Zheng Zhenduo and Kong Another Realm
During the "isolated island" period in Shanghai, that is, during the four years from November 1937 to December 1941, progressive writers and patriotic cultural workers in Shanghai took advantage of the special environment of the concession to continue to carry out various open and covert anti-japanese literary and artistic movements and persisted in anti-Japanese patriotic propaganda. Zheng Zhenduo (1898-1958) was a leading figure in the cultural circles of Shanghai, an active member of the "isolated island".
In a reply letter to this writer in May 2008, Mr. Yang Dai, as a witness of the "isolated island" period, said that during the "lonely island" period, the line between the enemy and ourselves among cultural people was clear. Those who do not participate in the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" are "we", and the participants are pro-enemies ... He also said that they participated in the meeting on literature and art, and there were different groups of people, among them, "the other circle is centered on Zheng Zhenduo." The author has at hand two letters from Zheng Zhenduo to Kong Yijing (1904-1972), which confirm the frequent anti-enemy activities of Zheng Zhenduo and his fellow practitioners during the "isolated island" period in Shanghai, as well as his calling power. The disclosure is as follows:
The first letter
Another brother:
I was invited to your school at 2 p.m. on the 10th, and I should have obeyed the order. However, this time is exactly the time of the literary and art symposium, and it is really impossible to separate. Beg for forgiveness! From next Sunday, the symposium is planned to move to Huahua, begging for permission, for the sense! Time: 2:30pm. Brother if you have time, and beg to participate. Wait
Gong Qi!
Brother Duoqi
27/4/7 (1938)
The "noble school" mentioned by Zheng Zhenduo in his short introduction refers to a middle school run by the Shanghai University Alumni Association in the winter of 1936, which was later renamed "Huahua Middle School". The middle school is headed by Lin Jun, the head of the Alumni Association, and Kong Tongjing as the director of teaching. The school site is located near Zhongshan Park on Yuyuan Road, and the school building is a relatively high-end building. According to the hundred-year-old Li Lulao, at that time, the school still hung a sign "Sponsored by the Shanghai University Alumni Association", which obviously attracted many young people who demanded progress. Shanghai University is nominally a Kuomintang-sponsored school, with Yu You as its president, but in fact it is a school controlled by the Chinese Communist Party and a revolutionary melting pot. It was shut down by the authorities after the 1927 "April 12" counter-revolutionary coup. Nine years later, at the eighth meeting of the Kuomintang Central Executive Committee on March 26, 1936, Yu Youren passed a bill on "posthumously recognizing the student status of Shanghai University students on the same basis as that of the National University", and reissued the graduation certificates of former students of the school to facilitate them to find jobs. Although it is only five years of school history, it also belongs to the regular school and has the reputation of "Wu Huangpu, Wen Shang Da". My father's reissued graduation certificate was printed with the Kuomintang party flag of "Blue Sky and White Sun." When the "Shanghai University Alumni Association" was established, President Yu You attended and praised this grand event. Therefore, in front of the name of "Huahua Middle School", it is logical to add "sponsored by the Shanghai University Alumni Association". However, such days are not long.
After the outbreak of the All-out War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the teachers and students of Huahua Middle School were quite active, and in addition to secretly sending progressive young people to join the New Fourth Army, the school once became a place to accept and treat the wounded and sick, accept the rest and treatment of the wounded and sick who retired from the front, and receive revolutionary comrades released from the Suzhou Reflection Institute, so that they could have a place to stay. However, the school's anti-Japanese activities attracted the attention of the enemy, and the school site was not far from the No. 76 enemy special organ. In 1938, a music teacher surnamed Tian of Huahua Middle School (an underground party member) was kidnapped by the Japanese army and his whereabouts were unknown (later confirmed to have been killed), in order to avoid teachers and students from continuing to be persecuted by the Japanese enemy, the school decided to move from Shanghai west to the original site of the Fuzhou Road Life Bookstore in the city center to continue classes. The "gui school" and "Huahua" mentioned in Zheng Zhenduo's letter refer to the "Huahua Middle School" that the school site has been moved to Fuzhou Road at this time. Because the school does not hold classes on Sundays, it can be used as a meeting place, and it is located in the city center, and the transportation is more convenient, Zheng Zhenduo proposed to Kong that the literary and art forum be moved to "Huahua".
As the school's director of teaching, Kong Yijing invited Zheng Zhenduo to come to the school to give a speech or discuss, but there was a conflict with Zheng Zhenduo's existing arrangements in terms of time, and Zheng could not be separated, so he wrote a letter asking for leave to "beg for forgiveness" and invited Kong Yuanjing to participate in this literary and art symposium. It can be seen that they are all busy people.
