China and the West

Film : Da lei yu = 大雷雨 [The storm] unter der Regie von Chen Kengran nach Ostrovsky, Aleksandr Nikolaevich. Groza. ([S.l. : s.n.], 1859).

Luo Dagang versucht vergebens die 'Conférence sur l'existentialisme' von Jean-Paul Sartre in Genève zu besuchen.

Wu, Dayuan. Jiamiu de wai ren. [L'étranger de Camus]. [ID D24258].
Er schreibt : « Dans le milieu littéraire français est née une nouvelle école dénommée 'existentialisme'. Mais celui-ci n'est pas limité au seul domaine littéraire. La musique, la peinture et la sculpture ont aussi subi son influence, et il y a même des artistes existentialistes. Dans le milieu littéraire, il y a trois écrivains représentatifs : Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir et Albert Camus. Ils sont à la fois philosophes, romanciers et dramaturges. Ils expriment leur pensée philosophique non seulement dans des oeuvres philosophiques, mais aussi dans des oeuvres romanesques et théâtrales. Parce que l'existentialisme est une philosophie de la vie, le roman et le théâtre sont donc des genres aptes à dévoiler la vie. Si l'existentialisme, selon l'explication de Sartre, est un humanisme, la nature humaine dévoilée par Camus dans L'étranger n'est donc point celle des gens normaux. La mentalité de Meursault n'est pas pareille à celle des gens 'normaux'. Il n'accepte pas la morale traditionnelle. Il ne partage pas sa conception du mal avec les gens normaux. Il vaut mieux pour nous ne pas dire que sa conception morale est juste ou fausse. Ce que nous pouvons dire, c'est que sa nature est incompréhensible pour les gens normaux. »

Wang Liaoyi unterrichtet an der Zhongshan-Universität.

[Nichol, John]. Bailun zhuan. Gao Diansen yi. [ID D26446].
Chu Chih-yu : Nichol paid more attention to Byron's achievement in literature and his treatment of the subject was in a different fashion and style from Brandes, Maurois and Trsurumi. Nichol was more objective than the non-English critics. He describes Byron from the points of view of other people. The book comments on Byron from different people and perspectives, which include Byron's contemporaries, relatives, associates, friends, and enemies, as well as later critics. Byron was presented not as a great hero or fighter but as a real human being, with strengths and weaknesses, a Romantic poet with a creative imagination and artistic limitations.

Film : Great expectations von Charles Dickens unter der Regie von David Lean mit chinesischer Synchronisation in Shanghai.
When Lean's Great expectations was shown, for example, at least four film reviews appeared in major film magazines and newspapers such as China Film, Liberation Daily und People's Daily, all arguing that the film showed the failure of the English petit-bourgeois to find happiness and wealth in a capitalist society. Viewers’ attention was purposely directed to the
'selfishness and cruelty' of the ruling class in English society and 'the public groaning in
the darkness'. Some critics even warned viewers, especially those from a 'bourgeois' educational background, that some scenes in the film might arouse their 'sentimental memories' and 'indulgence towards romantic love' ; impulses which ran counter to the 'booming socialist construction' advancing through China.

Ye, Lingfeng. Du shui sui bi [ID D27683].
Linda Pui-ling Wong : Oscar Wilde's fortune in China is closely connected with Aubrey Beardsley's. Readers may not fail to feel in his paintings the sense of decadence, which is a strange mixture of horror and beauty. Many of his works feature literary figures or episodes. Some of his contemporaries considered him obscene and improper for the public because of the naked figures in his works. Writers like Tian Han, Lu Xun, Ye Lingfeng and Zhang Wentian introduced Beardsley eagerly to the Chinese public. Tian Han had some of Beardsley's paintings reproduced in his magazine Nan guo zhou kan, either as cover designs or illustrations. Beardsley appeared to be a right model for young people because of his unusual way of painting. The naked bodies in his works were regarded as icons in themselves declaring independence from moral and social constraints.

John Dewey received the invitation to lecture in China and he decided to accept it, even though his family was concerned for his safety and health. The invitation was cancelled due to unsettling political situations.

Xiao Qian left London for Shanghai.

Ezra Pound wird 1946 wegen Landesverrats in Amerika angeklagt. Einer Verurteilung und möglichen Todesstrafe entging er, weil er von einem Gutachter für geisteskrank erklärt wurde. Die nächsten zwölf Jahre verbrachte er im St Elizabeths Hospital, einer staatlichen Heilanstalt in Washington D.C.

Xu, Chi. [On American literature. Meiguo wen xue]. [ID D29574].
"My knowledge of American literature had been very much muddled. For a good example, I did not take Mark Twain seriously at all. I thought he was but an author of children's literature, or a great humorist, at most. Recently, I have begun to see that Lincoln, Whitman, and Mark Twain constitute an ever illuminating trinity that embodies the spirit of America as nation."

Tillman Durdin ist Chef des New York Times China Bureau.

Ling Shuhua left China for London with her daughter and Vanessa Bell helped her when she arrived in England.

Waugh, Evelyn. Diary ; 30 Aug. 1946.
Waugh records a visit to Gloucester where he bought… "a charming Chinese painting £10".

Knud Lundbaek ist Research Fellow an der Yale University.

Henry Henne studiert Chinesisch bei Bernhard Karlgren in Stockholm.

Max Springweiler ist Pilot bei der Lutheran World Federation in China.

Elisabeth von Meier ist Hilfsschwester am Faber Krankenhaus in Qingdao.

Guo, Moruo. Sulian ji xing [ID D36307]. [Bericht seiner Reise nach Russland 1945].
Guo Moruo visited Vasnaya Polyana and wrote some words in the visitor's book :
"Like a pilgrim, I have come to Yasnaya Polyana to breathe the pure atmosphere left by the great wise man [Leo Tolstoy], and have here come to realize more concretely Tolstoy"s lofty personality. Although his study, bedroom, living room and books of all remain silent, they seem to tell me : 'The Master has just gone out. He is even now walking in the soods'.
All is so simple, natural, orderly and impressive. These spacious and pure surroundings are not unworthy to be Tolstoy's cradle, or the cradle of such great productions as War and peace and Anna Karenina.
All is preserved naturally. All is preserved for the people. Here in these surroundings it is easier for men to understand the greatness of the vast love of his for the peasants and for all mankind.
Unceasingly people come here to visit. If Tolstoy has consciousness, I believe it certainly makes him smile. Those lines of sadness, deeply engraved on his face, have probably already disappeared.
From far and near come the scholars, thinkers and creators of all lands. It is not for naught, for it causes them to ponder more deeply : What is the meaning of life ? How can our existence be perfected ?
But at the same time I realize more concretely the greatness of Lenin and Stalin, for it is under their leadership that this treasure of mankind has been preserved. All is for the people. They have caused this rich cultural relic to be left as a teaching, not only to their own people, but to all mankind.
For these overflowing thoughts of love for fellow countrymen and mankind, I from my heart sincerely express my gratitude."
Tolstoy's granddaughter Esenina Tolstaya, then at Yasnaya Polyana, presented Guo Moruo a book in which she wrote : 'On the happy occasion of Mr. Guo Moruo's visit to the home of Tolstoy I send love and respect to the people of China'.

Aufführung von Ye dian = The lower depths unter der Regie von Huang Zuolin in der Adaptation von Shi Tuo und Ke Ling ; nach Gorky, Maxim. Na dne. (Moscow : Aprelevskii zavod, 1902) durch die Kugan ju tuan in Shanghai.