Diary reveals grudge between two writers 80 years ago

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-21 03:45

BEIJING: A diary manuscript from 80 years ago provides new-found evidence to the grudge between two Chinese iconic writers.

It is the manuscript of Chinese bilingual writer Lin Yutang who's nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times in the 1970s.

The diary is on a preview exhibition of the autumn auction by a Chinese auction company Guardian.

The diary manuscript (in Chinese) was written during the period between January 1929 to December 1932.

Lin wrote about his antipathy to another iconnic Chinese writer Lu Xun. The two writers used to be good friends.

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His diary in August 1929 wrote, "I had a verbal war with Lu Xun at the end of August, which is funny, and the man has already lost his mind."

Tuo Xiaotang, Senior Manager of Chinese Rare Books Department, Guardian, said he might probably refer to August 28 when he and Lu Xun both attended a banquet.

The diary gave no details of their verbal war, but Lu Xun wrote in his diary that in the evening of August 28, Lin ridiculed him when they had dinner with several other people.

The two writers had fired several wars in letter before this incident. They argued on topics such as being a good man versus being a good writer.

Lu Xun's works are famous for incisive and ironic language, while Lin was active in popularizing classical Chinese literature in the West, as well as the general Chinese attitude toward life.

Tuo Xiaotang said when the manuscript first showed up in the auction market in Shanghai 15 years ago, not many people took notice of it. Before that, it might have been safekept by certain people.

Lin Yutang was known to western readers by works such as "My Country and My People", "The Importance of Living", "Moment in Peking", etc.