With the help of Mr. Lu Xun, she published her famous work "The Field of Life and Death". She was praised by China's literary circles as "the literary Roselle of the 1930s". Together with Lü Bicheng, Shi Pingmei and Zhang Ailing, she was known as the "Four Talented Women of the Republic of China". Hey, who is she? She was Xiao Hong, her real name was Zhang Xiuhuan, and she later changed her name to Zhang Yiying.
When I first learned about Xiao Hong in the middle school Chinese class book, there was a reminiscence essay called "Remembering Mr. Lu Xun", and later I accidentally saw the movie "Xiao Hong" and was surprised by the legendary story of this strange woman. Her life was turbulent and displaced, and when she was cornered, she could always survive. The living environment is as confusing and intriguing as a play, and then my admiration for her is born. Hulan City, through thousands of years, has gone through hundreds of generations, and is also dazzling because of the writer Xiao Hong.
Born in a wealthy family, she was originally the pearl in the palm of the Zhang family, but because she was born in the Dragon Boat Festival. Of course, being born on such a day is unlucky, and the Zhang family is naturally extremely disgusted. Although her family background is very good, her life path is quite bitter. At that time, the phenomenon of son preference was very serious. Ever since she came into the world, she has not been welcomed by her grandmother, father, or mother. At the age of eight, his mother died. At the age of nine, her father continued to string, and her stepmother was even more unkind to her. However, only her grandfather had no prejudice against her. It gave her childhood a touch of warmth. In childhood, the indifference of parents and the care of grandfathers, the completely different twofold world is only their own cold and warm self-knowledge.
Her grandfather, Zhang Weizhen, was the central figure of her childhood life and the initiation teacher in her life. In 1921, when Xiao Hong was ten years old, she entered the Hulan Dragon King Temple Primary School. In 1925, she entered the prefectural first women's high school. In the autumn of 1927, she successfully fought with her father and was successfully admitted to the First Girls' High School of the Eastern Province Special District in Harbin. The colorful life of middle school kicked off the first dream of her life. During her studies, she often wrote poetry and essays that were published in the school journal.
However, happy times are always short-lived. In the blink of an eye, when she was eighteen years old, her father, who was the secretary of the Heilongjiang Provincial Department of Education, booked her a family affair. In that era, it was not easy for girls to go to school and go to middle school. When Xiao Hong was still studying, the Wang family asked for marriage. However, Xiao Hong did not want this marriage. Resist, break free, flee. In the end, she made up her mind to resist marriage and escape.
Xiao Hong has escaped marriage! This caused an uproar in both. The great rebellion did not go away in the whole hulan city. In that era, this was nothing less than a bombshell, an absolute shock. Resisting marriage and fleeing is something that ordinary people find difficult to accept. Not to mention that this happened in the house of the gentry. Running away from marriage cost her and became the beginning of her suffering. Her father also lost his official position because of her. As a result, her family cut off her financial resources.
Lu Zheshun, distant cousin, is a student of Hosei University in Harbin. The two of them fell in love. He became Xiao Hong's favorite first love. The two spent a time in Beiping. She did not last long in Beiping. When she stepped into the door of the Lu family, she realized that Lu Shunzhe had become a family. Fate had arranged an outrageous love affair for her. This relationship disappeared like a mirage. Hungry, cold, tired, and helpless, she let go of her self-esteem and went to her former fiancé Wang Enjia. Later, under the pressure of the two parents, Xiao Hong and Wang Enjia returned to their hometown of Harbin before the Spring Festival in 1931.
Wang Enjia accepted her behind her family's back. She had shelter for the time being. Both betrayed their respective families. In fact, Xiao Hong was very reluctant to accept such a result, but she had no choice. I thought everything would be fine. However, fate played a joke on her again. Later, Wang Enjia had very little money left. Difficulties followed, and once again they faced the test. Wang Enjia told Xiao Hong to go home and get the money, but there was no more news. She became a hostage in the hotel, and by this time she was pregnant. In desperation, she asked for help from the newspaper of the International Association.
In July 1932, the appearance of Xiao Jun gave Xiao Hong the courage to fight against fate. Fortunately, there is no invincible road. That year, the Songhua River in Harbin broke its banks. Floods flooded the entire urban area, and people fled. Heaven followed people's wishes, and that flood saved Xiao Hong. At that time, Xiao Jun had made a contribution. How dramatic fate is. Since then, she and Xiao Jun have begun to live together.
Later, the newspaper office closed and Xiao Jun lost his job. Because none of them had a fixed income, they lived in poverty for a time. Soon, Xiao Jun found an errand for a tutor. Xiao Hong barely made ends meet on Xiao Jun's income as a tutor. In October 1933, with the help of Shu Qun and others, Xiao Hong and Xiao Jun co-authored the collection of novel essays "Trek", which was published. Xiao Hong signed quietly, and Xiao Jun signed Sanlang. After the publication of Trek, this caused a great sensation in the northeast, and readers praised it like a rave. As a result, they gradually gained fame in the literary world.