Zheng Zhenduo's friendship with Kong Yijing should have begun when Kong Entered Shanghai University. Zheng Zhenduo is a teacher at the school. Kong Yijing is a student of the department of Chinese, living in the home of his brother-in-law Shen Yanbing, and went out to Shanghai University together in the morning, Shen Yanbing had a course in Shangda, and after the class he went to work at the Commercial Press. Kong Yijing knew Zheng Zhenduo at this time, starting from the teacher-student relationship, and the classmates at that time also included Ding Ling, Shi Jingcun, Dai Wangshu and so on. By May 1936, Kong Yijing edited the "Book of Modern Writers", and the preface was written by Mr. Lu Xun. It was also supported by Zheng Zhenduo, who received a number of letters provided by Zheng Zhenduo. Around the same time, Kong Yijing's "Historical Materials of Chinese Novels" was published by zhonghua bookstore in July 1936, and the preface was written by Zheng Zhenduo. In the preface, Zheng Zhenduo praised Kong For doing "this kind of laborious work for others and not for themselves."
So, what kind of organization was the "literary and art forum" presided over by Zheng Zhenduo during the "isolated island" period? After a bit of investigation, on July 28, 1937, the Shanghai Cultural Circles Salvation Association was established. On August 13, the Songhu Anti-Japanese War broke out. On the 14th, the Shanghai Theater Circle Salvation Association was established, and 13 rescue drama teams were organized to go to various places to publicize the anti-Japanese resistance. On November 12, the Japanese invaders occupied the Chinese border of Shanghai, and the British, French and other concessions became "isolated islands". At that time, under very difficult circumstances, an "Shanghai Writers Association" was initiated by underground party members Wang Renshu and Zheng Zhenduo, with dozens of participants and frequent gatherings. This rally was called the "Literary and Art Symposium", and they often used the classroom of Huahua Middle School to hold meetings to discuss things. In her letter, Yang Dai said that "attending a meeting on literature and art" may be an activity of the "Shanghai Writers Association" presided over by Zheng Zhenduo.
However, in that chaotic environment, how to give play to the role of cultural people, and how to do the actual things of the anti-Japanese resistance? They negotiated using pens as knives and guns, which were their weapons. Two resolutions were realized at the meeting: the first was to edit a set of "Great Times Literature and Art Series" for the World Book Company, with Zheng Zhenduo, Wang Renshu, and Kong Yijing responsible for the compilation and editing; the second was the establishment of "Lu Xunfeng" magazine, and Wang Renshu, Kong Yijing, Jin Zhiyao, and others participated in the founding of "Lu Xunfeng". This is an important cultural achievement of the "island" period.
Second letter
I have read the manuscript. Brotherhood is still available. Only slight deletions should be made. (Brother has changed it without permission) What does brother mean? The "General Order" can be written today. When offering, please correct. My brother's "novel" was eager to be written in a week. It is also about a short story of "history".
The "series of books" is always expected to be seen in the future.
Didor
28/5/10 (1939)
Zheng Zhenduo's letter is about the progress of the implementation of the first resolution of the "Shanghai Writers Association."
This short letter contains a lot of content. The "Zhixing" in the letter is Xu Zhixing, who published the novel collection "Lonely Grave". Zheng Zhenduo said to Kong Yijing, "I have read the Zhixing manuscript. Brotherhood is still available. Only slight deletions should be made. (The brother has changed it without permission)", the changed work is included in the "Ten People Collection". This collection of "Ten People" is compiled and prefaced by Kong Yijing, and includes short stories written by Guo Yuanxin, Wei Pei, Ba Ren, Lin Tanqiu, Xu Zhixing, Zhu Wen, Luo Hong, Lin Jue, Wang Xiyan, Li Tongyu and other ten people. Why did Kong Ask Zheng Zhenduo to review Xu Zhixing's novels in the collection? Perhaps because Xu Zhixing and his father are acquaintances and friends, it is not easy to grasp when reviewing and reforming, and it is more appropriate to hand it over to Zheng Editor-in-Chief for review and reform. This also shows that their collection is very solemn.
The Ten Men and The Catalogue
Zheng Zhenduo said in his letter, "My brother's 'novel' would like to be written in a week. It is also about a short story of 'history'", this "short story of history", that is, the first part of the "Collection of Ten People", "Fengtao", signed "Guo Yuanxin", is Zheng Zhenduo's pen name. Written on June 15 of that year, this "Wind and Waves" is a historical novel written by Zheng Zhenduo many years later, writing about the political struggle between the Donglin Party and the Wei Zhongxian clique in the late Ming Dynasty. The novel celebrates the spirit of patriots sacrificing their lives and dying to fight against power and adultery, and its realistic irony is obvious (Chen Fukang).
