Past Life

Zhou ZuorenJul 2022

3.7

Word count: 33K words
Chapters: 23

Summary

*Past Life* is a poetry collection containing twenty-nine pieces. It is "the fifth of the Kuyu Studio Booklets"; its language is pure and clear, calm and kindly, with a strong aesthetic quality. "The more than thirty pieces collected here are all the poems I have written. I call them poems because I feel their manner is somewhat different from my ordinary prose. I do not know what Chinese new poetry should be like, but I know that I am in any case not a poet; the word 'poetry' here is merely borrowed and used as a kind of private language of my own.

Twenty-six of them were included in the second collection of *Snow Morning*, and the seven pieces at the end are newly added; the twelfth piece, *Past Life*, was used as the title of the whole book. The sentences of these 'poems' are all prose, and the meaning in them is quite ordinary, so anyone who takes them as real poetry will certainly be disappointed; but if they are regarded as another kind of prose sketch, I believe they can express the feelings of that time, that is, past life, and are no different from the ordinary prose I wrote. For this reason, I think they can still be included in the Kuyu Studio Booklets; this is probably not merely a case of treasuring one's own worn-out broom, but as for exhibitionism, then like the countless men of letters in the world, I am afraid I have a little of it too, more or less?" — Zhou Zuoren

Editor's review

Zhou Zuoren modestly says he is "not a poet," yet with prose syntax he wrote a distinctive kind of poetry. *Past Life* collects twenty-nine pieces, mostly short, in clear and calm language; it lacks the intense lyricism common in new poetry and instead resembles a casual talk in the Kuyu Studio—light in tone, with a long aftertaste. Its value lies not in avant-garde poetics but in the ambiguity and sincerity of its genre: the author himself says these writings are "quite ordinary" in meaning, yet precisely the feeling revealed in that ordinariness forms slices of "past life." For readers familiar with Zhou Zuoren's prose, this collection is a key to understanding his view of genre—the boundary between poetry and prose sketch is deliberately blurred here. One need not expect new poetry when reading; better to treat it as lineated essays and leaf through it slowly on a quiet afternoon, the better to appreciate that "kindly" tone and restrained aesthetic.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Zhou Zuoren's prose who want to understand the boundaries of his genre
Readers who like plain, distant, unadorned modern sketches
Scholars studying the early forms of Chinese new poetry and the generic relation between prose and poetry
Ordinary readers who want to experience everyday feeling and restrained expression in short pieces

Not a good fit for

Readers of modern poetry expecting intense lyricism and dense imagery
Prose readers who prefer plot and narrative tension
Beginners with little interest in Zhou Zuoren and his writings

Reading tips

Read the author's preface first to understand why he "borrows" these writings as poetry, then go on to the main text.
Three to five pieces a day are enough; do not rush, and pay attention to the rhythm of pauses in the prose-like sentences.
Read them alongside poems by other authors in *Snow Morning* to appreciate what Zhou Zuoren calls "different."
When you reach the piece *Past Life*, look back at the book's title and consider how "life" is preserved in words.

版权信息
序
苍蝇
镜花缘
雨天的书序
陶庵梦忆序
故乡的野菜
北京的茶食
吃茶
谈酒
乌篷船
苦雨
爱罗先珂君
死之默想
唁辞
死法
心中
关于三月十八日的死者
新中国的女子
碰伤
吃烈士
闲话四则
钢枪趣味

FAQ

How are the "poems" in this book different from ordinary new poetry?

The author himself says the sentences are all prose and the meaning ordinary, and that calling them poetry is merely a "borrowing." They are more like lineated prose sketches, slow in rhythm and clear in language, not seeking startling imagery or an outpouring of emotion; one should set aside fixed expectations of new poetry when reading.

Can I read this directly without having read other works by Zhou Zuoren?

Yes. The pieces are short and the language plain, so it is not difficult as an introduction. But to understand why he wrote this way, it is best to read it together with his prose, so as to see how poetry and prose permeate each other in his hands.

Which of the twenty-nine pieces deserve special attention?

Besides *Past Life*, which supplies the title, there is a gap in writing time between the twenty-six pieces collected from *Snow Morning* and the seven newly added ones; reading them against each other reveals changes in the author's feeling and syntax, so there is no need to focus only on famous pieces.

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About the author

Zhou Zuoren Author · China · 1885–1967

Zhou Zuoren (1885–1967) was a native of Shaoxing, Zhejiang, and the younger brother of Lu Xun. A modern Chinese essayist, literary theorist and translator, he was a representative figure of the New Culture Movement. He taught at Peking University and took part in editing New Youth and Yusi. His essay collections include My Own Garden, Writings on a Rainy Day and Recollections of Zhitang, written in a plain, calm style that finds interest and insight in everyday matters. He long translated Japanese and Greek literature, notably The Pillow Book, the tragedies of Euripides and the comedies of Aristophanes. His essays, folk-literature studies and translations have had a lasting influence on modern Chinese writing and the reception of foreign literature.