What is Li Guangtian talking about?
Topaz Lan
In June's "Book Experience", I listened to Li Guangtian's prose for 4 consecutive days, which was short and exquisite. But it made me always scratch my head. Not sure what exactly he was trying to say?
Li Guangtian (1906-1968), essayist, was persecuted to death. I was lonely, had only vaguely heard his name, and rarely read his articles. At my level, I still feel that these essays are written concisely, beautifully, and have a unique prose flavor. I just couldn't feel the pulse of his thoughts, and I couldn't reach the state of mind understanding with him, which made me a little unwilling.
These four essays are "Empty Shell", "A Grain of Sand", "This Worm" and "Horseshoe", and the author should all want to illustrate a truth through small stories. What is the truth? There are many angles of understanding, which seem to be right and seem to be wrong. I don't understand which one is really going to be said.
It is said that "a book is read a hundred times and its righteousness is self-evident", and I would like to further speculate by writing this article.
"Empty Shell" is a lecture taught by many people to guide 16-year-old female students who are seduced and pregnant, and what they all have in common is that they are all called neuropathies. At the end of the article, Gorky borrowed the words to point out the topic: "The devil has taken out a person's enthusiasm, hope, hatred, resentment, etc., one after another, so that this person becomes an empty shell, and thus becomes a perfect person... Of course, it will not be accused of being a neurotic. Well, let's all be better off with each other."
I thought this was the subject of the article, and I kind of understood, interpreting the last sentence as a counter-statement.
"A Grain of Sand" is about a man who is tired of walking and has never "jumped" into the sand in his shoes in his life until he dies. Although "the sand is tiny, rolling like a bead, and falling to the ground as a golden stone sound", this person is still ridiculed by the people around him for not living as easily and freely as they are.
To say that the legend of "A Grain of Sand" is puzzling, "This Worm" is written about a square bug, which makes people wonder what the purpose is. The last old man said, "This is this." The author also said: "He is the oldest surviving philosopher." Is it the usual trick of philosophy: to go around the bend? Or is it to tell us that wisdom is the world it is now?
Even more mysterious is the article "Horseshoe", a fragment without a head and no brain. Just write about their moments in the dark night and in the mountains, like writing a dream, you must know that many writers will use what they dream about as a stroke of god. The author says, "And my pleasure is to look at the golden fire under the horse's hooves." "He also said to curse the plains, for his miracles can only be seen in the mountains."
Are these four articles talking about going off the beaten path? Or is personal growth to experience pursuits that ordinary people can't understand?
These days, although I don't fully understand these articles, I always remember them, just like a sommelier who can't taste the source of the wine and the ingredients of the craft, and constantly smacks his tongue and wrinkles his eyebrows. This may be one of Li Guangtian's magic powers.
Someone read Dante's Divine Comedy and analyzed four meanings: the meaning of the text itself, and the meaning of metaphor, philosophy, and life. I have also used these four levels to set them one by one, I still don't understand what "A Grain of Sand" is writing, how can a person be so tired that he can sleep without taking off his shoes? Is Li Guangtian telling us that life must be as unswerving as the father chasing the sun to the point of incomprehensibility?
Although I can't write a good article, I can understand the four meanings of the article. For example, writing about flowers, the average person can read out from the beauty of the flowers themselves (textual meaning), as well as expressing attachment to spring or place has been good. If we can still read what this flower gives us (philosophical significance) is to go further, and then bring practical changes to our lives (the meaning of life), we have successfully completed the role of reading the text.
The hardest part is the interpretation of the metaphorical meaning. This is known only to the author himself. Take Li Guangtian's article "Horseshoe", is it about horses or people, about the happy life of longing for steep mountains and big banners, or about the sadness that horses will eventually be trapped in the plains? What was the reason for what made him write such a small article? I don't even know.
The other day, someone sent me an article saying that in order to avoid trouble, I replaced the "she" in the article with "he", I understand. I often do this, hiding my original motives or the things I love the most and hate the most behind the words, but it seems that if I don't say no, there will always be a sentence to reveal, even if it is plausible, and the flowers are transferred.
Everyone is afraid to meet the kind of person who deeply investigates the motivation of writing. I myself am such a person, grabbing Li Guangtian and digging his article into four levels of meaning, because I have a good reason: I want to understand him. If you have this reason, I am not afraid of you to investigate deeply. But I don't like those who are bored tongue-chewing people or people who sit in the right seats at every turn.
My teachers often taught me that there are not so many mysterious things, and the creators actually did not think so much, feel beautiful, write it down or draw it. Yes, don't over-interpret the work, maybe it's the highest respect for the text. As for how to use these works, it is the reader's business, not the creator's intention.
Or, even if you don't understand it now, you will slowly understand it later. Read it, and so on, the right opportunity, will naturally understand. Don't worry, just taste it slowly. It's the same with people: not to the point of really understanding, and not to say completely ignorant.
You tell me? Did you know that every article I write is left to you? What I read is my ghostly thoughts and deep blessings for you in the night! Whether I am still in this world or not, words can accompany you! Just like Li Guangtian's words accompanied me through the long journey
rainy season.