The story of Lu Xun and Lin Yutang

Nine times out of ten, life is unhappy.

While The Analects of Confucius was a great success, there was a rift in the revolutionary friendship between Lin Yutang and Lu Xun in recent ten years.

During the silk period, a mighty dog-beating movement pushed Lin Yutang, a teenager, under the command of Lu Xun, a literary leader.

The two galloped in the fence and beat the dogs in the ancient capital to the ground. Then there is the mutual support to Xiamen. Lin Yutang and Lu Xun forged deep feelings in the eventful years of pen fighting.

However, half a year in Wuhan completely destroyed Lin Yutang's thinking.

Officialdom is like a battlefield. He doesn't want to believe any more politics and lies. He is "tired of the revolution". These are man-eating sphinxes, which will devour all living things.

He just wants to be a good person and distinguish beauty, ugliness, goodness and evil with a childlike innocence. He said:

I haven't dreamed of Duke Zhou for a long time. Probably because my thoughts are getting more and more intense, my life is getting more and more stable, and I always get up my courage and am full of enthusiasm for education, the party and the country. I don't know whether I am not enthusiastic about the education of the party and the country or I am not enthusiastic, so I don't have to worry about this now. Once upon a time, I did join the Wuhan National Government and saw with my own eyes a government that is not corrupt, does not love money, does not deceive people, and does not talk empty words. Suddenly, it's almost there. Until now, Conan's dream is still Conan's dream. Later, there was another revolution, and I was enthusiastic and dreamt again, but the dream at this time probably won't last long, and I will wake up when I am having fun. When the revolution was successful, I couldn't even dream about it. At this time, my dream disappeared and I always slept until dawn every night. This is probably because of a person's age. The older you get, the less you dream. Life is always the road from idealism to realism. As the saying goes, women love money, girls love beauty, money is realism and beauty is idealism. This is all because the relationship between the old and the young is different.

After coming to Shanghai, Lin Yutang talked about humor, showed his leisure spirit and expressed his dissatisfaction in twists and turns. Lu Xun also came frustrated, but chose to face the bleak life directly, using literature as a "dagger" and "spear" to stab the enemy.

Lin Yutang and Lu Xun each have a pen, but in different directions.

Differentiation begins with a small matter.

Lu Xun and Li Xiaofeng, the owner of Beixin Bookstore, have a royalty lawsuit, and Yu Dafu is a "peacemaker". After mediation, Li Xiaofeng put wine for dinner in Nanyunlou. In order to enliven the atmosphere, in addition to the party, Lin Yutang and his wife and other literary friends were invited.

Lin Yutang loves to talk, but his interpersonal relationship is extremely chaotic. In response to this kind of dinner, Cui Feng repeatedly reminded: "Tang, talk less in the future." Lin Yutang doesn't understand. He feels that everyone knows the root of the matter, so he should not be cautious. Besides, since he sat down to eat, even if there was a war, it was friendship. He eats calmly.

Li Xiaofeng has a lot of finesse. After a few jokes, they let go of their arms and the topic became farther and farther. Suddenly someone mentioned Zhang Yousong's name, and Yutang nodded without elaborating on the cause and effect of the previous situation.

Now I'm shooting.

Zhang Yousong, a student of Lu Xun, once invited Lu Xun and Lin Yutang to dinner, saying that he would also run a bookstore, taking Li Xiaofeng as a warning and never defaulting on the author's salary. Lu Xun was worried about not getting along well with his brother and disagreed. But this word reached the ears of Li Xiaofeng, and Li Xiaofeng was very unhappy at that time. Later, Lu Xun wanted to take him to court. Li Xiaofeng instinctively felt that Zhang Yousong was playing tricks on him and attacked Zhang Yousong behind his back several times.

Lu Xun is very taboo about this matter. After hearing this, Yutang suspected that something was wrong. He laughed at himself because he was provoked by Zhang Yousong, and suddenly turned blue. He stood up from his seat and shouted, "I want to declare! I want to declare! " At that time, Lu Xun was already a little drunk. He patted the table and said, "Yutang, what are you talking about! My lawsuit with Beixin is none of Zhang Yousong's business! "

Yutang stood up and argued, "You are nervous, I didn't mean that!"

