undoubtedly means, first of all, that the editor should do his best to provide the best product for the reader, and not to pollute the reader's heart for his own selfishness.
How should editors treat readers if they want to provide the best product for their readers? Mr. Shen believes that readers have the right to choose, the right to choose; the right not to believe the beautiful words and phrases spoken by the author and editor, and the right to appreciate any text that makes them feel comfortable. Unfree reading, contrary to the reader's personal wishes, being coerced into indoctrination, being forced to seek excerpts, and vainly seeking the "small words" that do not actually exist behind the article, whether out of habit or due to instinct, I am afraid it is outdated.
Such a reader may not be so easy to satisfy, which requires editors to "know" more and "know" more comprehensively. Editors may not be directly involved in some kind of creation in the spiritual realm, but they are committed to advancing it. Mr. Shen calls it "re-creation," saying that there is a dialectical relationship between writing and reading, and that authors and readers must rely on each other. Reading is not passive acceptance, but a kind of re-creation of the reader under the guidance of the author. The realm we want to pursue is the "re-creation of the reader" that Sartre threw out. As the editor of a journal that helps readers to read, it is their responsibility to help their readers carry out this "re-creation", to influence him, to influence him, to influence him, to make him desire to "recreate", to complete the process of "re-creation".
Contributing to the "re-creation" of readers, the books published by Sanlian Bookstore and the magazine "Reading" in the past period can be said to be an ideal practical project, which has been recognized by readers, authors and the industry. The efforts made by Mr. Shen and a generation of editors and publishers to achieve this kind of "re-creation" can be said to be well-known.
But Mr. Shen's preferred approach may be unique. In this regard, Mr. Shen once quoted the scriptures to say that Wittgenstein said that there is a language that can be said, and there are things that can only be "displayed" that cannot be said, and when the editor deals with the language every day, he does not speak itself, but only displays the author's words and sayings for the reader to choose. When talking about specific practices, he said that words are in the book and outside the book, which may be a method of motivation and re-creation that we often use. Mr. Shen said, "At one point, I also asked myself: Can people understand this implication?" Later, I learned, this reader is really great! In particular, those teachers who have no reputation, who are far away in a remote small city, in a middle school in a certain county, have opinions, write letters without scruples, and get to the point, and talk about the key points. The meaning behind your words, they can see through at a glance." This must not be an isolated case, readers who have read "Reading" in that period should have this "self-evident" feeling.
Another preferred practice of Mr. Shen seems to have more of his own personality. He believes that there is often a different way to learn, that is, it is not informal, it is not limited to the pattern, it only seeks to understand the mind, it is not memorized, and it does not want any dogma. So he's been trying or trying to push forward, if the reader we imagine is leaning back in a recliner, picking up a publication and reading it casually from an article he likes, or putting the journal in his pocket and pulling it out and flipping through it when he's tired—then the publication should be another way of editing. He has always said that "Reading" should allow readers to "lie down" and read. In his view, the article is not in-depth and simple, the content is not diverse and rich, the form is not vivid enough, to say that these shortcomings are the author's article, as it is, it seems that it is not inevitable, but honestly speaking, their responsibility is to be borne by the editorial department.
What is the editing and publishing that Mr. Shen aspires to "know"? He said that if the publication can be edited to this extent, it can be called "absolute." Editors do not blindly cater to the needs of the market, and do not always think hollowly about how to play a good "edge ball" to make the publication attract people's attention, but naturally fit with the reader's spirit, thought, and state of mind, "thinking of going together". He added that it clearly needed to have more of a ultimate concern for culture and a deeper depth—a depth that was clear rather than esoteric. I think these two sentences may mean his "knowing".
"Knowing" is a sign of Mr. Shen, a synonym
Two
Mr. Shen's personal style is also solemn and harmonious. It is often said that he is "stubborn" and "old and unorthodox", and it is "the older the more stubborn" and "the older the more unorthodox". There are also many people who are keen to talk about his various "troubles" and various "wonderful theories", which are often hilarious.
When Mr. Shen writes articles and speaks, especially in public, there are more words of "self-humility", and he is accustomed to saying "incompetent", "not talented", "insufficient", etc., and his posture is relatively low. To a certain extent, there is "right and reverse" or "right reasoning and crooked talk", which seems to have become his style, writing many words and saying many words, always revealing a few paragraphs and sentences like this. As a literati, he is different from the traditional literati and also different from many of his predecessors.
