Among the many schools of modernist literature, there is one called "Imagism", whose representative and name is none other than Ezra Pound.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a group of European and American poets, influenced by Japanese haiku, began to focus on poetic intention. Later, they discovered that Japanese haiku originated from Chinese metrical poetry, and then studied ancient Chinese poetry, thus forming the so-called "
"Imagist Poetry".
Especially Ezra Pound. This gentleman's love for Chinese literature has gone so far that he seems to be worshiping Chinese characters. He believes that Chinese poetry and Chinese characters are full of magic, so much so that in his long poems
"Chapter" contains Chinese characters in many places to express some mysterious meaning.
You may have seen poetry like this. In a certain Chinese vernacular poem, a few English words suddenly pop up, as if this can show a noble character. Pound's poetry is just the opposite. In a bunch of English or Italian verses,
A few Chinese characters suddenly popped up, leaving Western readers confused.
"Oh, Zhou, I finally see you!" Pang opened his arms and walked carelessly.
This guy looks very devilish in appearance, with a slender face, an aquiline nose, a pair of baggy trousers on the lower body, and a shirt and sweater on the upper body. His hair and beard are gray, and the roots are messy and erected, as if his whole body is filled with static electricity, and he looks like he has just left a mental hospital.
Ran out of there.
Zhou Hexuan hugged Pound and said with a smile: "Mr. Pound, I have long admired you!"
I have really admired his name for a long time. According to Pound's contribution to modern literature, it is more than enough to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Unfortunately, he was a die-hard fan of Mussolini. After the end of World War II, he was classified as "treason" by the United States and was admitted to a mental hospital.
He just escaped from prison, so he naturally missed the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Pound was a student of Yeats, a classmate of Eliot, and a teacher of Hemingway, and all three of them were Nobel Prize winners in literature.
Zhou Hexuan introduced: "This is Mr. Kong Xiangxi, Minister of Finance of China, and Mr. Chen Shaokuan, Minister of Navy of China!"
"Hello Mr. Kong!"
"Hello Mr. Chen!"
Pound spoke English.
Kong Xiangxi and Chen Shaokuan also greeted each other in English, but Chen Shaokuan spoke pure British English, while Kong Xiangxi spoke Shanxi Taigu American English. Anyway, Kong Xiangxi’s English can be understood, at least better than that of India.
English and Japanese English are better.
"Sit down, everyone, please take a seat," Mussolini greeted warmly and said with a smile, "Hahahaha, Mr. Pound is very knowledgeable about Chinese culture. He is very happy to discuss literature with friends from China."
"I am also very honored that a Western writer like Mr. Pound can love and study Chinese culture." Kong Xiangxi smiled broadly when he spoke, but he was actually speechless. He came to Italy to seek a loan, but Mussolini insisted on borrowing money.
Let’s talk about literature with him, and talk about ridiculous literature.
In fact, Mussolini did not want to negotiate a loan with China, and Chang Kaishen had completely offended him. Because Italy brazenly invaded Ethiopia, China was imposing diplomatic sanctions on Italy at this time.
You heard it right!
At this time, China was imposing diplomatic sanctions on Italy.
At the beginning of the establishment of the Nanjing National Government, China and Italy had a long honeymoon period. Italy was the first country in Europe to upgrade its diplomatic relations with China to the ambassadorial level. At that time, Mussolini spoke to the Chinese Ambassador to Italy Liu Wendao
Said: "The country that best represents Asian culture is your country, and the country that best represents European culture is our country. Therefore, it is natural for the two countries to be upgraded!"
At first, Mussolini canceled more than 26 million taels of money with a wave of his hand, saying that Italy did not want the money. Chiang Kai-shek was so excited that he burst into tears and wrote a passionate letter to Mussolini with his own hand.
Thank you letter.
Mussolini also supported the construction of the Chinese Air Force. Chiang Kai-shek once sent 250 Chinese officers to Italy to study. Because Mussolini liked black clothes and black trousers, Chiang Kai-shek required all Chinese pilots to flatter Mussolini.
They all wore black clothes and black trousers, and ordered that Mussolini's portrait be hung in all classrooms of the Air Force Academy.
