The Chinese Left-Wing Writers' Union (hereinafter referred to as the Left League), founded in Shanghai in the 1930s, has produced a large number of thunderous names: Lu Xun, Qu Qiubai, Mao Dun, Feng Xuefeng, Ding Ling, Zhou Yang, Shen Duanxian (Xia Yan), Yang Hansheng, Tian Han... and the five martyrs of the Left League: Feng Hao, Li Weisen, Hu Yipin, Rou Shi, and Yin Fu. In addition, there are many left league members who have also fought in their own ways, such as Xuanxia Father, Jiang Guangci, And Ye Lin, who will be talked about in this article... Unfortunately, they have either been killed or prematurely lost their young, precious lives due to illness. But the flowers of their lives have been let go, so that the splendor is always unforgettable.
Left League "Secret Ally" Xuanxia Father
Xuanxia's father, also known as Yao Huo, was born in 1899 in Zhuji, Zhejiang. His father was a primary school teacher, and Xuanxia's father studied with his father from an early age and received traditional cultural education, which laid a good foundation for him to love literature and engage in creation.
Father Xuanxia
In 1916, Xuanxia's father was admitted to the Zhejiang Provincial Special Fisheries Vocational School, graduated with honors, and was granted the official fee to study in Japan in 1920. During his studies in Japan, Xuanxia's father came into contact with Marxist-Leninist writings and began to enthusiastically devote himself to anti-imperialist and anti-feudal patriotic activities. Soon, his activities aroused the vigilance of the school authorities, and the study abroad was suspended.
In 1922, Xuanxia's father returned to China and later went to Hangzhou. There, he came into contact with the Communist Party and soon became a member of the Communist Party. Later, he was sent by the Zhejiang Party Organization to apply for the Whampoa Military Academy and became the first batch of cadets. He was expelled only for openly confronting the headmaster, Chiang Kai-shek. After Xuanxia's father left the Whampoa Military Academy, he returned to the embrace of the Zhejiang Party organization.
In the summer of 1925, Xuanxia's father was sent by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to work on the Executive Committee of the Northern Region of the Communist Party of China, which Li Dazhao was in charge of. Soon after, he was ordered to engage in political work in the Nationalist Army of Feng Yuxiang's troops stationed in Zhangjiakou in his open capacity as a member of the Left Kuomintang. Later, because of the "cleansing of the party", Xuanxia's father and more than 100 political cadres were first "censored" and then "expelled". Then Xuanxia's father decided to return to his hometown to carry out a secret struggle.
In the following years, Xuanxia's father fully displayed his literary talents, and he squeezed out time to create two full-length works: the documentary literature "Gray Dream" and the novel "Before and After Enlistment". It is precisely because of these two literary works that Xuanxia's father has contacted the Left League.
The long-form documentary literature "Grey Dream" was completed in 1930, and Xuanxia Father told the experience and story of his political activities in Feng Yuxiang's Northwest Army during the first civil revolutionary war, from which he explored the lessons of success and failure, and faithfully recorded the historical facts of participating in the revolutionary struggle in the north. Chen Wangdao, who was teaching at Fudan University at the time, came across the manuscript of "Gray Dream" and praised it and recommended it to Shanghai Beixin Bookstore. The editors of Beixin Bookstore were impressed by this vivid, beautiful, sharp and witty work. After that, the editor suggested changing the title of the book to "Northwest Expedition", which is both clear and more in line with the documentary style of the work. Father Xuanxia accepted this suggestion. Considering the identity of Xuanxia's father, and in order to facilitate the secret work, the book was published under the pseudonym: This Autumn.
At this time, Xuanxia's father very much wanted to join the Left League, he had read some works of left league writers, especially the works of Lu Xun, who was the "ally" of the left league, and he longed to get rid of the situation of struggling alone in the literary journey, hoping to integrate into this progressive revolutionary writers group and fight side by side with like-minded people; and find more fellow travelers in the revolutionary literary group of the Left League.