In October 1934, Xiao Jun's "The Countryside in August" was completed. In November of the same year, he and Xiao Hong went into exile in Shanghai. While in Shanghai, they visited Mr. Lu Xun together. Mr. Lu Xun gave them a lot of spiritual and material help. In literature and in life, Mr. Lu Xun cares about them everywhere. Xiao Jun and Xiao Hong also often visited Lu Xun's home. They often asked Mr. Lu Xun questions. Mr. Lu Xun deliberately introduced them to left-wing writers such as Mao Dun, Nie Cyan, and Hu Feng. This had a big impact on their creations. Soon, Xiao Jun and Xiao Hong entered the Shanghai literary scene.
In March 1935, Mr. Lu Xun wrote an inspiring preface to Xiao Jun's "The Countryside in August". In August of the same year, "The Countryside in August" was published. As soon as this book came out, it was deeply loved by the majority of readers and friends. His book was hailed as a banner of anti-Japanese literature. At the same time, this work also laid the foundation for Xiao Jun's important position in the history of modern Chinese literature. Gradually, a group of northeastern writers gathered around Xiao Jun and Xiao Hong, who wrote many excellent anti-Japanese works.
In December 1935, "The Field of Life and Death", signed "Xiao Hong", caused a huge sensation in the literary world, and Xiao Hong became famous in one fell swoop. On October 19, 1936, Mr. Lu Xun passed away. At this time, Xiao Jun participated in the work of Mr. Lu Xun's funeral office, took care of Mr. Lu Xun's funeral, and guarded mr. Lu Xun's soul. In his eulogy to Mr. Lu Xun, he burst into tears and was deeply moving. When sending the funeral for Mr. Lu Xun, Xiao Jun served as the commander-in-chief of the funeral procession of 10,000 people. However, at this time, Xiao Hong was far away in Japan. She was very saddened to hear of her teacher's death. In a foreign country, she published some articles remembering Mr. Lu Xun, restoring a real Lu Xun for us.
In 1937, after the July 7 Incident, the relationship between the two appeared to be rifted. In 1938, Xiao Jun went to Yan'an. At the same time, Xiao Hong and Duanmu Hongliang (Cao Hanwen) followed Ding Ling and others to Xi'an. One insists on joining the revolution, the other just wants to write well. Since then, Xiao Jun and Xiao Hong have gone their separate ways. After that, Xiao Hong and Duanmu Hongliang began a relationship. In May 1938, Xiao Hong and Duanmu Hongliang were married in Wuhan. After getting married, she wrote some articles in honor of Mr. Lu Xun. Such as "Remembering Our Mentor", "Remembering Mr. Lu Xun in Memory", "Essays on the Life of Mr. Lu Xun" and so on. Since Xiao Hong married Duanmu Hongliang, she has been criticized by many friends. Gradually, she became estranged from her friends. The blockade of friendship brought her new bitterness. But unfortunately, the relationship did not go as she wished.
In 1940, Xiao Hong and Duanmu Hongliang settled in Hong Kong. During this period, she completed the novella "Ma Bole" and the novel "The Legend of Hulan River". On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the Pacific War broke out. Hong Kong, China, was also caught under Japanese artillery fire. During her serious illness, she caught up with the war. Xiao Hong, who was ill, was very afraid, and at this time, Duanmu Hongliang was busy with various affairs in Hong Kong, so he asked Luo Binji to take care of Xiao Hong.
In order to express the gratitude of that year, Luo Binji was obliged. During her last serious illness, Luo Bingji accompanied her for a short time. During her last 44 days, they talked a lot about the past together. The story of her life told by Xiao Hong also planted a seed for Luo Binji's future creation. In the autumn of 1946, Luo Binji wrote a biography called "Xiao Hong's Small Biography". This book truly records his short time with Xiao Hong, and also leaves people with a history of oral history of a generation of talented women.
Looking at Xiao Hong's life, it is really very sympathetic. A life of misery, a lifetime of displacement. Living in that war-torn era was indeed her misfortune. This reminds us of the Song Dynasty poet Li Qingzhao. Li Qingzhao, born in Shuxiang Mendi, is a gentle representative and is known as "the first talented woman in ancient times". In the early days, Li Qingzhao's life was quite happy and satisfying. She and Zhao Mingcheng are in love with each other. Later, Zhao Mingcheng died. When the Jin soldiers invaded the Central Plains, she began to flee in exile. Fleeing in the chaos of war, at least for this reason, Li Qingzhao and she are both lost in the end of the world and have pity for the same disease. He only hated heaven but made a cruel joke with her.
"The sky is full of stars, the house is full of moons, how is life, why is it so sad?" In January 1942, at the age of 31, she ran out of last of her strength and a star fell in the war-torn sky. Xiao Hong's last words left the royalties of "Shangshi Street" to his younger brother Zhang Xiuke, the royalties of "The Field of Life and Death" to Xiao Jun, and the royalties of "The Legend of Hulan River" to Luo Binji. In the world of literature, her life was bumpy but vigorous, like the Hulan River in her hometown, constantly flowing to the land of Shenzhou in the distance.
A generation of talented women, literary Roselle. Faint smell of books, never forget. Perhaps, this is the best gift she has left to the world.