February River. Photo/ Beijing News Network
The well-known writer and historian Eryuehe (formerly known as Ling Jiefang) died in Beijing in the early hours of this morning at the age of 73. He is well known to readers at home and abroad because of the three books about the emperor, "The Kangxi Emperor", "Yongzheng Emperor" and "Qianlong Emperor". In 2006, there was an institutional selection of writers on the rich list, and he ranked second because of his royalty income of 12 million, which is enough to see his continued influence.
These three books are called the "Sunset Series", and from this name we can see his views on the Qing Dynasty. The sunset is of course beautiful, but it is "disappearing." With his magnificent momentum, he wrote an elegy for this dynasty. The "Sunset Series" reached a staggering 5 million words, written from 1984 to 1996, and the hard work of creation inevitably overwhelmed his body.
Unlike the jokes and fictions of today's popular historical novels or TV series, February River takes the creation of historical novels with an extremely serious attitude.
He has been in the army for ten years, from loving "Dream of the Red Chamber" to reading Qing history, he has worked hard for more than ten years. Jin Yong once said on one occasion that his understanding of Qing history was far less than that of February River. In fact, since the 1980s, February River's first intention was to engage in academic research, and he had published several papers in the journal of red studies, which attracted the attention of the academic community.
It is this state of affairs that determines his attitude towards historical fiction. He hoped to be able to write the "true image" of the three emperors in his heart. Prior to this, under the influence of some novels and folklore, people did not have a high opinion of the three emperors of the Qing Dynasty, such as Yongzheng, who was known for their cruelty.
Stills from "Yongzheng Dynasty". Photo/ Beijing News Network
February River almost single-handedly reshaped the image of the three emperors among ordinary readers: despite the brutal power struggles in the palace, the emperor is still a hero with ideals and ambitions. In his pen, Yongzheng became a diligent emperor, which is more in line with historical truth.
Of course, from the current point of view, the concept of February River has a traditional side. His predilection for the story of the emperor, his fascination with the power struggles in history, and his mind is deep in the traditional Chinese political view. A good emperor can often bring glory to the empire, so people have always hoped for a bright monarch. However, the entire trilogy also tells the irreparable defeat of the empire, even if it has three outstanding emperors in a row, by the end of the Qianlong Period, China was left behind by the West.
Stills from "Kangxi Dynasty". Photo/ Beijing News Network
February River is a true "writer of the times", not only because he pays attention to a specific historical era, but because he himself lives in the great era of reform and opening up. The core of his view of history is to combine the fate of the individual with the fate of his homeland, and to attach importance to the influence of the efforts of the individual (of course, the emperor for him) on history, which is the creative temperament given to him by the reform and opening up. Without reform and opening up, he would not have had such achievements, nor even had the opportunity to embark on the road of creation.
It is the combination of his unique personal experience and the spirit of the times that gives his generation of writers a unique sense of mission. Whether it is Lu Yao, who pays attention to the reality of the countryside, or the February River that pays attention to history, they all want to interpret and intervene in the times through their own creative efforts, they love big themes, love huge works, and love to spend their own work day and night, which is the unique passion of writers in the 80s. When they achieved achievements in creation, individuals also received comprehensive praise from the times.
After February River, there may be people who have studied history to write historical novels, and it is not a miracle to write 5 million words in the computer age, but the passion and sense of mission of that generation of writers are difficult to have anymore. I don't know if anyone has waited ten years for writing, or even bet their lives, just to leave a mark for themselves in history.
□ Zhang Feng (Cultural Critic)
Edited by Meng Ran Proofreader Lu Aiying