In early 1931, Xuanxia's father came to Shanghai. He wanted to find Yang Hansheng, because Yang Hansheng was not only a member of the left-wing writers' team, but also served as a political instructor at the Whampoa Military Academy. Although Xuanxia's father had already left the Whampoa Military Academy at that time, there could be such a relationship that there must be a common language. At this time, Xuanxia's father did not know that Yang Hansheng was still the secretary of the Left League. As a result, the two of them felt sorry for each other and saw each other as they were. They met by literature, but they first talked about not literature, but the Whampoa Military Academy, and then talked about their respective experiences, and finally their topic returned to literature and talked about creation.
Yang Hansheng told Xuanxia's father that he borrowed the Northwest Expedition from other comrades and read it in one breath. Yang Hansheng praised, reading this work is very touching, the work is very well written. Then he asked what new work Xuanxia's father was currently writing.
Xuanxia's father humbly replied that he was currently writing an autobiographical novel, planning to write 200,000 words, and had completed more than half of it, entitled "Before and After Enlistment". The content is to write the story of a poor peasant young man who joined the Kuomintang army, accepted the revolutionary ideas, and finally led the troops to join the Red Army.
Yang Hansheng was very happy to hear this and said that he hoped to read this work as soon as possible. After "Before and After Enlistment", Xuanxia's father printed a small amount at his own expense and distributed it to the left league members and some revolutionary comrades. Because it was not officially published, the book may not exist today as the years have passed.
Moreover, at that time, Yang Hansheng knew that Xuanxia's father wanted to join the Left League, so he said to him, with your two books and your literary talent, joining the Left League is not a problem. But in your current capacity, it is probably inappropriate to openly join the Left League, and let us think about it again.
After several main responsible persons of the Left League learned of this situation, they also felt that it was better for Xuanxia's father to join the Left League in order not to disclose it. Finally, after the decision of the Left League Party Group, Yang Hansheng announced to Xuanxia's father that he would be recruited as a "secret member" of the Left League.
In July 1938, Xuanxia's father was unfortunately assassinated by kuomintang military agents in Xi'an. If the day is over, he should have more good works.
Yellin: From "Member" to "Member"
Ye Lin, whose original name was Zhang Guan, was born in 1901 to an intellectual family in Weixian County, Shandong Province, and was born to recite ancient poems and learn calligraphy and paintings at an early age. Yellin graduated from the old weixian high school and taught at the age of 17 in a public elementary school. When the May Fourth Movement broke out, Yellin led students to participate in demonstrations, strikes, speeches, and exposure to Lu Xun's works. At that time, Yellin began to engage in Western painting, mainly painting human body drawings and oil paintings. At the age of 24, he resigned from his teaching position and, together with several like-minded classmates, went to Qingdao to rent a low-cost house and work as a freelance painter.
Yellin
In 1925, the May Thirtieth Massacre occurred in Shanghai, and Qingdao, under the leadership of the communist Deng Enming, also set off a vigorous strike struggle, and Yelin actively participated in it. By then he was already writing poetry and novels, and had joined the CCP. He has also returned to his hometown Hanting to teach art in Weixian County. With the help of this platform, he analyzed the domestic political situation and inspired the students, which aroused the suspicion of the Kuomintang county party department, so he had to leave his hometown and travel all the way to Hangzhou in the spring of 1929.
In Hangzhou, Ye Lin was admitted to the Research Department of the West Lake Art Academy founded by Lin Fengmian (later renamed Hangzhou National Art College), where he studied oil painting under French professors Crodo and Lin Fengmian, and his classmates included Li Keyan, who later became a giant in chinese painting. Classmate Wang Zhanhui (Wang Zhanfei) remembers, "When Zhang Guan was studying in Hangzhou, his life was very simple and he was a poor student. He and Li Keyan live together in a small room on the small floor of the Shanfu'an next to Yue Tomb." Ye Lin and some progressive classmates set up a literary and art club, because it was the eighteenth year of the Republic of China, so they took the name of the society "Yiba Art Society", and they were members of the society. Li Keyan later recalled: "This can be said to be the earliest progressive group in the Chinese youth art circle. At that time, we read books and periodicals edited by Mr. Lu Xun, as well as world famous works, and some advanced art treatises. Zhang Jian (Yellin) is a highly knowledgeable, advanced thinker, and extremely warm and sincere. He often invited some students with good business ideas to talk, spread progressive ideas, and worked tirelessly until late at night. Many of my classmates were influenced by him on the path to progress (and I was one of them). Invisibly, Zhang Guan became the central figure of the progressive students. ”
Ye Lin (left) with Chen Weicen (center) and Li Keyan (right) in the winter of 1929 at the National Hangzhou Art College
In early 1930, Yellin was arrested by the authorities for circulating progressive books and periodicals at the Academy of Arts. His classmates and teachers actively rescued him, including the French professor Crodo. In the end, because the authorities could not find evidence, they had to let Lin Fengmian guarantee in the name of the principal and release Yelin.