In fact, if we examine Mr. Shen's words and deeds, it is not difficult to appreciate the "right words" and "just reason" behind his "anti-talk" and "crooked talk." He often claimed that "I am Shen Changwen, a laid-off worker of Sanlian, and I swept the floor in Sanlian", retired for more than twenty years, and then "mixed" in other publishing units, and became famous in the "jianghu", but he still remembered his "origin" and "old owner". We can rarely see a retired "number one", like an ordinary employee who has gone to the original unit almost every day for more than twenty years, silently doing things related to books. He has only been engaged in one industry in his life, that is, the editing and publishing industry related to the "Triptych", and he has only been affected by one kind, that is, the influence of the "Triptych", and his love for the Triptych cannot be erased.
Mr. Shen also said that he was a "three no-nos treasurer" and brought a "three noes" editorial department. Some people summed up the "three noes" as "no education, no title, and no experience", which seems to mean "capable". But Mr. Shen's own explanation is, "inaction, selflessness, incompetence", a complete "three no-worlds". Mr. Shen first said "incompetent", and after the summary and refinement of Wu Bin's sister, there was this "three nothings". Mr. Shen wrote a self-description reminiscing about Reading magazine titled "Out of Incompetence." But there is a sentence in it, which does not think that the incompetent must do nothing, "Now that there are many heroes in the world, the place where the incompetent can be effective." As mentioned earlier, this "three noes" is precisely his profound understanding and understanding of editing and publishing work, but the expression is different, which is exactly what makes him unique.
Mr. Shen and members of the editorial board of "Three Noes" Wu Bin, Yang Lihua, Zhao Liya, Jia Baolan and Hao Dehua. This is a respectful history, and the most nostalgic "Reading" is made up by these people in the basement of this courtyard.
Mr. Shen often said, "I buy waste paper." His "business card" itself is a small piece of paper cut from veritable waste paper, on which a flat-headed smiling old man carries a bundle of books and writes "Waste paper I buy." The "waste paper" person uses a side of copy paper, which he uses to paste or print new materials again. Most of his personal data was organized and kept in this way, and until a few days before his death, he was still sorting it out, saying that he would give it to his daughter in the United States. He spent his life doing editing work. Another reference to "waste paper" is old books, sometimes copied, copied or "reproduced" old books. One of Mr. Shen's hobbies is to visit old book stalls and shop for old books. Whether in Beijing, Shanghai, or even the United States, Hong Kong and Taiwan, he is as always. He was very familiar with every detail of many books, and he often passed on this love for books to others. Compared to the opening and binding design of the book, he loves the content of the book, especially the different and unique ideas in the book. The old books he collected all had this characteristic. Many friends have experienced such a thing, Mr. Shen said a book, the other party did not want to read, Mr. Shen will try to find a copy, really can not find him will copy a copy to send. Therefore, some people use this to evaluate him, the harmony is not distorted, and it is still common sense to treat people and things.
"I buy waste paper", this is Mr. Shen in Shen Fan's eyes. Shen Fan is a graphic designer and granddaughter of Mr. Shen Congwen, who worked with Mr. Shen for a while.
Mr. Shen was criticized for having too many deletions in the imported works he presided over, without explanation. In this regard, Mr. Shen always laughed and did not seem to care. To be sure, deleting books is also unacceptable to the mildest critics. But Mr. Shen did have an unspeakable secret in the circumstances at that time, and he may be more reluctant to do so than all people. In the years that followed, whenever he talked about such a book, he would always say that the original version of a book or the overseas version had some similarities and differences with the mainland version. Sometimes in the books he gave to his friends, he would make up the deleted content one by one and restore the changed content one by one.
Someone asked Mr. Shen, what have you been busy with lately? He would always say without hesitation, do nothing, eat, drink and have fun! When he presided over the triptych bookstore, he was known for organizing dinners frequently, and he also said that if he wanted to conquer the author's heart, he must first conquer the author's stomach. Mr. Shen is not a gourmet, and the restaurants he organizes are mostly small restaurants with cheap prices and characteristics. He just uses this way to communicate with authors and people related to the publication. He also called his retirement life "helpers," and went on to summarize the twenty-word "work process," namely: "Eat, drink, and have fun, talk about love, embezzlement and theft, betray intelligence, and sit back and wait for money." Through these solemn and harmonious words, we may be able to more deeply appreciate his love and dedication to the editing and publishing industry.
