Lu Ji
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New Life in the Void: Poet Lu Ji on the Art of Writing
Lu Ji was a prolific writer in early China (261-303) whose best known work is The Art of Writing (originally Wen Fu, also translated as Essay on Literature), an essay of literary criticism composed of both poetry and prose. But calling it literary criticism doesn’t do it justice. It’s a collection of eleven poems on what it means to write, to read, and to put your faith in the power of the written word, whether by long-gone ancestors or future generations. Lu writes in the preface: “Through my own efforts I know how hard it is to write, since I always worry that my ideas fail to express their subject and my words are even further removed from their insufficient ideas. The problem is easy to understand; the solution is more difficult.” I don’t think Lu finds the solution (has anyone?), but he faces the difficulty and seeks out answers in these eleven poems. The Impulse In “The Impulse,” reading the classics inspires the poet to write. It begins with a beautiful description of the poet’s position: A poet stands between heaven and earth And watches the dark mystery. And continues with the source of his inspiration: I roam the classics through a forest of treasures And love their elegant balance of style and substance. Inspired, I lay down the book I was reading And let words pour out from my brush. Meditation A wonderfully metaphysical description of what it’s like to write something that feels as though it’s been waiting for you to find the words: Sometimes words come hard, they resist me till I pluck them from deep water like hooked fish; sometimes they are birds soaring out of a cloud that fall right into place, shot with arrows, and I harvest lines neglected for a hundred generations, rhymes underheard for a thousand years. I won’t touch a flower already in morning bloom but quicken the unopened evening buds. In a blink I see today and the past, put out my hand and touch all the seas. Process On continuing to work at it even when you may not feel like you’re making progress: Some words belong together and other don’t join, like jagged teeth, but when you’re clear and calm your spirit finds true words. With heaven and earth contained in your head Nothing escapes the pen in your hand. … It’s hard to get started at first, painful like talking with cracked lips, but words will flow with ink in the end. The Joy of Words On the beauty of being able to create something from nothing: A writer makes new life in the void, knocks on silence to make a sound, binds space and time on a sheet of silk and pours out a river from an inch-sized heart. You can read the whole of “The Joy of Words” on Instagram here. Inspiration The poem “Inspiration” is about the “traffic laws on writing’s path,” describing what it is like to be possessed with the urge to write and the knowledge, for once, of what to write about: When instinct is swift as a horse no tangle of thoughts will hold it back: a thought wind rises in your chest, a river of words pours out from your mouth, and so many burgeoning leaves sprout on the silk from your brush, that colors brim out of your eyes and music echoes in your ears. Writer’s Block Lu describes that dreaded condition as when “the will travels but the spirit stays put.” His solution? You must excavate your own soul, search yourself until your spirit is refreshed. It’s not so easy, however: The mind gets darker and darker and you must pull ideas like silk from their cocoon. But perhaps the work will pay off: Sometimes you labor hard and build regrets then dash off a flawless gem. That impossible flawless gem! But the appearance of the gem, never mind the defeat of writer’s block, is inexplicable: Though this thing comes out of me, I can’t master it with strength. I often stroke my empty chest and sigh: what blocks and what opens this road? The Power of a Poem In the last poem of the essay, Lu takes the long view, looking behind him at the work of his ancestors and looking ahead to the work of those who were and are still to come, and showing his faith in what literature can accomplish. The function of literature is to express the nature of nature. It can’t be barred as it travels space and boats across one hundred million years. Gazing to the fore, I leave models for people to come; looking aft, I learn from my ancestors. It can save teetering governments and weak armies; it gives voice to the dying wind of human virtue. No matter how far, this road will take you there; it will express the subtlest point. It waters the heart like clouds and rain, and shifts form like a changeable spirit. Inscribed on metal and stone, it spreads virtue. Flowing with pipes and strings, each day the poem is new.