After Ye Lin was released, he saw that Hangzhou could not stay for long, so he went to Shanghai and began his experience as a member of the Left League. According to Yang Hansheng, "I met him (Yellin) when I was the secretary of the party group in the 'Left League', and we worked together. Later, I was transferred to the 'General Administration of Literature' and the Cultural Committee of the Shanghai Bureau of the Communist Party of China, and the Central Committee appointed him (Ye Lin) as the secretary of the 'Left League' party group. In Yang Hansheng's impression, "Ye (Ye) Lin is loyal to the party, works hard, is generous to people, and is very able to unite people."
As a member of the Left League, Yellin's first novel, "Village", published during the Left Alliance period, was published in Beidou, Vol. 1, No. 4, 1931. Qian Xing Estate (Ah Ying) wrote in the "Review of the Chinese Literary Circles in 1931": "In addition to the 'great works' describing the war and the lives of soldiers, there is a 'short story' that cannot be ignored, that is, Ye Lin's 'In the Village'. Ding Ling, editor-in-chief of Beidou, commented: "Regarding the theme of "Village"... Very desirable, compared to the general self-around the circle to find love of the tragicomedy material, has become much more embarrassing, and fresh. ”
In the 1930s, Yellin wrote four letters to Ding Ling, whom she had never met. In his first letter, he said that Ding Ling's works and the "Beidou" magazine she edited, "I almost read it all" "I seem to think that the articles you wrote are not as good as before in a certain way, although you are working very hard to move towards new aspects, and there are many people who are desperately praising you!" ......”。 The second letter reads: "The painting in front of the Big Dipper is very good! This painting refers to kollwitz's black-and-white woodcut "Sacrifice" published in the inaugural issue of "Big Dipper" in honor of the five martyrs of the Left League. The affirmation of this woodcut reflects Yellin's nostalgia for his fallen left-wing friends.
Left-hand publication "Beidou"
In the third letter, Ye Lin recommended the talented young Fanshi (Li Xiushi), and the famous lu xun and the young woodcarver were photographed. In his fourth letter, Yellin was a sharp critic of the two short stories "A Silhouette" and "A Maid" published in the 1st-2th issue of Beidou... The author of these two novels is Yao Pengzi. From the correspondence between Yellin and Ding Ling, it can also be seen that although he was busy with various cultural work and social activities of the Left League, Yellin did not give up literary creation, and he successively wrote novels such as "Opening Up" and "On the Platform" and some commentaries and essays.
In early 1933, Yelin was sent by the CENTRAL Committee of the Communist Party of China to work in the Soviet region of northeastern Jiangxi, but unfortunately died in the winter of that year at the age of 33.
Jiang Guangci, who was killed by Zhao Zhi
Jiang Guangci, whose real name is Jiang Ruheng, was born in 1901, his ancestral home is Henan, because his grandfather fled to Huoqiu, Anhui Province, because his grandfather avoided bandits, and his descendants settled here. Jiang Guangci is a famous modern writer, who has been pushed as the "first voice of revolutionary literature" and the creator of the "revolution + love" writing method.
Jiang Guangci
When Jiang Guangci was 14 years old, his father sent him to study at Lizhicheng Primary School in Gushi County, Henan Province, more than fifty miles away from home. Jiang Guangci was guided there by zhan gutang, a young progressive teacher, and at the age of 16, he joined the reading club organized by Zhan and read some progressive books and periodicals, which laid the ideological foundation for him to embark on the revolutionary road later.
