My era, 1979!

Chapter 131: Group Meeting and Re-appearance on the Front Page of the Journal?
"Postscript?"

Zhang Peiheng stroked the pages, pondering to himself.

These days, when scholars study Song Dynasty literature, they either focus on the bold and graceful style of the four great masters of Ci poetry or delve into the context of the Classical Prose Movement. The colophons, this "side story" genre, are mostly used to correct historical events. Who would study it as a "literary genre"?

He patiently read on, and the very first sentence made him sit up straight: "The postscript is not an appendix, but rather the freest spiritual vessel of Song Dynasty literati—free from the constraints of classical prose 'carrying the Way' and the norms of lyrics 'expressing emotions,' it is a direct presentation of the true self."

The pen nib unconsciously drew a line along the edge of the page.

He recalled that when he taught a course on "Song Dynasty Literary Style Research" to graduate students last year, he said that "inscriptions are supplementary to historical materials and have limited literary value." Now, he was shocked by the viewpoint of a first-year graduate student.

However, since it's Xu Chengjun, it's understandable.

After all, Xu Chengjun's transformation of ancient literature into modern art amazed several professors, who even considered taking him on as a student!
As he read on, what surprised him even more was yet to come.

Xu Chengjun not only analyzed the “colloquial and lively” style of Su Shi’s postscripts and the “refined and scholarly” style of Huang Tingjian, but also unearthed several previously unnoticed postscripts in “Dongpo Zhilin”.

For example, when Su Shi was demoted to Huangzhou, he wrote the inscription "The fisherman laughs, the gulls take flight, and the wind and rain blew across the river" for his friend's painting "Autumn River Fisherman". This inscription was linked to Su Shi's "Let me live my life in a straw raincoat and misty rain" in "Ding Feng Bo", and it was said to be "a double portrayal of an open-minded state of mind in adversity".

What made Zhang Peiheng's heart race the most was the citation of literature.

Xu Chengjun mentioned the variant text in the "unique Song Dynasty edition of 'Dongpo Zhilin' held in the Seikado Bunko Library in Japan," and also noted that it was "verified by the manuscript hand-corrected by Fu Zengxiang during the Republican era."

These documents are not available in the rare book room of Fudan University Library. He only saw Fu Zengxiang's proofreading manuscript by chance when he went to the Beijing Library to look up information last year. How could Xu Chengjun know about it?
Not to mention, the article also quotes several lost postscripts by Huang Tingjian that were not included in the Complete Works of the Song Dynasty, saying that they were dug out from the "Huang Family Genealogy of Yiwu, Zhejiang", which is even more novel material that he had never heard of!

With a "thud," Zhang Peiheng's pen fell onto the table.

He didn't bother picking it up; this kid's writing is enough to scare people to death, isn't it?

Xu Chengjun even approached the issue from the perspective of "material culture".

The author argues that the "ink" and "inkstone" repeatedly mentioned in Huang Tingjian's postscripts are not simply descriptions of objects, but rather symbols of the literati's spirit of resisting fate through art. The author also compares the records in "Shangu Postscripts" and "Xuanhe Painting Catalogue" to provide a very convincing argument.

"The level of a first-year graduate student?"

Zhang Peiheng muttered to himself, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Even if you were Xu Chengjun, it wouldn't work, would it?"

He has been studying Song Dynasty literature for over twenty years and considers himself quite familiar with inscriptions and documents. However, Xu Chengjun's paper not only has a completely new perspective, but also delves deeper into the documents than the older scholars, and even subtly reaches the academic height of "repositioning the literary style".

He couldn't sit still any longer, so he grabbed his paper and ran to Wang Shuizhao's office next door.

They didn't care whether Xu Chengjun was there or not.

Xu Chengjun stared at him, dumbfounded. "Should I leave?"
Halfway there, Zhang Peiheng suddenly remembered Xu Chengjun: "It's okay, you can go back first. I'll look for you later."

Wang Shuizhao was proofreading variant texts in "The Collected Poems of Su Shi" when Zhang Pei barged in. Thinking it was something urgent, he looked up and asked, "What's wrong, Lao Zhang?"

"Look at this quickly!"

Zhang Peiheng slammed the paper on the table, his voice tense, “Xu Chengjun’s paper on Song Dynasty literature, the one with the postscript, look at his research and perspective!”

It's Xu Chengjun again?
This kid has been quite busy lately, dealing with both Song Dynasty literature and literary societies.

