"Those who are not old in thought will always be young", "Tribute to Ba Lao, eternal torrent", "Read more books in Ba Jin's study, read books that tell the truth", ...... On April 21, "Ba Jin Study" settled in Xujiahui Academy, and in just a few days, the message wall was already full of readers' "messages".
What exactly is in the "Ba Jin Study" and why can it produce such magic?
Ba Jin (1904-2005), formerly known as Li Yaotang, was a writer, translator and publisher. In 2003, the State Council awarded Ba Jin the honorary title of "People's Writer". Xuhui and Ba Jin have a special fate. In September 1955, Ba Jin and his family moved to No. 113 Wukang Road, where they lived for more than half a century, which was the longest residence in Ba Jin's life, witnessing the life course of a generation of literary masters in the second half of his life.
2024 is the 120th anniversary of Ba Jin's birth, and the Xuhui District Bureau of Culture and Tourism and Ba Jin's former residence will create a "Ba Jin Study" theme reading area in the cultural light box space on the second floor of Xujiahui Academy. This is the first time that Xujiahui Academy has updated the display content of the light box space since its opening in 2023, and it is also the first time that the special reading space of Ba Jin's former residence "Here, Read Ba Jin" has been awarded.
As soon as you enter the thematic reading area, you will be greeted by a portrait of Ba Jin on the glass. In 1992, the translator, writer and artist Gao Mang accompanied foreign guests to Shanghai and painted this sketch for Ba Jin when he visited his home. After the painting, Ba Jin signed the portrait. When Gao Mang was about to leave, Ba Jin asked him for a paintbrush again, and added a sentence under the signature: "I say it is like me." Thank you. ”
At the entrance of the thematic reading area, there is a statue of Ba Jin made by the former Soviet sculptor Serikhanov in 1957, which vividly depicts the image of the middle-aged Ba Jin contemplatively.
The "Ba Jin Study" theme reading area breaks the usual shelf display form in the past, with Ba Jin's classic work "Home" and Ba Jin's home in Xuhui as the theme, corresponding to the two sections of "Books 'See' Ba Jin" and "Ba Jin's 'Recommended' Books", forming a large book-shaped decorative bookshelf, and the middle is composed of another portrait painted by Gao Mang for Ba Jin, as well as the cartoon image of the pavilion cat and two mis in Ba Jin's former residence.
In No. 113 Wukang Road, where Ba Jin lives, there have always been many small animals, including Ba Jin's puppy Bao Di, and there are cats and cats nearby. According to the staff, Li Ermi is the old mother in the cat, who entered the museum in 2013 and was almost carved out of the same mold as the original Li Dami in Ba Jin's house. Ermi came to the former residence, in addition to his own job - driving rats, he also has various skills such as selling cuteness, coquettishness, pose, etc., with countless fans, popularity, and cats are thriving. Her daughters Fangiri and Sanbao are also in the museum, forming the cute cat matrix of Ba Jin's former residence.
The novel "Home" is one of Ba Jin's masterpieces, and the work has influenced generations of readers. There are 40 foreign translations in English, French, Esperanto, Korean, Russian, Japanese, etc. At the heart of the "Book 'See' Ba Jin" section displays the only two pages of the manuscript that Ba Jin left when he wrote "Home", and focuses on 26 Chinese versions, including the Braille version, 4 minority language versions, and 32 foreign language versions of "Home".
In order to enhance the reader's sense of interactive experience, the desk used by Ba Jin when he wrote "Home" more than 90 years ago is also copied according to historical materials, so that readers can sit at the table, read, write, take photos and check in, and feel the writing scene of Ba Jin. Readers can also enjoy video clips of "Home" being adapted into TV series, movies, dramas, musicals, Huangmei opera and other art forms.
In the exhibition area, readers can also watch the feature film of Ba Jin's former residence by wearing the earpiece, and enjoy an immersive theme reading experience that can be read, watched and heard.
The theme reading area also set up an interactive area, and customized an exclusive stamp "Commemorating the 120th Anniversary of Mr. Ba Jin's Birth" and a special bookmark with Ba Jin's famous quotes for readers to leave a message and stamp in the interactive area.
To get closer to the literary giant Ba Jin, it is better to open his "Home" in the "Ba Jin's Study" and read it carefully. Readers and friends, hurry up and experience it.
Reporter: Wang Yongjuan, Zhu Liang
Editor: Ning Pingying
Reviewer: Wei Li