In the summer of 1916, Jiang Guangci was admitted to Henan Gushi Middle School. But at the end of the first semester, he was expelled because he was dissatisfied with the unfair treatment of rich and poor students by the principal, and he colluded with other students to beat the principal. Fortunately, in the summer of the following year, Jiang Guangci was recommended by Li Zongye, the elder brother of Jie bai and the president of the Wuhu Provincial Fifth Middle School Student Self-Government Association, to enter Wuhu Fifth Middle School. The school was formerly known as Wanjiang Middle School in the late Qing Dynasty, and among the teachers were Zhang Shizhao, Chen Duxiu, Bai Liewu, Su Manshu and other celebrities, and also hired Liu Xiping, a student studying in Japan with strong patriotic ideas, and Gao Yuhan, the editor of "New Youth", as teachers. The latter also advocated vernacular language and opposed feudal culture. Jiang Guangci was deeply influenced by them and began to publish articles in New Youth. Jiang Guangci then entered the Shanghai Overseas Chinese Society to learn Russian, went to the Soviet Union in May 1921, studied at the Eastern University in Moscow, and joined the Party in 1922. During his studies in the Soviet Union, Jiang Guangci's writing interests had mainly turned to literature.
In the late spring and early summer of 1924, Jiang Guangci returned to China. Soon, through Qu Qiubai's introduction, he went to Shanghai University to teach. In mid-April 1925, Jiang Guangci was sent to work in the Northern Bureau of the Communist Party of China, and then Li Dazhao arranged for him to work as an interpreter for a Soviet adviser in Feng Yuxiang's department. In October, Jiang Guangci returned to Shanghai and continued to teach at Shanghai University during the day and write and translate at home at night.
Two years later, Jiang Guangci's novel "Lisa's Lament" came out. The novel depicts the lament of a White Russian woman who wandered to Shanghai after the October Revolution, forced by her life, and humiliated and betrayed her flesh. Jiang Guangci described this work as "just an attempt, and of course he can't cite it as a satisfactory work" and "whether it succeeds or fails" is criticized by readers. As a result, some readers believe that the novel "adopts a negative method of expression" and celebrates the victory of the October Revolution; some readers believe that the author expresses the grievances and despair of the declining class, and exudes the sentimental sentiments of the declining class.
The readers' ruthless rebuke of this work made Jiang Guangci unexpected, especially the criticism and criticism of this work by the revolutionary literary and art circles, which made him feel depressed. In addition, at that time, Jiang Guangci was unfortunately infected with tuberculosis, and his spirit and body were severely damaged. So he went to Japan for three months, first to recuperate, second to relax, and at the same time to write some works.
After returning to Shanghai from Japan, the organization assigned Jiang Guangci and Qian Xing Estate to the "Nanguo Society" to contact Tian Han in order to promote the "Nanguo Society" to move towards the "left" as soon as possible and lay the foundation for the emerging Puluo drama. In his dealings with Tian Han, Tian Han saw that Jiang Guangci had been single for many years, so he introduced to him Wu Xianghong, a talented woman of the "Nanguo Society" who had been admitted to the Western Painting Department of Xinhua University of the Arts and studied fine arts.
It was one morning after New Year's Day in 1930, when Jiang and Wu first met at Tian Han's house. Wu Later recalled that Jiang Guangci had a "thin and white face, a slender body, a slightly snow-white and neat teeth when he spoke, and his thin, white and tender fingers flipping through a copy of the Southern Monthly." That journal published a novel by Wu Xianghong. Since then, Jiang Guangci has embarked on a fervent pursuit of Wu Xianghong, and the love between the two has come to fruition.
Soon, the Left League held its inaugural meeting and elected Lu Xun, Xia Yan, Feng Naichao, Qian Xing estate, Tian Han, Zheng Boqi, and Hong Lingfei as standing committee members, and Zhou Quanping and Jiang Guangci as alternate members. Jiang Guangci was also responsible for editing the monthly magazine Pioneer, a publication of the Left Alliance.
Jiang Guangci's "After Unemployment"
In November 1930, Jiang Guangci completed his last novel, Roaring Land, set against the backdrop of the peasant movement before and after the Revolution, but this work was banned by the authorities.
In June 1931, Jiang Guangci's condition suddenly worsened, and he was rushed to the hospital, where he died two months later. He was only 30 years old at the time of his death.
The inscription is the "Zuolian Memorial Hall" located in Shanghai's Hongkou District