The more they talk, the angrier they get. Like a pair of cocks, you stare at me and I stare at you. Two minutes. That's right.

Yu Dafu saw that the situation was wrong and quickly stepped forward. He pressed Lu Xun with one hand and pulled Lin Yutang and Liao Cuifeng away quickly with the other.

The banquet broke up in discord.

This is the smallest thing. According to Yu Dafu, it is "confrontation caused by misunderstanding", but it is a warning. The friendship between Lin Yutang and Lu Xun is red.

Soon, Lin Yutang began to study the Analects of Confucius and became a "master of humor". Lu Xun can't understand. He thinks there is no humor in the struggle between blood and fire. "As long as I am alive, I will pick up my pen and return their pistols."

Although there are ideological differences, in private, the two still have the opportunity to meet frequently.

Li Liewen, editor of Free Talk, once sent Yu Dafu and Wang Yingxia to the "Wind and Rain Cottage" in Hangzhou. Yu Dafu is a charming figure, and Wang Yingxia, who is known as the first beauty in the south of the Yangtze River, is known as the "fairy couple on Fuchun River". This time, Yu Dafu said that he moved to Hangzhou to avoid others' pursuit of Wang Yingxia.

Helpless, the "storm cabin" did not cover the storm, and the two fell in love with each other and broke up with each other.

Lin Yutang and Liao Cuifeng came last. As soon as he sat down, Yutang smiled and asked Lu Xun, "Did Mr. Zhou use another pen name?"

Lu Xun's articles are often shot by news censorship. In order to save unnecessary trouble, he had to keep changing his pen name. He has used about 150 pen names, but the articles signed by Lu Xun are rare. Lin Yutang and others all know this, and often take pleasure in guessing what new aliases Lu Xun has recently.

"Why did you see it?" Lu Xun asked.

"I think there is a' Xu Maoyong' recently, and it is also you." Language hall said confidently.

Lu Xun smiled. He pointed to a young man in his early twenties and said, "You didn't guess right this time. Look, Xu Maoyong's body is here. " At that time, Xu Maoyong was young and came to Shanghai soon, and his writing was spicy and sophisticated, a bit like Lu Xun. The young man got up shyly and greeted Yutang.

Everyone burst into laughter when they saw that the humorous master was removed on the spot. Yutang lit his pipe and smiled happily.

After dinner, everyone began to smoke in unison, and for a time, the smoke filled the air.

Language hall or two cigarettes, Cui Feng forced him to quit, he quit several times without success, so he let himself go. Looking at everyone smoking, the lights in the language hall flashed and there it was!

"Mr. Zhou, how many cigarettes do you smoke every day?" He asked Lu Xun cheerfully.

"Probably a lot, not counting."

Language hall a face of excitement, is preparing to ask questions.

"Are you looking for the material of The Analects?" Lu Xun's tone suddenly turned cold.

Yutang published My Quitting Smoking in the latest issue of The Analects of Confucius. Lu Xun publicly criticized Yutang for making a fuss about life details such as smoking and quitting smoking, but he hit back. China today is not suitable for this kind of western humor.

"I'm going to broadcast!" Yutang didn't pay attention to the change of Lu Xun's tone and answered honestly.

"Actually, it's boring," Lu Xun said rudely. "Squeezing out two sentences of humor every month is not humorous at all. How can publishing be done well! "

The Analects of Confucius is like a child in a language hall, and it is quite proud of it. Such a big pot of cold water poured down at once, and he was so angry that he forgot to explain it.

Everyone else stopped talking. The noisy room suddenly quieted down and the atmosphere was horribly tense.

Li Liewen saw this, hurriedly interrupted, "Damien duff, you go to Hangzhou this time, don't know when to come back? Come on, here's to you! "

They hurriedly raised their glasses and rushed to propose a toast to Yu Dafu. Yu Dafu also intends to ease the atmosphere, sipping a cup and drinking happily. Wang Yingxia can't stand it, and he speaks. "Damien duff has been in poor health recently. He can't drink according to the doctor's advice! "

Someone joked, "Is this an order from the wife or a doctor?"

The joke came at the right time, and everyone laughed. The explosive tension was stirred by alcohol and finally calmed down.