Mr. Shen at the dinner table. One day about 1988, friends at home and abroad gathered together, the first three were Xu Youyu, Yang Du and Zheng Peikai, and the back next to Mr. Shen was Ni Le.
Someone asked Mr. Shen, what books have you been reading recently? He would say, red and yellow, which of course is also a harmonious word. But one thing is not a joke, when Teresa's songs were still called "The Sound of Silence", he deeply liked Teresa Teresa, over the years, he listened to and collected all the songs sung by Teresa Teng, and also bought dozens of plates of "A Billion Applause" to give to friends. When bidding farewell to Mr. Shen's soul, his son-in-law played Teresa Teng's singing "Sweet Honey", "Where, where I have seen you, your smile is so familiar ..."
Lu Xun once said that who fell from a well-off family into a difficult situation? Mr. Shen was born in such a family in old Shanghai, and dropped out of a gold shop to become an apprentice when he was a minor. "I've been looking at the outside world in the cracks of the board since I was five or six years old, and I've been seeing the present." In 1949, his fate also changed. When Mr. Shen entered the People's Publishing House, he was indeed a young man with "no merit, no revolutionary experience, and no leadership from his predecessors", and he started from the most basic work such as secretary (diligent and miscellaneous), proofreading, etc., and did whatever he could, and never dared to have any slackness. In 1986, Mr. Shen was appointed to preside over the newly established Sanlian Bookstore, and he said with emotion that I was the first "New Triptych". It can be said that the difference in origin and experience has created Mr. Shen's personal style and made him different.
After reading "Know" and some of Mr. Shen's other self-described works, you will have more understanding and understanding of Mr. Shen's personal style and these "differences". In his later years, Mr. Shen compiled the correspondence between him and some of the authors of "Reading" magazine into the "Shi Chengji", and in his preface "My Teacher", there is a sentence of the master's self-saying, "Now, I can freely enter and leave the home of any big professor and talk about everything with each other!" Now people always praise Shen Shen for how energetic he was when he edited "Reading" magazine. In fact, this momentum all comes from the good era of reform and opening up, but it is not the personal ability of Shen Someone."
If you want to say which photo of Mr. Shen is the most evocative, I think this is a picture.
Three
I remember that in the late 1980s, Mr. Shen once talked about Mr. Zou Taofen's training for life bookstores, "serving readers wholeheartedly", I thought this seemed very common, and all service industries are not dedicated to serving customers? Mr. Shen said that this is actually not the case, editing and publishing is a very special service industry, Mr. Taofen's words, good is good in that "sincere" word. What is the word "sincerity" specifically? Mr. Shen did not specify. But he went on to tell the stories of Chen Hanbo, Chen Yuan, Fan Yong, shi mei and other predecessors, who I listened to were all people who wholeheartedly loved to publish books and read books, no matter what conditions and circumstances, they wholeheartedly pursued the dedication of what they thought was the best book to readers. What kind of book is a good book that embodies the dedication to serving readers with "sincerity"? This should be related to the respective minds and insights of several predecessors.
Mr. Shen also specifically talked about Mr. Ding Cong's contribution to Sanlian and "Reading". He said that Ding Lao likes "Reading", likes the ideological emancipation style pioneered by "Reading", and is willing to dedicate himself to "Reading" and be an "unsung hero". Every time I see Ding Lao's style, I always think of this, which generates motivation.
Of the four predecessors Mr. Shen spoke of, I had met two of them. When Mr. Chen Yuan pushed the cups and changed cups during the banquet, and the sea and the sky were wide, his mouth was like a river of words, and his witty words were endless, but he did not leave the book every word, and always talked about coming up with a good book with thoughts. Mr. Fan Yong is the kind of person who shines when he hears about a good book, and whenever he talks about a good author and a good work, he will be invigorated. Mr. Shen once said that the most qualified person to win the Taofen Book Award is Fan Yong. Some time ago, I saw a letter written by Mr. Chen Hanbo to a friend in 1981, he said that after watching the movie "Sand Gull", he felt like a heroine who loved volleyball from her bones, loved to publish books, and could not leave books for a moment. He also said that publishing is important in persistence, and persistence is not only long-term, but more importantly, adherence to faith, and press and publication workers must not fail to carry out perseverance. Mr. Shen said that Mr. Shi Mei donated geng zhi, maverick, adhered to principles in editing and publishing, and was not afraid of various pressures until the last moment of his life.