We need to urge Xu Chengjun to start his academic genealogy research soon.

If this kid gets busy again, he might forget about it!
Wang Shuizhao put down the magnifying glass and picked up the paper to read it carefully.

At first, I maintained the composure of a professor, but after reading half of it, my head was spinning.

"He actually used the only copy from the Seikado Bunko edition? And the lost postscript from the Huang family genealogy?"

Wang Shuizhao pointed to the quotation in the text, then turned to Zhang Peiheng and asked, "We at Fudan University didn't even keep this material. Where did he find it?"

"I'm wondering the same thing!"

Zhang Peiheng sat down at the table, pointing to the section on "life consciousness".

“Look at his analysis of Su Shi’s ‘self-deprecation’ in his postscripts, saying that it is ‘the wisdom of life that is outwardly flexible but inwardly principled’. This interpretation is much deeper than the current academic research on ‘bold and unrestrained ci poetry’! And Huang Tingjian’s ‘resisting fate with art’ connects postscripts with the mentality of literati. This idea is so novel!”

The two discussed the paper for more than half an hour, not even hearing the bell ring for the end of the workday.

Wang Shuizhao closed the paper and exclaimed, "This paper fills a gap in the study of Song Dynasty inscriptions and colophons! Not to mention first-year graduate students, even senior scholars might not be able to write something with this depth. Lao Zhang, your junior brother is a natural talent for classical literature!"

He said this with a hint of sarcasm, "Your student has become your junior brother, huh?"
Zhang Peiheng pretended not to hear and suddenly stood up: "No, I have to ask Xu Chengjun! Also, this paper needs to be discussed at a seminar in the department so that everyone can see it—there's a way to study Song Dynasty literature like this!"

He clutched his thesis and ran towards his dormitory in Songzhuang. On the way, he ran into Professor Chen Wufa from the Chinese Department. Without exchanging pleasantries, he simply called out, "Brother Chen, I'll show you a good thesis later," and hurried off.

"Eh"

Seeing Zhang Peiheng's hurried appearance, Chen Wu was completely confused.

What paper is it?

Su Liancheng's research on pre-Qin literature? Wang Shuizhao's research on Yuan Dynasty literature?
Or is it the modern and contemporary literature research of those guys from Peking University?

That old Zhang!

In dormitory 201 of Songzhuang.

Xu Chengjun had just returned to his dormitory and was discussing the recruitment process for tomorrow with his roommates when he heard a knock on the door.

When I opened the door, Zhang Peiheng was standing there, holding his thesis in his hand, with sweat on his forehead, clearly having run over.

"Form the army!"

Zhang Peiheng slammed the paper down, his tone urgent and agitated, "How did you write this paper? Where did you find the rare copy from the Jingjiatang collection and the lost postscript to the Huang family genealogy? And who gave you this idea of ​​'life consciousness'?"

The animals in 201 were completely stunned by this scene.

They know how strict Professor Zhang is in class, so why isn't this how it is with you, Xu Chengjun?
Xu Chengjun was prepared and handed him a cup of hot water with a smile: "Senior Brother Zhang, I was looking up information at the Hefei Library and happened to see a copy of Fu Zengxiang's manuscript; the Huang family genealogy was found by my relatives in my hometown, who said it contained Huang Tingjian's lost writings; the perspective is what I felt when I read Su Shi and Huang Tingjian's postscripts, I always felt that they wrote particularly 'truthfully', so I tried to analyze it from the perspective of their state of mind."

This is half true and half false.

That's all I can say.

Zhang Peiheng nodded repeatedly, picked up the paper, flipped through a couple more pages, and suddenly said, "No, this paper can't just be left like this. Tomorrow I'll talk to the department and organize a symposium on Song Dynasty literature, and have Wang Shuizhao, Su Liancheng, and the others come and discuss it!"

Xu Chengjun nodded repeatedly, like a chicken pecking at rice.

"You can't run away either, come together tomorrow."

"I'm still recruiting!"

"What new hires are you recruiting!?"

Zhang Pei glanced around and said, "Lin Yimin, you'll preside over the meeting for Xu Chengjun tomorrow!"

Lin Yimin was completely dumbfounded. Had he really usurped the throne?
"Okay, Professor Zhang!"

Usurpation is good!

President Lin, you know what, it actually sounds pretty good!
Zhang Peiheng paused, his gaze becoming more serious: "Also, quickly make a copy of your paper and go see your professor tomorrow. He has dedicated his life to studying Tang and Song literature; he knows this best! Your paper needs his approval; it might even be recommended for publication as the lead article in the *Fudan Journal*!"