The two ladies present, Mrs. Lin and Mrs. Yu, lost no time to exchange their experiences in managing housework, and the atmosphere became relaxed.

Lin Yutang returned to normal, talking nonsense. He talked about medieval Europe, where nobles and knights locked women's lower parts with iron "chastity belts" before going out to war. He also talked about Yong Zhengdi's wedding with Manchu, and everyone was overwhelmed with quips.

Before he left, Li Lie told us the real purpose of the dinner party, that is, to invite literary experts to write more articles and chat for free next year. Lu Xun, who has always been serious, made a joke: "If you can write a swearing manuscript, I will write it every day!"

"Who are you cursing?"

"There's a lot to scold!"

"How to scold?"

"There are also many swearing people."

"Lu Xun is not bad after all."

There was another burst of laughter.

Wang Yingxia also joined in the fun. "Although Mr. Zhou can swear, he can't beat his son!"

Zhou Haiying is less than five years old.

Lin Yutang forgot his previous embarrassment and took it over: "Lu Xun's son will never be loyal."

Because it was about children, Lu Xun was not angry. He smiled and said, "Yes, my children scold me, too. Once, he asked sternly,' Dad! Why don't you sleep at night? I'm sleepy during the day!' Another time, he came to ask me; Dad, when will you die? It means that all books can belong to him after I die; When he was most dissatisfied, he criticized me:' What kind of father is this? I really can't handle him. "

Another misunderstanding.

At the end of 1932, Cai Yuanpei and Soong Ching Ling felt a series of political events, such as foreigners' hunger strike and Chen Duxiu's arrest, and established the League for the Protection of Civil Rights in China, dedicated to rescuing cultural celebrities who were persecuted by politics and striving for freedom of speech, publication and assembly.

Lin Yutang is Cai Yuanpei's English secretary, and Soong Ching Ling is his admirer. Naturally, he is the director of propaganda, and the fourth person after Cai, Song. Lin Yutang once said, "Never be a politician", but NLD is only a non-governmental organization, and it is a matter of saving lives, which does not conflict with his purpose. His robber heart was revived, and he devoted himself to the daily work of NLD with great enthusiasm. He picked up a pen and satirized Chinese and foreign fascists and even Hitler.

Hu Shi, president of NLD Beiping Branch, issued a document against the demand of "releasing all political prisoners". Lin Yutang believed that he violated the articles of association of NLD and resolutely agreed to expel his membership regardless of his personal friendship with Hu Shi.

Lu Xun is also an activist of NLD. Two comrades stand side by side and fight for humanity and justice.

Due to the international influence of Cai Yuanpei and Soong Ching Ling, the work of NLD has attracted worldwide attention. Foreign journalists are present at every meeting. Lin Yutang speaks English and Lu Xun speaks German, which is NLD's eyes and ears to the world.

After Chiang Kai-shek's counter-revolutionary coup, he increased his control over the cultural field. The activities of NLD made Nanjing authorities very angry and wanted to get rid of it secretly. Cai Yuanpei and Soong Ching Ling have a high reputation in the world. Killing them was too unstable, so they chose to go to Yang Xingfo to kill chickens for the monkeys.

1933 June 18, Yang Xingfo just drove out of the gate of Academia Sinica, and several dull gunshots rang out. Yang Xingfo immediately threw himself on the boy beside him, was shot several times in the back and died on the spot. The French Concession to which the Institute belongs expressly forbids political assassination, and the Nanjing government dares to do it here, which shows their determination to suppress NLD.

When the tragedy came out, the world was shocked, and all public opinion was inclined to the alliance side. A government that can kill people doesn't care about this. The Secret Service "Blue Shirt Club" sent word that they have a list of 50 or 60 people in hit list, and the main leaders of NLD are all on the list. The air in Shanghai suddenly became tense, and everyone was afraid of getting involved in NLD.

Soong Ching Ling pointed out to reporters that Yang Xingfo's assassination was a planned political assassination, and his death would not affect the development of NLD. But in fact, NLD was forced to stop all activities.

