Literary Master 1918: Starting with New Youth

Six o'clock in the evening, Zhonggu Hutong.

The setting sun bathed the road in golden light, and children chased and played noisily.

Smoke from cooking fires and the aroma of food wafted everywhere, filling the nostrils of those returning home, instantly washing away their fatigue.

Ma Yulu passed by a wonton stall at the corner of the alley, peeked into the pot, and saw plump wontons tumbling inside, the aroma of dried shrimp wafting through the air.

She swallowed hard, and just as she was about to take out her money to buy a bowl, she shook her head and quickened her pace home.

Grandma cooks at home, and if I bring food home from outside, she'll nag me for ages...

She's been in a really bad mood these past few days, and if she gets nagged a bit more, she'll probably burst into tears.

After classes resumed, she specifically asked Yang Zizhen, and was told that the letter had already been delivered to Zhu Junzi, but so much time had passed and she still hadn't received a reply, which meant that the other party simply didn't have time to deal with her...

That makes sense. I heard that Zhu Junzi is not only a writer but also a researcher at Yenching University. He must be a very busy person on weekdays, so he wouldn't have time to deal with the confusion of high school students...

Ma Yu thought dejectedly as she arrived at the courtyard house, somewhat reluctant to go inside.

"Oh! Little Yu'er is back!"

"What are you standing there for? Come in."

Grandma, who happened to be coming out of the kitchen, saw her and immediately greeted her in a loud voice.

Ma Yu tightened the leather book and newspaper strap, lowered his head and remained silent, stepping onto the steps as if going to his execution, with a sense of facing death without fear.

"Xiaoyu'er, are any classmates bullying you at school?"

"Tell Grandma, and she'll fight back for you!"

Grandma swung the spatula heavily, looking ready to fight to the death for her eldest granddaughter.

Ma Yu forced a smile:

"Grandma, I'm fine, I'm just not in a good mood..."

"You have plenty to eat and drink every day, so why would you be in a bad mood? You're just bored! The postman came to our house today and said there was a letter for 'Huaijin.' Check if it's yours."

Grandma pointed to the small square table in the yard.

Huaijin is Ma Yu's pen name. She got the inspiration from "holding jade and grasping precious stones" in the Chu Ci. Otherwise, using just "jade" would be too vulgar.

This was the first time she had used this pen name, and she had only sent letters to Zhu Junzi. So who sent this letter?

Great!

Zhu Junzi did not ignore her!

Ma Yu was overjoyed and instantly came to life, hurriedly looking in the direction the finger was pointing.

Sure enough, a letter was found hidden under the food.

"Oh, Grandma! How could you leave my letter like this!"

She strode forward, moved the plate of food that was pressing down on the letter, and without even taking off her schoolbag, plopped down on the long bench and tore open the envelope in a few quick movements.

Seeing this, Grandma smiled helplessly and went into the kitchen to busy herself.

Her experience told her that this was probably not a letter sent by some blond-haired hoodlum...

......

The golden sunset shone on the letter paper. The first thing Ma Yu thought when she saw the words was that Zhu Junzi's handwriting was really good!

As the saying goes, a person's handwriting reflects their character. With such neat and tidy small regular script, he must be a refined and cultured person!

[Dear student, your letter has been received.]

There's no need to apologize for disturbing you. The fact that you even bothered to write down these questions is already better than many numb souls.

Being able to perceive these contradictions proves that you are not wandering in the fog, but are trying to open your eyes wider.

whee!

Ma Yu quickly looked down.

What will happen after Nora leaves?

[This is an interesting question. Ibsen simply replied, "That's not what I meant when I wrote that piece; I was just writing poetry." Clearly, he couldn't provide an answer, but I think I can offer some explanation.]

The answer is simple: either fall into depravity or return.

"what?"

Upon seeing this answer, Ma Yu felt even more confused.

Even though Nara had already left that home, why would she fall into depravity or return again?

This is not a curse, nor is it nonsense; it is a cold reality, because behind the door lies reality.

If she didn't have the ability to survive in reality—that is, to be financially independent, or in plain terms, to earn money—how could she possibly survive in this world? This isn't a gap that can be bridged simply by determination.

[If she couldn't survive, what would she choose? This brings us back to my answer.]

Even if she is capable of working and earning a living honestly, she will still face social exploitation and remain in a state of economic slavery.

Ma Yu was inevitably disappointed.

If that's the case, then what's the point of leaving?

Or rather, if resistance is destined to lead to despair, then why bother resisting at all?

Don't think that the door shouldn't have been opened, or that Nora shouldn't have left.