A scholar who digs up Shanghai’s ‘roots’
By Lu Feiran YIN Jun, now in his 60s, is a walking encyclopedia of suburban Shanghai’s Songjiang District. A nearly lifelong resident, he has written several books about the district’s history and culture. His latest, which is about the origins of place names in Songjiang, will be on the shelves soon. Yin, deputy director of the Seminar on Songjiang Historical and Cultural Studies, looks at the district as an endless cultural treasure trove. His latest book, “The View of Huating,” takes readers to the very beginning of the history, exploring how towns and villages got their names and how those names reflected the people who lived there. Huating is the ancient name of Songjiang and therein lies a tale. The area was originally named in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) after Lu Xun, the marquis of Huating during the Three Kingdoms Period (AD 220-280). The name was changed to Songjiang in 1278, after the Wusong River which flowed in the area. In 1912, it reverted back to Huating, but that was discarded three years later because it was the same name as a county in Gansu Province. So it became Songjiang once again. “Songjiang is sometimes called the ‘root of Shanghai’ because it was the origin of the city, both administratively and culturally,” Yin says. “That’s why I believe it is interesting to trace how the culture evolved through place names.” The Guangfulin archeology and relics site in the district, part of which opened to the public just recently, is another highlight of the book. In 1999, excavation on the Guangfulin site began, about half a century after the first relics were found. Yin was responsible for coordinating the work of the archeologists and local government officials. Visiting the dig every day, he developed a sense of what he called “history without words.” Yin explains in the book why the relics site, which dates back 4,000 years, is called the “root of Shanghai” and why the culture it revealed is so important to the city. “Before the Guangfulin culture was discovered, there was a gap in historical knowledge of the Yangtze River Delta region,” he explains. “The discovery of the culture not only bridged that gap but also showed the very first cultural fusion in Chinese history.” The relics unearthed in Guangfulin, including pottery, bone ware and stone farming tools, show characteristics of northern and southeastern China, such as today’s Henan and Fujian provinces. “It means that even during very ancient times, Songjiang, as well as Shanghai, was a place where different cultures blended,” Yin says. “This is fascinating to me, and I want to share it with my readers.” Yin’s personal journey through Songjiang was long and winding. His family moved to the district when he was in middle school. His father served in the navy, and the family moved around a lot when he was a child. The family lived in a lane called Mojialong. It might have been just another temporary stepping stone in his life, but he never really left, at least in spirit. “We children enjoyed many lane games in Mojialong, and that was my first impression of Songjiang,” he says. “I loved the culture of the area. After graduation, I went to a rural area of the district, like many young people did at that time. Then I joined the army. And when I retired, I was designated to work in the district again. That rounded out my presence in the district.” In the 1980s, Yin worked in research on the history of the Communist Party of China in the district. That brought him in contact with a great amount of historical material. He didn’t resume his research of the area until 1990, when he transferred to the Songjiang District Bureau of Culture. Yin remembers a visit to calligraphy and painting master Cheng Shifa (1920-2007), which opened his eyes to the richness of the place where he had grown up. “Cheng lived in Mojialong when he was young,” Yin says. “He told me a story about Yao Wanchu (1892-1954), another writer living in Songjiang. When Yao was very sick in the hospital, Cheng went to see him, and Yao said ‘I was there when you were born in Mojialong, and now you are here to pay me a last visit. I think we can be friends in life and death.’ The story made me think that this is a place full of human connections, and I wanted to know more.” Reading and research led Yin to write the book “Culture of Songjiang,” a collection of short stories about famous people of the district. In another book, “Jade of Xiaokunshan Town,” he focused on Lu Ji (AD 261-303) and Lu Yun (AD 262-303), the two most significant cultural figures in Songjiang’s history. The Lu brothers were writers and artists who were popular throughout China. Lu Ji was the earliest calligrapher in Chinese history to leave a mark in contemporary times. His work “Pingfutie” is considered one of the most precious artistic treasures of the country. “People might think there is nothing new to tell about the famous brothers, but I didn’t think so,” Yin says. “I tried to write their stories in the style of a documentary so that readers could meet them through accessible stories.” Yin says he has never ceased to be amazed and humbled by the land of Songjiang and the culture it nurtured. “The cultural masters in the history of the district are treasures to me,” he says. “I think we should respect what they bequeathed us, and that’s what I want to convey through my books.”
A scholar who digs up Shanghai’s ‘roots’
By Lu Feiran YIN Jun, now in his 60s, is a walking encyclopedia of suburban Shanghai’s Songjiang District. A nearly lifelong resident, he has written several books about the district’s history and culture. His latest, which is about the origins of place names in Songjiang, will be on the shelves soon. Yin, deputy director of the Seminar on Songjiang Historical and Cultural Studies, looks at the district as an endless cultural treasure trove. His latest book, “The View of Huating,” takes readers to the very beginning of the history, exploring how towns and villages got their names and how those names reflected the people who lived there. Huating is the ancient name of Songjiang and therein lies a tale. The area was originally named in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) after Lu Xun, the marquis of Huating during the Three Kingdoms Period (AD 220-280). The name was changed to Songjiang in 1278, after the Wusong River which flowed in the area. In 1912, it reverted back to Huating, but that was discarded three years later because it was the same name as a county in Gansu