Late Osmanthus

Yu DafuJul 2022

4.4

Word count: 19K words
Chapters: 3

Summary

Written by Yu Dafu, a modern novelist and essayist. "Is there still osmanthus here at this time of year? I never saw any in Manjuelong, where osmanthus grows everywhere, yet here in this secluded corner of the hills I breathe in its rich fragrance—what a curious thing indeed."

Editor's review

*Late Osmanthus* is one of the representative works of Yu Dafu's later period, when his style tended toward a calm, mellow evenness. Taking the narrator's visit to his old friend Weng Zesheng in the Manjuelong area of Hangzhou as its thread, the story follows the friend's convalescence, his sister's marriage, and walks in the hills, using the late-blooming osmanthus to evoke a belated, gentle flavor of life. Unlike the melancholy and indignation common in Yu Dafu's early work, this piece unfolds with an easy, unhurried touch: the scenery is limpid and lovely, the relations among the characters simple and natural, and the West Lake landscape, the fragrance of osmanthus, and the characters' states of mind are blended to just the right degree, showing the author's mature mastery of the lyrical novella. For readers, its moderate length makes it a gentle doorway into Yu Dafu's world of fiction; it can also be read alongside *Sinking* and *Intoxicating Spring Nights* to observe the shift in his style. Read it slowly, and savor the scents, light, and flow of feeling in the prose—that is precisely where the charm of Yu Dafu's essayistic touch seeps into his fiction.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy lyrical fiction in modern Chinese literature and care about atmosphere in language
Literature enthusiasts who want to understand the shift in Yu Dafu's later style
Chinese teachers and humanities students looking for close-reading material for short stories
Readers who love writings about West Lake scenery and Jiangnan local culture

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer plot-driven, fast-paced genre fiction
Readers expecting intense conflict and dramatic reversals

Reading tips

Read through once for atmosphere first, then go back and read closely the passage about enjoying osmanthus in the mountains, noting how the scenery reflects the characters' states of mind.
Read it alongside Yu Dafu's early representative works to compare how the emotional tone shifts from indignation to mellow calm.
Jot down descriptions of fragrance, light, and sound while reading, to appreciate the effect of essayistic prose brought into fiction.
After finishing, look up the geography and local culture of Manjuelong and osmanthus to better understand the story's sense of space.

版权信息
第一章
第二章

FAQ

What does the title "Late Osmanthus" mean?

"Late osmanthus" refers both to the late-blooming, richly fragrant osmanthus in the mountains and, obliquely, to the characters' belated marriage and turn in life. The "lateness" and "richness" of the osmanthus correspond to an unhurried attitude that arrives at fulfillment in the end, and this is a key image for understanding the emotional tone of the whole piece.

Is this story suitable for middle and high school students?

It is short, written in clear and graceful language, and its plot is relatively gentle, making it suitable as supplementary reading in modern literature for high school students. However, the story touches on marriage and adult emotional psychology, so it is advisable to read it with guidance from a teacher or parent, focusing on the descriptive technique and the characters' relationships.

Do I need to know Yu Dafu's biography to read "Late Osmanthus"?

You can understand it without beforehand knowledge of his detailed biography, but knowing that Yu Dafu's style shifted from early sentimentality and indignation to later mellow calm will make it easier to appreciate this work's special place. You can fill in background on the author after reading the main text, and avoid substituting biographical material for close reading.

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About the author

Yu Dafu Author · Chinese · 1896–1945

Yu Dafu (1896–1945), originally named Yu Wen and styled Dafu, was a native of Fuyang, Zhejiang, and a prominent modern Chinese writer as well as one of the founders of the Creation Society. He wrote mainly fiction and prose. His early novella Sinking shocked the literary world with its bold self-exposure and melancholy tone, while short stories such as Springtime in a Drunken Night and Late Osmanthus depict intellectuals' anguish and drifting through lyrical atmosphere. His prose is candid and strongly autobiographical, and he left a mark in biography, social fiction, and miscellaneous essays. The collection includes 130 of his works, among them Reminiscences of Lu Xun, complete prose collections, and selected short stories. During the War of Resistance he went to Singapore to engage in anti-Japanese propaganda, later fled to Sumatra, was secretly killed by Japanese military police in 1945, and was posthumously recognized as a revolutionary martyr in 1952.