Hey!
Every article is a headline, right?

Xu Chengjun felt a warmth in his heart.

Zhang Peiheng was treating his paper as a genuine academic achievement and even wanted to give him a push.

He nodded: "Okay, I'll copy it tonight and go to Mr. Zhu's house first thing tomorrow morning."

Zhang Peiheng gave a few more instructions, such as "Pay attention to the punctuation in the references when copying" and "Explain your line of thought clearly to your teacher," before reluctantly leaving.

Before leaving, he turned back and said, "The seminar is tomorrow, so you should prepare your speech! I'll also arrange for other graduate students from other departments to come along."

Xu Chengjun watched Zhang Peiheng's retreating figure, then looked down at the thesis in his hand.

The pages still bear the marks left by Zhang Peihang, densely packed with approval.

He spread his hands at Lin Yimin and the others: "Brothers, you'll have to work hard. I'm out of ideas."

Cheng Yongxin was speechless: "So you're just going to wash your hands of the business, huh?!"

Lin Yimin: "I can't do any of this! Many of them came because they heard you were the club president, and there are even some upperclassmen here. I can't do it!"

Xu Chengjun: "It has to work, no matter what! Professor Zhang personally selected it!"

"Depend on!"

"Seriously, you're getting more and more outrageous. At 20, you've already submitted more than one novel to Harvest magazine, and your academic papers are practically on the front page of the Fudan Journal!"

"There's nothing I can do! That's just my skill level, bro."

Zhou Haibo rolled his eyes: "Brothers, kill the loader!"

In no time, many people responded, and Xu Chengjun hurriedly raised his hands in surrender: "Brothers, today Master Xu is treating, a grand banquet for 201!"

The animals' expressions changed instantly.

"A meal? A treat?"

"Yes, can you handle the recruitment tomorrow?"

"Yes, absolutely! President Xu is so busy, it's no wonder he's like this!"

"Seconded!"

"Seconded!"

The next morning, Xu Chengjun, carrying the copied thesis, headed to Zhu Dongrun's house.

A sycamore leaf fell on my shoulder, carrying the chill of autumn.
This paper will not only surprise Zhang Peiheng, but also show Zhu Dongrun that this student who skipped a grade has lived up to his expectations. Hey, let's go!
The main room of Zhu Dongrun's house is always filled with a faint sandalwood fragrance, which is intertwined with the scent of old books and ink, exuding a tranquil atmosphere that comes with the passage of time.

When Xu Chengjun entered the room with his copied thesis, the old man was sitting in a rattan chair flipping through "Anthology of the Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song Dynasties," his reading glasses slipping off his nose, and a wolf-hair brush that hadn't been dipped in ink was tucked between his fingers.

He was clearly engrossed in his book and didn't even notice the person who came in.

"gentlemen."

Xu Chengjun tiptoed over, placed the paper on the small table next to the rattan chair, and spoke very softly.

Zhu Dongrun then raised his head, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothing out, and pointed to the wooden stool opposite him: "Sit down. Did you bring your thesis?"

"You haven't been here in ages, have you!"

He assigned this homework.

I reckon Xu Chengjun came here for this reason.

He didn't rush to take it, but first poured Xu Chengjun a cup of warm tea. The rough porcelain cup still had small dents on the rim, indicating that it was an old item that the old man had used for many years.

Xu Chengjun sat down and scratched his head awkwardly.

There's so much to do right now. The start of the semester involves two novels, followed by academic research. Song Dynasty literature was his focus in his previous life, but to be honest, he hasn't gone deep enough. There's still a lot he needs to learn, and he also has to work on transforming classical literary theory. Another paper is already being conceived.

In addition, there are things like joining the literary society, attending group meetings, taking classes, and spending time with the beautiful Su.

So many things to do!

So many things to do!

The old man slowly picked up the paper, stroked the title, and when his gaze fell on the words "Postscripts by Su Shi and Huang Tingjian," he softly said, "Oh: Choosing postscripts is a less common approach."

Despite saying that, he turned the pages very carefully, reading word by word. When he encountered a citation, he would stop, point at the page with his finger, and softly read out the source.

"The Jingjiatang edition of *Dongpo Zhilin*... proofread by Fu Zengxiang..."