Mr. Shen once said that the three bookstores of life, reading, and new knowledge had an important function before becoming "sanlian bookstores", that is, the working organs of the Communist Party in the areas ruled by the Kuomintang. After liberation, this function is no longer needed, but why should the name of the Sanlian Bookstore be preserved and now be restored? This is because these three bookstores have a group of predecessors who have adhered to and believed, and in that era they all published a number of good books that had left historical traces and guided the trend of the times. A publishing institution, in fact, does not need people to write its history, it has published books to record its own history, just as Wei Wendi said that writers do not need others to write biographies, the works he writes are his own biographies.
When Reading magazine was founded in 1979, the predecessors of Sanlian Bookstore determined the purpose of the magazine , "book-centered ideological criticism journals" . This has its historical tradition, after the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Chen Hanbo, Chen Yuan and other predecessors changed the original main bibliography of "Reading and Publishing" into a comprehensive magazine of ideological criticism centered on books in Shanghai. The magazine was later discontinued because of political pressure to relocate three bookstores to Hong Kong in late 1948. Commenting on and paying attention to ideology and culture, and taking ideology and culture as the direction of publication, can be said to be a long-cherished wish of the predecessors of the Triptych. In this regard, Mr. Shen also said that "Reading" is not an academic and contemporary magazine, it is centered on books and speaks around books. Why focus on books and speak around books? Because books are the carrier of ideology and culture and the inheritance of civilization, the life span of books is incomparable to the life expectancy of people. What to say around the book? That is to say, if there is a contribution to the mind and the ultimate concern for culture.
"Looking backwards" basically constitutes the main direction of Mr. Shen's book compilation, publication and planning for decades. This is Mr. Shen with several predecessors who "look backwards".
When Mr. Shen presided over the work of Sanlian Bookstore, he had a very important publishing direction, that is, a large number of overseas and Taiwan-Hong Kong works were imported. This can be said to be a kind of "new knowledge" at that time, and he once understood "new knowledge" in this way, and new knowledge does not only exist overseas, nor does it just introduce it to everyone to know, just as Marxism, this new knowledge must be integrated with China's revolutionary practice, and anything that can be called new knowledge must be examined from China's standpoint and combined with Chinese things. He also believes that whether the two systems are in one country, everyone has read, seen and heard over the years is a culture handed down from an ancestor, so there can be no consensus in many aspects. Therefore, when he translated and introduced, he first paid attention to the domestic situation and the needs of domestic readers.
Among the overseas works that have been imported and translated, many are "old books", such as "Tolerance", "Existence and Nothingness", and Zweig's works. Mr. Shen said it was "looking backwards." "Looking backwards" is actually making up lessons, to study and study those countries that have walked the road of modernization before, to make up for some lessons that were once missing. Therefore, it is necessary to study and publish "old books" that have had an important impact in those countries and regions, compare China's history and reality, and find something that can be learned and inspired. "What people have experienced, we can't step over it, we have to honestly experience and learn." This is the logic of "tortoise and rabbit racing", the wisdom of "straight overtaking", and at the same time it cannot but be said to be a more avant-garde idea, and its ultimate purpose is to contribute to the society and readers in terms of ideology and culture.
Mr. Shen once recalled that he went to higher-level organs and relevant departments many times to explain, report and review, but he was overwhelmed, and sometimes even felt cornered, which was also one of the risks in editing and publishing work. As a result of the negotiations, he always said, "Sincerity of heart is spirit." Where is "sincerity"? He said that when he was young, he repeatedly studied Lenin and Mao Zedong's expositions on editing and publishing work, deeply understood the connotation of the "theory of the tools of class struggle", and gradually realized the boundaries that needed to be grasped in continuous work practice. But there doesn't seem to be pessimism about this either, he said he had taken inspiration from the words of a professor who studied classical literature, and some people compared writing near-body poetry to "dancing with shackles", but there are so many poets who can dance this "dance", why can't editors do a better job in this regard? Therefore, Mr. Shen realized that there is no unlimited editing freedom, but at present, the primary social responsibility of an editor should be to liberate the intellectual productivity rather than limit. An editor should do more good in this regard.