[If that were the case, Ibsen wouldn't have created Nora. He was a liberal, and his characters reflected the intellectual currents of his time, namely the women's liberation movement in Europe. "Leaving home" is a declaration of personal independence; any resistance without a slogan is destined to fail to resonate widely.]

[But he's trapped in a dead end; the characters he creates rely on individual resistance, offering no real solution to the situation. However, this doesn't mean you're also in a dead end.]

You must not think of yourself as Nora, because she is merely a fictional character.

Makes sense!

Ma Yu nodded repeatedly, perhaps because her perspective was too narrow, and she only recognized one Nora.

[You should look at the vast European continent, where there are people like Zetkin and Luxembourg. They were not merely "Nora" who left home, but also attempted to enable "Nora"s to participate in social labor like men after leaving home, so that they could achieve the liberation of the entire working class. They are heroes like Qiu Jin.]

Of course, I can't ask you to become a fighter, because I don't even consider myself one. Rather, I'm saying that when you connect your questions about the future with the fate of ordinary people, you might gain a broader perspective.

Therefore, you can look at the paths they took, which should answer your questions. For related books, you can go to Yenching University and ask the librarian with the mustache, Mr. Shouchang, to help you collect them; just mention my pen name.

These words deeply moved Ma Yu.

She had never heard of the names mentioned before, and it was the first time she had ever learned that there were female warriors like Qiu Jin fighting for these heroic causes in the far west!

This gentleman has such a broad perspective; he even knows a lot about Western things. We really asked the right person this time!

As for the future, I cannot choose for you. Because you are free, the future is in your own hands; I can only offer some humble opinions.

The purpose of education is never to make you an "object" to be liked by anyone. This is a philosophical concept that you may not understand. Simply put, it's not about turning you into your grandmother's pampered child, but about enabling you to become an independent person, a Nora who dares to venture out.

The advice of elders may stem from familial affection, but it's not without its limitations and outdated constraints. You can listen to their voices, but you don't need to treat them as dictates etched into your soul.

Although Yenching University did not admit female students, learning was not confined to the study; whether attending the Women's Higher Normal School or auditing classes at Yenching University, these were merely some of the ways to acquire knowledge.

You shouldn't be thinking about why Yenching University doesn't admit female students; instead, you should be thinking about how to get Yenching University to start admitting female students.

This isn't something one person can do alone. If you do it, I support you. I think the entire community of *New Youth* magazine will also fully support you. But if a man takes the lead, wouldn't that just be like Nora playing a doll?

Ma Yu covered her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes.

Zhu Junzi is different from those men who pretend to offer advice but actually advise you to follow the rules. No wonder he can write a novel like "Medicine"!

Just like on campuses today, some boys advise girls to respect etiquette so that they can stay at home and raise children; while others hand girls copies of "New Youth" magazine to discuss "Mr. Democracy," "Mr. Science," and "Ms. Fei," making the difference in their thinking obvious.

Zhu Junzi not only provided the answer, but also supported you in breaking free from the shackles of traditional ethics and striving for the opportunity for female students to study at the highest institutions of learning. Instead of overstepping his bounds and saying, "You should wait for 'New Youth' to start this."

How could such a response not move one? Truly gentle and refined, so thoughtful!

Ma Yu cried and laughed, laughed and cried, then wiped away her tears.

The scholars you mentioned in your letter deeply moved me, showing that you love life and have a keen eye for the people around you.

The scholar you described aptly represents the predicament of intellectuals in this era; when the old world is decaying and on the verge of collapse, and the new world remains uncertain, that long gown and that scroll of Confucian classics become their last line of defense.

[Decent, respectable, pathetic... because they haven't become completely numb, they still have the will to maintain their spiritual dignity, and are clearer than many others...]

I'm planning to use this type of character as a model for a new novel. If all goes well, you'll see it in *New Youth* magazine soon. Perhaps then, it will provide a more vivid answer to this question.

In conclusion, I want to say that there were originally no roads in this world; as more people walk on them, they become roads. Therefore, there is no need to rush; roads are always found gradually, and so are you, and so are the colleagues of *New Youth*.

If you still have questions, please feel free to reply.

Wishing you success in your studies and good health.

【Bamboo Gentleman】

September 20th, 1918

Zhu Junzi is actually writing a new novel!

Ma Yu carefully folded the letter, put it in an envelope, and ran into the house.

Seeing this, Grandma called out from behind:

"Little Yu'er, Little Yu'er! Your parents are almost home, where are you going?"

Young girls are always like the wind; Ma Yu didn't look back and stepped through the door.

"reply!"