Reading | the famous New Year recommended reading of the crown

"Library of Modern Creations": "One Day Samadhi"

Xie Mian (Professor, Department of Chinese, Peking University)

My books are placed in various places, changping here, Peking University, I call my study "chaotic study" - the books are too messy, everywhere. But my book is very clear, and I know which book is in which corner.

There is a set of books that I will never forget, and my relationship with this set of books is very deep.

This set of books was published in the mid-to-late 1930s and early 1940s by Shanghai Vientiane Bookstore, Xu Shensi and Ye Wangyou, two editors are not very famous, the name of the book is "Modern Creative Library", 20 modern writers are selected, each book is about 200,000 words, traditional, vertical.

This set of books was my prime reading from childhood to adolescence. Because I have loved May Fourth New Literature since I was a child, the first May Fourth New Literature I came into contact with was these 20 books. I remember Lu Xun, Zhou Zuoren, Guo Moruo, Mao Dun, Lao She, Ba Jin, Zhang Tianyi, Bing Xin, Wang Luyan, Ye Shaojun, Zhu Ziqing, Wang Tongzhao, Xu Zhimo, Ding Ling, Lu Yin, Zhang Ziping, Tian Han, Yu Dafu and other modern writers. Lu Xun's book chose "A Q Zheng Biography", "Diary of a Madman", "Kong Yiji", "On the Restaurant", etc., all of which were not missed, and even "Cast Sword" was selected. Tian Hanna received several of his very powerful one-act plays, such as "The Night of the Tiger", and at that time, his works such as "Guan Hanqing" had not yet been written. Yu Dafu chose "Sinking", Ding Ling chose "The Diary of Madam Sha Fei", Zhang Ziping chose "Spring of Meiling"... In less than 200,000 words each, the representative works of the Writers representing May Fourth were selected, and I think the two editors are very remarkable and very discerning.

I have loved this set of books since I was a teenager, and I have continuously collected 19 books, which is not easy, because I was a primary school student and a middle school student, and I didn't have much money on my body. The only one missing should be Shen Congwen's book. I went to Beijing with regret, and then I found Shen Congwen's book in the Dong'an market. I was so happy that I finally put together these 20 books. This set of books has spent the years of war with me, the years of youth, the years of unprecedented catastrophe, and the storms of the outside world have not hurt them, which is very magical. Now, they are in my Peking University home, I have been well kept, because of the age, the paper is yellow, I myself made a hard paper for each book, re-titled.

This set of books and my relationship is really deep. I loved the May Fourth New Literature, was enlightened by the new literature, and learned that many outstanding writers' masterpieces began with this set of books. Later, I went to Peking University to study in the department of Chinese, and I also had a special love for modern Chinese literature. I read this set of books since I was a teenager, and now I'm 90 years old, almost 80 years of reading and accompanying. I have memorized the masterpieces of these writers. The feeling of flipping through this set of books is very pleasant, as if it is a very close friend, the ancients said, "One day Samadhi, drama in fifteen women", now open this set of books, I will not be able to help reading a few, after reading this one, and then look at another ... Such as to the old man! It feels very good. Therefore, in the new year, I want to find an opportunity to return to the "chaotic study" of Peking University, invite this set of books out, and revisit the influence of new literature on me.

On the occasion of the arrival of the New Year, I would like to recommend this set of books to everyone and share it with you. This set of books is not available on the Confucius Network, and it is difficult to see them on old book stalls. Maybe in which corner of the library there will be this set of books, and those who have a heart can go and find it. Its cover is dark green with a granite-like pattern.

Author: Xie Mian

Edit: Jin Jiuchao

Editor-in-Charge: Zhu Zifen