During the "Isolated Island" period, the subject matter of writers' creations changed, and many historical novels and drama scripts borrowed from ancient irony to the present were produced. For example, Ah Ying's "Hatred at the End of the Ming Dynasty", Yu Ling's "Biography of the Heroic Martyrs of Daming", Yang Hansheng's "The Death of Li Xiucheng", Wu Zuguang's "Song of Righteous Qi", etc., the performance of these works has been greatly welcomed by the public. Zheng Zhenduo wrote the historical novel "Wind And Waves" for the same reason.
Zheng Zhenduo's letter mentions that "the 'general preface' can be written today", and the "general preface" refers to the "Preface to the Great Era Literature and Art Series", which is arranged in front of each book in the series, which is intended to guide and express the main purpose of the editor-in-chief series. At the end of the article, "editor-in-chief" is signed, which represents the three editors-in-chief. However, judging from the letter now disclosed, it can be clearly written by Zheng Zhenduo. Therefore, the "General Preface" of this series of books, written on May 29, 1939, should be attributed to Zheng Zhenduo's works.
Zheng Zhenduo said solemnly in the preface: "In this great era, literary and art workers must stand at their posts more courageously and more resolutely, and strive for the survival of the motherland with a rafter-like pen, as a knife, as a spear, and as a cannonball." In this great epoch, literary and artistic workers became part of an immeasurable mass; not as a lonely and self-congratulatory figure confined to an ivory tower. He encouraged the writer to let "the clear voice of the mountains and forests retreat, and the personal sorrows lie behind; no longer sing the praises of love, no longer praise nature, no exceptions, he lives in this time of suffering and danger, and he must bear the responsibility and suffering of all the masses." He appealed: "Don't shrink back in front of suffering, don't hide in the windy winter night, don't bow your head before darkness." When the whole nation is undergoing an unprecedented fire, the individual has no and no safe place to hide. Holding up the chest and carrying the torch, in the long night, shining until dawn! Finally, he declared: "Although the strength of our group of literary and artistic workers is weak, none of us dares to abandon our due task." The compilation of this 'Great Era Literature and Art Series' is one of our work. ”
In this short letter, Zheng Zhenduo also proposed to Kong Yijing that "the general purpose of the 'series of books' is expected to be seen in the middle." It can be seen that Kong Yijing, one of the editors-in-chief, is doing the coordination of this series of books.
The "Great Times Literature and Art Series" was published by the World Book Company in July 1939. Twelve kinds of books were planned to be published, but only eleven were published in the end: 1. Theoretical "Fundamentals of Empirical Aesthetics", (Su) Lunakarsky, translated by Qi Ming (Chen Wangdao) and Yu Ren. 2. The collection of miscellaneous essays and miscellaneous feelings, "Collection of Complicated Words", written by Rong Lu (Wang Tongzhao). 3. Miscellaneous Essay Collection "Horizontal Eyebrow Collection", written by Kong Youjing, Wang Renshu and so on. 4. The thesis "Talking about Lice", written by Ba Ren (Wang Renshu). 5. Essays and poems "Songtao Collection", written by Bai Shu and Shi Ling. 6. Creation of "Ten People's Collection", written by Guo Yuanxin (Zheng Zhenduo), Wei Pei (Wang Tongzhao) and so on. 7. Creation of "Snapshot Album", by Curling. 8. Long-form creation of "Breakthrough", written by Wang Xingyan. 9. Long translation as "Loneliness", by (Su) N. Weierta, translated by Feng Yi. 10. Long translation of "Peace", (de) Greise, Qu Yi (Wang Renshu) translation. 11. The tragedy of five acts, "When They Wake Up from Their Dreams", by Shi Ling. The three scripts mentioned in the trailer, the French Revolution Trilogy, were not published, the names of the translators were not left on the advertisement, and it is now impossible to examine. Nevertheless, in that difficult environment, eleven books were published in this series, truly showing the actual performance of "Isolated Island" literature.
Incidentally, in addition to the works completed independently in the series, there are two kinds of collections composed of many people, in addition to the "Ten People Collection", there is also a collection of essays "Horizontal Eyebrow Collection" that is very prominent. This seven-person collection of miscellaneous essays was edited by Kong Otherjing, and included 113 essays created by Kong Youjing, Wang Renshu, Wen Zaidao, Zhou Muzhai, Zhou Li'an, Fengzi, Ke Ling and others, many of which were published in Lu Xunfeng. In his preface, Kong Said: "At present, the task of literary and artistic miscellaneous feelings is more arduous than in any past era, because he not only has to expose and attack the bad tendencies of all strata at home, but also bears the responsibility of exposing and stabbing the ugly and poisonous tactics of foreign invaders. Because of this, every literary and artistic miscellaneous content must be the roar of the masses representing pure justice. ”
2021-2-27
Author: Kong Haizhu
Editor: Wu Dongkun