At that time, the relationship between China and Italy was even closer than that between China and Germany, until Chiang Kai-shek announced sanctions against Italy...
The purpose of imposing sanctions on Italy was naturally to please Britain and the United States. Chiang Kai-shek did not dare to offend Mussolini. It was not until Italy had eaten up Ethiopia that China officially passed the sanctions against Italy. It would not offend both sides, as it was done for the League of Nations.
Explain and save face for Italy.
But Mussolini's nose was so angry that he scolded Chang Kaishen for not being an honest man. He also called the ambassador to Italy Liu Wendao and cursed him: "I have spent so much money to train your Chinese air force, why do I still need it?"
Sanction me? China is so ungrateful!"
Liu Wendao quickly explained: "The Chairman's move is to prevent the League of Nations from recognizing the status of the puppet Manchukuo and Japan's invasion of China."
Mussolini immediately slapped the table: "You idiot, the League of Nations has sold you to Japan at a low price. Think about it, why does this bullshit League of Nations only sanction Italy and not Japan for occupying Northeast China?"
As a result, the diplomatic relations between China and Italy turned from closeness to alienation.
Kong Xiangxi came to Italy to ask for a loan this time. It was just a hot-faced attempt to stick up to someone else's cold butt. If he could get even a penny, he would be considered a great person. Because Mussolini was a very face-loving person, and he would say anything to give him face.
He even does business at a loss. If you don’t give him face, haha!
At this moment, Mussolini was sitting on the sofa in his study with a big cigar in his mouth, intentionally or unintentionally showing off the many celebrity poetry collections on his desk.
Collections of poems are different from collections of poems. For example, Mussolini admired Gabriel D'Annunzio and tended to realism and aestheticism. This represents a kind of poetry taste. Mussolini thought that the poetry taste he liked was
It should be the most awesome taste, so he wants all visitors to know this.
In fact, Mussolini's literary tastes were separate. He claimed that he loved passionate, fighting, and realistic poetry, but the poems he wrote were full of lonely petty bourgeoisie sentiment, 200%
The taste of literary youth.
In Mussolini's study, the entire wall is covered with books. It seems that he has more books than the German head of state Hitler. But there are differences. Hitler's collection of books is diverse, ranging from biographies to witchcraft and health care. Mussolini's collection of books is diverse.
Ni obviously prefers pure literature and ideological theory, and most of his books are philosophy, literature and theoretical books.
This may be the difference between the two men. They were both playing Nazi dictatorship. Hitler directly declared literature illegal and equated literature and politics. Mussolini, on the other hand, although he also persecuted some writers and artists, was generally biased towards
Yu Song, as long as you don't trouble him by writing articles, Mussolini still supports literary creation and exploration.
Putting the cigar on the ashtray, Mussolini, who had a big face and a sturdy body, suddenly stood up and recited the poems of his teacher, the famous Italian poet D'Annunzio. He used an affectionate and ups and downs tone, with his eyes slightly closed.
He read: "The breeze flaps its wings and writes blurred words on the soft sand. The breeze whispers low and earnest words to the white river embankment, and the gentle autumn waves convey..."
"good!"
When the recitation of an Italian poem ended, Kong Xiangxi clapped his hands and applauded loudly.
Zhou Hexuan also clapped along, applauding sincerely, because Mussolini's recitation was really good. If this guy didn't play politics and became a poetry reciter, he could probably make a living.
Pound commented: "Mr. D'Annunzio's "Summer Ballad" is like an oil painting depicting summer, with beautiful imagery. In my opinion, the most important thing about poetry is imagery. This is the point of Chinese poetry.
They did an especially good job. Can three friends from China recite Chinese poetry in Chinese? It’s not modern poetry, it’s ancient poetry.”
Zhou Hexuan said with a smile: "Mr. Kong is a descendant of Confucius and a heirloom of poetry and etiquette. Please write one."
"I'll forget it. I won't do anything for you." Kong Xiangxi waved his hand and refused.
Mussolini laughed loudly: "Just you come, just you come, don't refuse!"
"Then let me... play one?"
Kong Xiangxi stood up and recited in Taigu accent of Shanxi: "When the half-acre square pond is opened, the skylight and cloud shadows linger together. How clear is the canal? It has a source of living water."