When he read the lost postscript in the Huang family genealogy, he suddenly looked up, a glint of light in his eyes: "How did you find this lost postscript? I didn't see it when I was compiling 'Selected Works of Chinese Literature Through the Ages' in my early years."

“It was relatives from my hometown in Anhui who helped me find it. They said that the descendants of the Huang family still had old genealogies, and I asked them to copy a few key ones.”

Xu Chengjun answered truthfully.

Zhu Dongrun nodded, didn't ask any further questions, and continued reading.

Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on his silver hair and the lines of his thesis. The old man's fingers would occasionally pause near words like "consciousness of life" and "resisting fate with art," but he remained silent. Only the rustling sound of the pages turning was particularly clear in the quiet room.

Xu Chengjun sat opposite him, feeling somewhat nervous.

Zhu Dongrun was a leading authority on Tang and Song literature studies, with the most discerning eye.

But when the old man turned to the last page and closed the paper, there was no stern look on his face. He simply picked up a wolf-hair brush and lightly dipped it in the inkstone.

"Your paper has two advantages."

Zhu Dongrun's voice was not loud, but it carried a heavy weight. "First, the perspective is new. You elevate the postscripts from 'historical materials' to 'literary style,' saying that they are the 'presentation of the true self' of the literati. This is something that predecessors have not fully explained. When I read Su Shi's postscripts in my early years, I also felt that he wrote freely, but I did not connect 'freedom' with 'life state of mind' like you do. This angle is good."

He paused, then lightly tapped the paper with his pen: "Secondly, the documents are genuine. The rare copy from Jingjiatang, Fu Zengxiang's collation, and the lost postscript to the Huang family genealogy—these materials are hard to find. The fact that you were able to dig them out shows that you've put in real effort. It's not easy for a first-year graduate student to do this."

The gentleman's vision was indeed insightful and commanded, displaying the demeanor of a master.

Extremely elegant.

Xu Chengjun quickly bowed slightly: "It's all thanks to the excellent teaching of the teacher and Senior Brother Zhang. I just followed the train of thought and looked up more information."

"Don't always talk about others; your own talent is also important."

Zhu Dongrun smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes forming gentle lines. “However, there is a minor flaw. In Huang Tingjian’s postscript to Li Bai’s poem, you quoted the edition from the ‘Shangu Waiji’. Actually, there is a variant in the Song Dynasty edition of ‘Yuzhang Huang Xiansheng Wenji’ where ‘the wonder of poetry’ is written as ‘the divine essence of poetry’. You can check it again. The word ‘divine’ is more in line with his idea of ​​‘using Zen to explain poetry’ than ‘wonderful’.”

These words were succinct and to the point, without a hint of criticism. Instead, they were like an elder giving advice to a younger person, conveying a gentle and subtle influence.

Xu Chengjun quickly noted it down: "Thank you, sir. I will go back and check it with the 'Collected Works of Mr. Huang of Yuzhang'."

"No need to rush."

Zhu Dongrun put down his pen, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. "The study of Song Dynasty literature is meticulous work. The fact that you pay attention to 'minor literary forms' like colophons shows that you're not following the mainstream. Nowadays, the academic community is focused on ci poetry and classical prose, but the world of literature has never been limited to just those two areas. If we continue to dig deeper, we might uncover even more."

He looked at Xu Chengjun with expectation in his eyes: "Don't be shy at the seminar this afternoon. Just explain your ideas clearly. Don't be afraid if senior professors ask questions. Academics become clearer through discussion and debate. I'll go listen and see just how capable my last disciple really is."

"By the way, that lad, Shang Jun, has been all he does lately is study, and hasn't produced anything."

Chen Shangjun: ?

Xu Chengjun felt a warmth in his heart, stood up and bowed: "Thank you for your encouragement, Mr. Xie. I will definitely prepare well."

When Xu Chengjun left Zhu Dongrun's house, the sun was shining brightly, and sycamore leaves fell on his shoulders. He touched the thesis in his arms and felt that the few pages of paper had become heavy.

That's not pressure, it's the expectations of elders, and the most precious source of confidence on the academic path.

He found a good teacher.

The afternoon symposium on Song Dynasty literature was held in the small conference room of the Chinese Department.

The small room was furnished with a circle of wooden chairs, and on the table were photocopies of papers and several commonly used collections of Song Dynasty literature. A thermos in the corner emitted wisps of steam, creating a simple academic atmosphere.

Zhang Peiheng was presiding over the meeting. When he saw Zhu Dongrun enter, he quickly stood up and offered his seat to the elderly man.

