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9. Xu Zhimo
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press
- Chapter
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qr Xu Zhimo Among the many Chinese literary stars in the twentieth century, Xu Zhimo (1897–1931) probably cuts the most romantic figure. Many people have heard of his turbulent love affairs and his untimely death at thirty-four. His short but remarkable life provides raw material for many ÅTU[IVLLZIUI[ Readers of modern Chinese literature, on the other hand, know him as an active proponent of pro-Western aesthetics, mostly derivative of English romantic poetry, which he translated and adapted in his own poetry and prose. Hu Shi described his life as a continuous pursuit of love, liberty, and beauty, the ideals of which are evident in his creative _WZS¹1LTMQVKQ *]\ ZMITTa \W Æa' 1[V¼\ Q\ \Z]M \PI\ [QVKM 1KIZ][ Q\ PI[ JMKWUM \PM task of human beings to make wings? And could this pair of wings actually take off, carrying as they do the weight of civilization? All of ][KIUMPMZMJaÆQOP\J]\_QTT_MZMITTaJMIJTM\WÆaJIKS'+TIUXML welded, crushed—will there ever be a day when this human-shaped bird _QTT\Z]TaM`XMZQUMV\_Q\PÆQOP\' * * * * * * * All the while, that dark spot has been getting closer and is now above my head. It turns out to be a bird-shaped machine. Suddenly, it swerves to one side and a ball of light falls downward, and bang! explodes— UaLZMIUWNÆaQVOQ[[PI\\MZMLIVLINM_KTW]L[JZWSMVQVXQMKM[IZM added to the sky.5 5 The reference of this passage is unclear. One critic interprets it as the explosion of sunspots, although on a more literal level, a description of a bombing is a UWZM TQSMTa QV\MZXZM\I\QWV 8MZPIX[ OQ^MV \PM ÆQOP\[ WN QUIOQVI\QWV QV _PQKP the author is indulging, this passage should best be taken surrealistically. The main point, at any rate, is that the author is awakened from his reverie by the sound of an explosion. ...