Pound immediately said: "I know this poem is Zhu Xi's "Looking at the Book and Feelings", but it sounds a little different."
"Who did you listen to read it before?" Zhou Hexuan asked.
"A Japanese poet," Pound said, "my Chinese is not very good and I only know some simple Chinese characters. All my knowledge of Chinese literature comes from Japanese friends."
"Maybe it's the accent." Zhou Hexuan said with a smile.
Reading the same ancient Chinese poem with a Japanese accent and a Shanxi accent would be damned if it sounds the same.
Pound commented with a longing look on his face: "This song "Looking at the Book and Feelings" is very beautiful in imagery. The half-acre pond is opened like a mirror, and the skylight and the shadows of the clouds reflect each other. In just a dozen or so words, it outlines
It creates a beautiful picture of nature. Chinese poetry is so beautiful that it takes people’s breath away. I wish I was born in China!”
As expected of an American poet who mixes Chinese characters in his English poems, his admiration for Chinese literature has gone crazy.
But Mussolini frowned and said: "Too short, too short. Are all Chinese poems so short?"
"Chinese Chinese poetry never uses fancy rhetoric. It is concise, vivid, magnificent, accurate, and full of connotations. This is also the creative concept pursued by our Imagists." Pound quickly rectified the name of ancient Chinese poetry and said to Zhou Hexuan, "Zhou Hexuan
Sir, please recite a Chinese poem too. Let the Prime Minister appreciate it."
Zhou Hexuan thought to himself: Since you like imagery, I can recite a song "Qinyuan Spring·Snow" for you, but I'm afraid that Kong Xiangxi and the others will get angry after listening to it.
Because Zhou Hexuan often gave speeches, he practiced in private, and his level of poetry recitation also improved accordingly. He cleared his throat and recited: "If you don't see it, the water of the Yellow River comes from the sky, and it rushes to the sea and never returns. If you don't see it, the water of the Yellow River will never return. If you don't see it, the mirror in the high hall will be sad."
White hair, like blue silk in the morning, turning into snow in the evening. If you are proud of life, you must enjoy it to the fullest, and don't let the golden bottle stand in the sky... The five-flowered horse, the golden fur, the call will be exchanged for fine wine, and I will sell the eternal sorrow with you!"
Zhou Hexuan's tone was ups and downs, and his emotions were rising layer by layer. Even Kong Xiangxi felt a little excited when he heard it.
"Okay, great!"
Pound shook his head and praised: "I have heard a Japanese friend recite this Chinese poem. But his recitation is far inferior to Mr. Zhou's recitation. It is as comfortable as drinking ice water on a hot summer day!"
"The beauty of poetry transcends national boundaries. I like the recitation of this poem very much." Mussolini found it interesting. "Mr. Zhou, can you translate the meaning of the poem?"
Zhou Hexuan immediately translated the poem into Italian, and Mussolini listened with great excitement. Although his own poems were lonely and petty bourgeoisie, he particularly appreciated the open-minded, bold and passionate works. He immediately clapped his hands and said: "It's so well written.
Especially those few sentences, when you are proud of life, you should indulge in joy, don't let the wine glass be empty to the moon, God created me for sure, and I will come back even if I lose millions of property. This is the same as the way we Italians live, so I wrote this poem
The author of the poem has an Italian heart."
Mussolini liked "About the Wine" so much that he asked Zhou Hexuan to write out the entire poem and annotate the Chinese verses in Italian.
Seeing this situation, Kong Xiangxi immediately took the initiative to join in, using ancient Chinese poems in various ways to please Mussolini, hoping that the other party would agree to the loan in a hurry. It must be said that although Kong Xiangxi looked like a pig, he still had a lot of heart in his belly.
It's really good, and his ancient writing skills are very strong.
It's a pity that although Mussolini was happy, he didn't mention the loan and made all sorts of hilarious detours to avoid it.
Until leaving Mussolini's study, Pondela stayed with Zhou Hexuan and whispered: "Zhou, I want to learn Chinese and translate ancient Chinese works. Can you help?"
"Of course." Zhou Hexuan smiled.
Pound is still very famous in the West, and his translation of ancient Chinese classics is of great benefit to the spread of Chinese culture.
