Will the two elders in Shen Congwen's "Border Town" come back?

Mr. Wang Zengqi said that Mr. Shen Congwen never boasted. When he mentioned "Border Town" to him, he would smile and say: "I am very good at writing endings."

As we all know, it is the semi-open ending.

"That person may never come back, maybe he will come back tomorrow!"

What's the good thing? Fortunately, it is half open, allowing Cuicui to stare at it? Fortunately, this suspense?

It doesn’t stop there.

In fact, by the end, the two elders should be able to come back: after all, the misunderstanding has been resolved, and the second elder's father is ready to make Cuicui his wife, and has also sent someone to take care of her. Why haven't the two elders come back yet? What about "maybe never come back"?

Because of the temperament of the two elders.

General tragedies happen because of bad people. For example, there is the villain Iago in "Othello", and there is Lady Macbeth in "Macbeth".

But some tragedies in the world are not caused by human fault. For example, Sophocles's tragedies of fate, including "Oedipus the King": everyone just tries their best to do good things, but is driven by fate, which is tragic.

In all the conflicts that occur in "Border Town", it is not that any character is the bad guy. The conflict arises precisely because all the characters are kind and innocent.

The kindness and innocence of "Border Town" are fortunately not without wildness. People with innocent personalities are often a little reckless and stubborn. The people in "Border Town" are kind and innocent to the point of being upright and proud - so the whole plot comes out.

Cui Cui is innocent and kind, but also a little wild. When she first met the second elder, she thought that the second elder was trying to tease her, so she scolded him, "You are a bastard who chops off your head."

Grandpa is innocent and kind, but also a little wild. He has been trying to find happiness for Cuicui all his life. He is a bit cunning and charming. Once he feels that he is looked down upon, he will have communication problems.

The elder is innocent and kind-hearted, but has a somewhat stubborn temper. Feeling that he had lost to the second elder, he left in anger.

The second elder is innocent and kind, and is even willing to sing for his eldest brother to woo him in order to be aboveboard; but once he feels that he has killed his eldest brother, he leaves and refuses to come back.

Shunshun, the father of the two young men, is innocent and kind-hearted, but he also has a somewhat stubborn personality. Because his son died, it was inevitable that he would have a harsh tone, which made Grandpa feel depressed.

What supports the characters of everyone in "Border Town" is the pride and temperament underneath a mouthful of innocence.

This kind of temperament makes two boys chase girls by singing (actually, only the two elders are singing).

This bit of temper made the elder die and the second elder leave.

This temper made grandpa feel sad and finally died of illness.

No one is a bad person. Just one breath.

This is the reality of life.

Mr. Shen Congwen indeed wrote "Border Town" as a paradise, but he did not write it as a courteous and polite country.

The simple fisherman will also talk about and show off the prostitutes he has made friends with. The simple grandfather would also take a sip of soju. The simple Cuicui can also curse. Everyone has a breath of air, a little bit of humanity.

This kind of energy and spirit is the foundation of the novel.

This is also where the ending is really clever. By the end, Shunshun has accepted Cuicui as his prospective wife, and Cuicui has understood everything. Just waiting for the second elder to come back.

What hinders the two elders from coming back is one breath.

Once one day, the second elder's love for Cuicui finally outweighs his guilt for his brother, he will come back.

So the ending of him not coming back is very sad, but he is still a good and honest young man; when he comes back, it will be a happy ending.

It is this kind of temperament that makes love happen, and it is this kind of temperament that makes the elders die and the two elders move away.

Now let’s read this sentence again:

“That person may never come back, maybe he will come back tomorrow.”

Isn’t it that the taste is slightly different?

Say one more thing.

When Mr. Shen Congwen himself wrote "Border Town", he was somewhat frustrated.

He himself was not of noble origin and had served as a soldier.

When he first wrote, many people praised him and many theorists criticized him.

So at the beginning of "Border Town", he wanted to write such a long preface to express his thoughts and complain about various critics.

I have an indescribable tender love for farmers and soldiers. This feeling can be seen everywhere in all my works. I have never concealed this feeling...

According to the current trend, literary theorists, critics and most readers can easily arouse unpleasant feelings towards this kind of work...

My book is not written for the majority of people: people who have read three or five Western-style books on literary theory and literary criticism, or who have also read a lot of classic and modern world masterpieces. Life experience often does not allow them to know a little bit about another thing in another place in China in addition to being "erudite"...

So this work may be consistent with a certain literary theory, Critics will praise it in various ways, but this kind of criticism still inevitably becomes an insult to the author. Since they don’t want to understand the true love, hate and sorrow of this nation, they cannot explain the gains and losses of this work. This book is not written for them...

My book is only intended for some people. "I have left school, or have never been able to get close to school. I still know some Chinese characters. I am in a position that cannot be achieved by literary theory, literary criticism, and lying and spreading news. I live in that society and care deeply about it." People can see all the advantages and disadvantages of the entire nation in space and time.

I will describe the worries of some small people in the changes when this nation is led by history towards an unknown destiny, and the "survive" and "how to survive" caused by insufficient nutrition. "concepts and desires to make a simple narrative. My readers should be rational, and this rationality is based on being concerned about the current social changes in China, understanding the past greatness and current degeneration of this nation, and the lonely people who are engaged in the great cause of national rejuvenation. This work may only give them a little nostalgic feeling, or it may only give them a bitter smile, or it may give them a nightmare, but at the same time, maybe it may also give them a kind of courage and confidence!

According to the current trend, literary theorists, critics and most readers can easily arouse unpleasant feelings towards this kind of work...

My book is not It is written for the majority of people: people who have read three or five Western-style books on literary theory and literary criticism, or have also read a large number of classic and modern world masterpieces. Their life experience often does not allow them to In addition to being "erudite", I also know a little bit about another thing in another place in China...

Therefore, even if this work is consistent with a certain literary theory, critics will praise it in various ways. This kind of criticism still inevitably becomes an insult to the author. Since they don't want to understand the true love, hate and sorrow of this nation, they cannot explain the gains and losses of this work - this book is not written for them...

My book is only intended for some "I have left school, or have never been able to get close to school. I still know some Chinese characters. I am in a position that cannot be achieved by literary theory, literary criticism, and lying and spreading news. I live in that society and care deeply about it." People can look at all the advantages and disadvantages of the entire nation in space and time.

I will describe the worries of some small people in the changes as this nation is led by history towards an unknown destiny, as well as the "survive" and "how to survive" caused by insufficient nutrition. "concepts and desires to make a simple narrative. My readers should be rational, and this rationality is based on being concerned about the current social changes in China, understanding the past greatness and current degeneration of this nation, and the lonely people who are engaged in the great cause of national rejuvenation.

This work may only give them a little nostalgic feeling, or it may only give them a bitter smile, or it may give them a nightmare, but at the same time, maybe it may also give them a kind of courage and confidence!

Can you feel his temper when he wrote this preface?

This is Mr. Shen Congwen.

As we all know, Mr. Shen Congwen later stopped writing novels and specialized in research on ancient Chinese costumes.

In 1978, Mr. Shen Congwen went to the University of Iowa to give a lecture on ancient Chinese costumes.

Finally, I said: I don’t understand the political situation, I only understand a little bit. Fortunately, I only understand a little bit, so I can still stand here today.

He was nearly eighty years old at that time