An important idea of Mr. Shen when presiding over the work of Sanlian Bookstore was to hold the "Reading Service Day" activity. To do a good job of "ideological commentary" and break through its own limitations, Mr. Shen thought that this requires asking the society for advice and developing resources from authors and readers. Inspired by the "after-sales service" of a certain manufacturer, he thought of holding an exchange activity for editors, readers and authors and all sectors of society in the name of "Reading" Service Day. As a result, the "Reading Service Day" has become a scenery in the cultural circles of Beijing, and Sanlian Bookstore and the editorial office of "Reading" have obtained unprecedented resources. Although it is a "no theme, no host, no main speaker" rambling gathering, it has never lacked high opinions in ideology and culture and the confrontation of various concepts and ideas. "Crossing the forbidden area during the service day, such as letting go of the boat to learn the sea to visit the world's famous teachers and friends", said the grand situation at that time. Mr. Shen recalled that after the "Service Day", it was enough for our editorial department to digest for a long time, everyone went through the situation, wanted to choose the topic, and went deep into the composition, all of which had motivation. Of course, the most beneficial group of "Reading" Service Day is the reader, in addition to the majority of readers can read more triptych editions of good books, there are many readers in person, face-to-face communication with the author and editor, to obtain information about the publication of various new books and buy books. Today's success is no longer difficult to replicate, but it cannot be said that the service day activity is an important practice of "serving readers wholeheartedly".
A moment of "Reading Service Day". Mr. Shen should be at the same table as Mr. Wang Shixiang (right) and Mr. Chen Siyi.
Mr. Shen has been the editor-in-chief of Reading Magazine for more than fifteen years, which is a respectful history that has made countless people nostalgic and nostalgic. The "Reading" magazine of that era can be said to have been evaluated by history, and will be further evaluated. Here is the general situation of reform and opening up and the pioneering paintings of the predecessors of the Triptych, and Mr. Shen is the one who creatively put these favorable people and factors into reality.
Mr. Shen has presided over the work of Sanlian Bookstore for more than five years, and he is a successor in the history of Sanlian Bookstore, and he is a pioneer under the circumstances at that time. As the first head of the independent system, he was also the editor, internal affairs, and outreach, and he took a path with the characteristics of the triad in "inheritance, survival and development", and many of the above pioneering works shaped the brand of "Sanlian" and laid the foundation for later generations. Around 2000, someone complimented Mr. Shen and said that you led the "Kangqian Prosperous Era" of Sanlian Bookstore. Mr. Shen replied, I just started, I hope that the "Kangqian Prosperous World" of Sanlian Bookstore will come as soon as possible.
In retrospect, what is the triple spirit? Judging from Mr. Shen's editorial and publishing philosophy and practice as the leader of Sanlian Bookstore, this spirit is to persist in opening up the ideological and cultural field for a long time and leading the trend of the times. Mr. Shen and many of the predecessors of the Triad have a little consensus or commonality, which in Mr. Shen's own words is that the main cultural function of books is to accumulate culture and to imperceptibly affect people's spiritual life, all of which belong to the so-called long-term effect, and people who write books, compile books, publish books, and evaluate books should have this long-term view. Their lifelong effort is to adhere to this long-term benefit and long-term perspective, which can also be said to adhere to the "sincerity" word in "dedicated service to readers". Compared with other Sanlian predecessors, Mr. Shen is only one of them with a unique style.
When you go to the Sanlian Bookstore, you will often see Mr. Shen's back. In November 2020, Mr. Shen had just been discharged from the hospital for a few hours when he saw his back in the Sanlian Bookstore...
I remember that Mr. Shen once said that in the "Reading" he wrote, that is, "The Language of the Attic People", there is another article that he is more proud of and also has a unique characteristic. Mr. Shen claimed that this was to "sell" Yang Chen's book "Bath" and "excelled at making a sequel", and Mr. Yang was naturally "unstoppable", not to mention that There were many "secrets" between Mr. Shen's "proposed work" and Mr. Yang's later "After Bathing".
At the end of Mr. Shen's "proposed work", the sigh of Xu Yancheng, the protagonist of "Bath", is still a "sigh" today. According to Mr. Shen's train of thought, Xu Yancheng is probably as high as Mr. Yang Dai, and may still be famous all over the world. At this moment, Xu Yancheng must be thinking, after more than thirty years, the female editors of "Reading" have also retired, and only Shen Changwen, a "laid-off worker" of the triptych, still often contacts me, invites me to dinner, sends me books, does not call, and sends emails to say all kinds of new things. Now that he's gone..., what am I going to write? "I really want to write a commemorative article myself, I'm afraid it's not that much of a meaning"!
First draft in August 2021, revised and supplemented in December 2021
(Thanks to Ms. Shen Shuang and Ms. Wu Bin for providing photos)