Lin Yutang, as the propaganda director of NLD, suffered a heavy blow. Every day, plain clothes with guns hang around the Lins' door. As long as he takes one step outside the door, someone will make trouble. Liao Cuifeng is restless all the time, and Lin Yutang will only breathe a sigh of relief when he enters the room. This situation lasted for two weeks.

After the access control is lifted, Yutang will continue to work in Academia Sinica. But his heart did get stuck. Every time he passed the place where Yang Xingfo was killed, he couldn't bear to pass. Lin Yutang and Yang Xingfo are both English editors of Academia Sinica. They are greedy for leisure and always put specific tasks on Yang Xingfo. Yang is also a good book with quick reading. He often writes letters while chatting with Yutang, and he can actually write many excellent works. Every time I think about this, Lin Yutang can only clap his chest hard and can't say a word.

A month later, Lin Yutang wrote "Talking about Women", claiming that "I just want to sweep the snow, regardless of the frost on the fucking tile" and "We are going to talk about women!"

Of course, this is only a temporary anger. He sulked his heart for months, and finally he couldn't help it. This is the famous "On Political Diseases", and he wrote ironically every word:

Officials don't eat breakfast, two lunches and three or four dinners. There are about 14 lunches and 24 dinners per week on average. Knowing this, we can understand why liver disease, stomach disease and kidney disease are so popular in officialdom. So it is not surprising that politicians eat less and have poor digestion. I believe that all bureaucrats are greedy; It should be the essence of dealing with state affairs, and it has all been moved to digest bird's nest and shark's fin, fat duck and braised chicken. In my opinion, unless someone is willing to follow in the footsteps of Huang Boqiao and Feng Yuxiang, politicians in China will never have the spirit to handle state affairs. I still don't believe that a bureaucrat with stagnant diet and indigestion can have the enthusiasm to save the country and the people. No wonder they live that life, and their livers and stomachs can't change. I just want to persuade them to know a little health knowledge and remind them that kidney fatigue is not conducive to refreshing their minds.

Not a word in this article is about Yang Xingfo, but readers can see the dissolute, shameless and ugly side of the Nanjing government. Who won't lament how innocent Yang's death is? This can be said to be a unique tribute to Yang Xingfo.

Lin Yutang was heartbroken at the death of his best friend, and what was even sadder was that he and Lu Xun had misunderstood again.

On June 20th, Yang Xingfo's funeral was held. Lin Yutang is closely watched and cannot go out. Lu Xun was angry that he didn't see Yutang after he went. "At this time I can see people, Lin Yutang didn't go. In fact, what is the danger of him going to see me off! "

In fact, according to Shen Bao, Lin Yutang attended the funeral and burial ceremony held in Yang Xingfo on July 2, and risked his life. That time, Lu Xun didn't go.

Lin Yutang did not explain to Lu Xun. He thinks that there is no need to defend himself.

However, Lu Xun's impression of Lin Yutang was greatly reduced, and the rift between them widened in the inevitable direction.

1934, Lin Yutang and Kebiao Zhang disagreed, so they left the Analects in a rage and started a new life.

No one expected that this was the end of the friendship between Lin Yutang and Lu Xun.

Before Human Life, Yutang and Lu Xun had misunderstandings or differences, but they were still friends.

According to Tao, another famous scholar at that time, Yutang invited literary friends to dinner at home before the publication of "The World on Earth". Almost all the guests have arrived, except Lu Xun. Everyone knows that Yutang and Lu Xun have been having a bad time recently, and someone kindly reminded him to hurry up. Language hall gave a hand and said confidently, no, he will come. The words sound just fell and Lu Xun came in dragging rubber shoes.

Human Life follows the old way of humor in The Analects of Confucius, but adopts the public security school in the late Ming Dynasty, emphasizing "leisure" and "expressing one's own feelings". Lin Yutang said in his publication: "The universe is big, but the flies are small, hence the name of life on earth."

Arguably, with the popularity of The Analects of Confucius and the humorous master's personal operation, it is conceivable that The World on Earth became an instant hit. However, Lin Yutang's fortune in 1933 seems to have come to an end. Since its publication, the world on earth has been crumbling under the attack of people from all walks of life.

The first thing that caused an uproar was Zhou Zuoren's fifty-year poems.