Wang Shuizhao sat next to him, holding Xu Chengjun's thesis in her hand, and had already circled several key points in red pen.

Xu Chengjun breathed a sigh of relief when Su Liancheng couldn't come because he had class.

The five graduate students in Zhu Dongrun's group, along with two other young teachers from the Chinese Department who were researching Song Dynasty literature, sat below, their eyes full of curiosity.

This morning, Zhang Peiheng had already praised Xu Chengjun's paper in the department, and everyone wanted to see just how good this "amazing work" really was.

Xu Chengjun sat in a seat near the back. As soon as he sat down, Huang Furan, a graduate student next to him, leaned over and whispered, "Chengjun, can you really find the original genealogy for the lost postscript of the Huang family genealogy? I've been studying Huang Tingjian for so long and I've never heard of it."

"I can find it. I'll write down the address for you later."

Xu Chengjun nodded with a smile.

Chen Shangjun seized the opportunity to chime in: "I haven't even gotten started on my research for the start of the semester, and you've already produced a paper, haven't you!?"

He was a few years older than Xu Chengjun and always considered himself his senior. He had taken good care of Xu Chengjun since the start of the semester.

But aren't you going too far, kid!
You produce a paper within a month of the start of the semester, and then the whole group holds a meeting, right?
"With your strength, Senior Brother, it'll be over in no time!"

"You little rascal, what a mouth you have!"

"With all my heart!"

Chen Shangjun looked at him suspiciously.

You're a complete liar!
At the start of the meeting, Zhang Peiheng got straight to the point: "The reason I invited everyone here today is to discuss Xu Chengjun's 'A Study on the Literary Connotations and Life Consciousness of Song Dynasty Literati Inscriptions.' My friend Wang and I have both read this paper and found it very valuable. Let's first ask Chengjun to explain his thought process to everyone."

Xu Chengjun stood up, walked to the middle of the conference room, and without a script, recounted from memory: "I first noticed the postscript when I read Su Shi's postscript to 'Written on the Wall at West Forest Temple,' and felt that 'not recognizing the true face of Mount Lu' was not just a philosophical statement, but also his state of mind after being demoted..."

He discussed the topic from "literary style positioning" to "documentary research" and then to "the manifestation of life consciousness" in a clear and organized manner. Occasionally, he would also quote a few lines of original texts from Song Dynasty inscriptions to support his views.

The graduate students in the audience listened attentively, some taking notes quickly, and others nodding from time to time.

They initially had some doubts about Xu Chengjun, who skipped university and went straight to graduate school.

How good is his academic ability?

I didn't say anything out of consideration for my groupmates.

However, today's scene is indeed extraordinary.

Genius? Maybe?

Anyway, they can't write it; they're still at the first step of reading literature.

Even those who wrote papers were mostly students' trial works.

To forge a new direction?

Unconventional?

To uncover the deeper meaning?

Please, Chen Shangjun must be in a real bind!
You mean us?

After Xu Chengjun finished speaking, the young teacher Li Yuanquan asked first: "Xu Chengjun, you said that inscriptions are 'vessels for a free spirit,' but some inscriptions were written for officials and friends, and inevitably had a social element. How do you explain this part?"

"Teacher Li, that's a good question."

Xu Chengjun was well-prepared. "I think that the 'true self' is also hidden in social inscriptions. For example, Huang Tingjian wrote an inscription for his friend's 'Ink Bamboo Painting'. On the surface, he was praising the painting, but the last line, 'With a landscape in his heart, his brushstrokes are like a gentle breeze,' was actually praising his friend's character of not pandering to popular tastes, which was also his own pursuit."

Wang Shuizhao then interjected: "This explanation is very insightful. The social writings of Song Dynasty literati were often 'soft on the surface, but concealed their own values.' Cheng Jun's ability to see this shows that he has a very accurate grasp of the mentality of Song Dynasty literati."

He paused, then looked at everyone, "And there are the documents he unearthed. I saw the only copy of the Seikado Bunko manuscript in Beijing last year, and Fu Zengxiang's proofreading is even rarer. The fact that he can use these materials shows that he not only thinks, but also finds 'hard evidence.' This is the most valuable quality in classical literature research."

The graduate students in the audience seemed to be deep in thought.

Although they are graduate students, the academic research abilities and methods of graduate students in this era are indeed not yet deeply mastered.

Zhang Peiheng continued, "I think the greatest significance of this paper is—"

(End of this chapter)