Province. So it became Songjiang once again. “Songjiang is sometimes called the ‘root of Shanghai’ because it was the origin of the city, both administratively and culturally,” Yin says. “That’s why I believe it is interesting to trace how the culture evolved through place names.” The Guangfulin archeology and relics site in the district, part of which opened to the public just recently, is another highlight of the book. In 1999, excavation on the Guangfulin site began, about half a century after the first relics were found. Yin was responsible for coordinating the work of the archeologists and local government officials. Visiting the dig every day, he developed a sense of what he called “history without words.” Yin explains in the book why the relics site, which dates back 4,000 years, is called the “root of Shanghai” and why the culture it revealed is so important to the city. “Before the Guangfulin culture was discovered, there was a gap in historical knowledge of the Yangtze River Delta region,” he explains. “The discovery of the culture not only bridged that gap but also showed the very first cultural fusion in Chinese history.” The relics unearthed in Guangfulin, including pottery, bone ware and stone farming tools, show characteristics of northern and southeastern China, such as today’s Henan and Fujian provinces. “It means that even during very ancient times, Songjiang, as well as Shanghai, was a place where different cultures blended,” Yin says. “This is fascinating to me, and I want to share it with my readers.” Yin’s personal journey through Songjiang was long and winding. His family moved to the district when he was in middle school. His father served in the navy, and the family moved around a lot when he was a child. The family lived in a lane called Mojialong. It might have been just another temporary stepping stone in his life, but he never really left, at least in spirit. “We children enjoyed many lane games in Mojialong, and that was my first impression of Songjiang,” he says. “I loved the culture of the area. After graduation, I went to a rural area of the district, like many young people did at that time. Then I joined the army. And when I retired, I was designated to work in the district again. That rounded out my presence in the district.” In the 1980s, Yin worked in research on the history of the Communist Party of China in the district. That brought him in contact with a great amount of historical material. He didn’t resume his research of the area until 1990, when he transferred to the Songjiang District Bureau of Culture. Yin remembers a visit to calligraphy and painting master Cheng Shifa (1920-2007), which opened his eyes to the richness of the place where he had grown up. “Cheng lived in Mojialong when he was young,” Yin says. “He told me a story about Yao Wanchu (1892-1954), another writer living in Songjiang. When Yao was very sick in the hospital, Cheng went to see him, and Yao said ‘I was there when you were born in Mojialong, and now you are here to pay me a last visit. I think we can be friends in life and death.’ The story made me think that this is a place full of human connections, and I wanted to know more.” Reading and research led Yin to write the book “Culture of Songjiang,” a collection of short stories about famous people of the district. In another book, “Jade of Xiaokunshan Town,” he focused on Lu Ji (AD 261-303) and Lu Yun (AD 262-303), the two most significant cultural figures in Songjiang’s history. The Lu brothers were writers and artists who were popular throughout China. Lu Ji was the earliest calligrapher in Chinese history to leave a mark in contemporary times. His work “Pingfutie” is considered one of the most precious artistic treasures of the country. “People might think there is nothing new to tell about the famous brothers, but I didn’t think so,” Yin says. “I tried to write their stories in the style of a documentary so that readers could meet them through accessible stories.” Yin says he has never ceased to be amazed and humbled by the land of Songjiang and the culture it nurtured. “The cultural masters in the history of the district are treasures to me,” he says. “I think we should respect what they bequeathed us, and that’s what I want to convey through my books.”
Knowledge Graph
Examples
1 From the angle of regional culture, the paper mainly discusses the relationship between Wu culture and style of LU Ji's works.
2 From the angle of regional culture, the paper mainly discusses the relationship between Wu culture and style of LU Ji's works.
3 Lu Ji was a prolific writer in early China (261-303) whose best known work is The Art of Writing (originally Wen Fu, also translated as Essay on Literature), an essay of literary criticism composed of both poetry and prose.
4 In short, for the people in the Western Jin Dynasty, Lu Ji was a rare talent with moral charms.
5 From the angle of regional culture, the paper mainly discusses the relationship between Wu culture and style of LU Ji's works.
6 Lu Ji was a prolific writer in early China (261-303) whose best known work is The Art of Writing (originally Wen Fu, also translated as Essay on Literature), an essay of literary criticism composed of both poetry and prose.
7 Lu Ji was a prolific writer in early China (261-303) whose best known work is The Art of Writing (originally Wen Fu, also translated as Essay on Literature), an essay of literary criticism composed of both poetry and prose.
8 In short, for the people in the Western Jin Dynasty, Lu Ji was a rare talent with moral charms.
9 From the angle of regional culture, the paper mainly discusses the relationship between Wu culture and style of LU Ji's works.
10 In short, for the people in the Western Jin Dynasty, Lu Ji was a rare talent with moral charms.
11 Lu Ji was a prolific writer in early China (261-303) whose best known work is The Art of Writing (originally Wen Fu, also translated as Essay on Literature), an essay of literary criticism composed of both poetry and prose.
12 In short, for the people in the Western Jin Dynasty, Lu Ji was a rare talent with moral charms.
13 From the angle of regional culture, the paper mainly discusses the relationship between Wu culture and style of LU Ji's works.
14 Lu Ji was a prolific writer in early China (261-303) whose best known work is The Art of Writing (originally Wen Fu, also translated as Essay on Literature), an essay of literary criticism composed of both poetry and prose.
15 In short, for the people in the Western Jin Dynasty, Lu Ji was a rare talent with moral charms.