Lin Yutang copied Zhou Zuoren's own birthday poems to famous cultural celebrities in order to create momentum for The World on Earth, and then asked for a peace poem, which was published in the inaugural issue of The World on Earth, accompanied by a huge photo frame photo of Zhou Zuoren. This elaborate rendering, Zhou Zuoren's poems and "The World on Earth" really caused a sensation, which was read all over the city.

Some tabloids also joined in the fun, scrambling to reprint, and singers snowballed.

Zhou Zuoren's poems are obscure and tortuous, which shows the dilemma of liberalism. After abandoning the belief and pursuit of "ism", they can't forget the cruelty of reality, so leisure is full of untold bitterness. However, most singers are mediocre in literary talent. Where can they understand the true meaning behind it? A kind of literary elegance has gradually turned into a disgusting mutual praise.

Zuo Meng didn't like Lin Yutang's advocacy of humor for a long time, and the self-birthday poem incident really made the literary and art circles vulgar, and some bloody revolutionary teenagers took the lead in rebellion. Ye Rong (Liao Mosha) wrote What the World Is, pointing to Lin Yutang's nose and scolding him. Since then, the left-wing alliance has systematically cursed. Lu Xun, the leader of the League, criticized Lin Yutang's interest and liberalism in literature, saying that humorous literature is "anesthesia literature".

Before that, the humorous sketches in The Analects offended many right-wing writers, and the right-wingers also rushed headlong into it, denouncing the bad words. Lin Yutang swore a lot in his first half of life, so he was scolded for the first time. But he's rebellious. The more others call him fierce, the more he insists. He is called "I want to spend my life in a corner".

During this period, several small things happened.

At a dinner table, several Cantonese writers spoke Cantonese with great interest, but others couldn't understand and couldn't get in a word. Lin Yutang deliberately speaks fluent English in Yang Jingbin, which means that chickens talk to ducks, which is very funny.

Unexpectedly, Lu Xun snapped, "What are you? Do you want to crush China compatriots in English? " Lin Yutang was speechless. I used to argue because I could afford it. Under the present circumstances, this is unnecessary. Some people say that he is afraid of Lu Xun; Some people say that Lin Yutang is smart and knows that he can't compete. It is better to pretend to be "generous and decent" and lose gloriously.

Lu Xun once wrote to advise Yutang not to engage in these sketches, and to read more English classics is the right way. The language hall replied, "Wait until you are old." More than a year later, Lu Xun wrote to Cao Juren and mentioned it: "At this time, I realized that my view of Yutang was morally corrupt. But I am still confident that this is a good word. I hope he is good for China, and I hope he stays in China instead of being destroyed. It's good that he can be more aggressive, but I don't think so. I will never give anyone a problem, but there is nothing else to say. " After listening, Yutang explained helplessly: "It's simply a provocation. My original intention is that my translation work will be completed in my later years. Because I was interested in translating Chinese works into English when I was in middle age. ..... Now I say I translate 40 Chinese and 50 English. This is the arrangement during my work. What do you mean by sarcasm that can only be translated when you are old? "

A clear literary stand and repeated misunderstandings made Lu Xun no longer regard Lin Yutang as a friend.

Xu is preparing a wedding banquet in Shanghai Daguanlou. Lu Xun came late. Seeing Lin Yutang and his wife present, they left without saying anything. And his article "the cruelty of nature" contains only three sentences:

Mr. Gu Hongming praised Xiao Jiao;

Mr. Zheng talks about kingliness;

Mr. Lin Yutang talks about spiritual essence.

Gu Hongming was a veteran of the former Qing Dynasty, and Zheng was the prime minister of the Puppet Manchukuo. Comparing Lin Yutang with them, Lu Xun's disdain can be imagined.

Two years later, Lin Yutang went to America, and they never met again.

19361June19th, Lu Xun died of tuberculosis. Four days later, Lin Yutang wrote the following words:

Lu Xun and I got together twice, and the two alienated people, that is, their separation came from nature, not because there was a porch between Lu Xun and me. I always respect Lu Xun; Lu Xun cares about me, I like to know each other, and I have no regrets about Lu Xun abandoning me. Generally speaking, what you see is the same as what you see, but it is a trace of separation, and there is nothing selfless.