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Among the many schools of modernist literature, there is one called "Imagism", whose representative person and name is Ezra Pound.
In the early 20th century, a group of European and American poets, influenced by Japanese haiku, began to focus on poetic intentions. Later, they found that Japanese haiku originated from Chinese metrical poetry, and then they studied ancient Chinese poetry, thus forming the so-called "Imagist poetry".
Especially Ezra Pound, this gentleman's love for Chinese literature has gone so crazy, it's like paying homage to Chinese characters. He believes that Chinese poetry and Chinese characters are full of magic, so much so that Chinese characters are mixed in many places in his long poem "Poems" to express some mysterious meaning.
You may have seen such a poem. In a certain Chinese vernacular poem, a few English words suddenly pop up, and it seems that this can show nobility and force. Pound's poems are just the opposite. In a pile of English or Italian verses, a few Chinese characters suddenly pop up, which makes Western readers bewildered.
"Oh, Zhou, I finally see you!" Pound opened his arms and walked in a dignified manner.
This gentleman's appearance is very magical, with a slender face, a hooked nose, a pair of wide trousers on the lower body, and a shirt over a sweater on the upper body. His hair and beard are already gray, and the roots are standing up in a mess, as if static electricity is all over his body, and it looks like he just ran out of a mental hospital.
Zhou Hexuan gave Pang De a bear hug and said with a smile, "Mr. Pang De, I have long admired your name!"
is really a famous name. According to Pound's contribution to modern literature, it is more than enough to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. It is a pity that he is a die-hard fan of Mussolini. After the end of World War II, he was classified as "treason" by the United States. He was admitted to a mental hospital to escape prison. Naturally, he missed the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Pound was Yeats's student, Eliot's classmate, Hemingway's teacher, and all three were Nobel Prize winners.
Zhou Hexuan introduced: "This is Mr. Kong Xiangxi, Minister of Finance of China, and this is Mr. Chen Shaokuan, Minister of the Navy of China!"
"Hello Mr. Kong!"
"Hello Mr. Chen!"
Pound speaks English.
Kong Xiangxi and Chen Shaokuan also greeted in English, but Chen Shaokuan spoke pure British English and Kong Xiangxi spoke Shanxi Taigu American English. In any case, Kong Xiangxi's English can be understood, at least better than Indian English and Japanese English.
"Sit down, everyone, please," Mussolini greeted warmly and smiled, "Hahahaha, Mr. Pound has a lot of research on Chinese culture, and he is very happy to discuss literature with friends from China."
"I am also very honored that Western writers like Mr. Pang De can love and study Chinese culture." Kong Xiangxi smiled when he spoke, but he was really speechless. He came to Italy to seek a loan, and Mussolini insisted on dragging him to talk about literature, the literature of Nima.
In fact, Mussolini did not want to talk to China about borrowing money, and Chang Kaishen had completely offended him - because of Italy's blatant invasion of Ethiopia, China was imposing diplomatic sanctions on Italy at this time.
You heard that right!
At this time, China is 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 said to Liu Wendao, the Chinese ambassador to Italy: "The country that can best represent Asian culture is yours, and the country that can best represent European culture is my country, Rome. Therefore, it is only natural that the two countries should be upgraded! "
At first, Mussolini waved his hand and directly voided the more than 26 million liang geng money, saying that Italy would not want the money. Lao Jiang was so excited that he snotted and cried, and wrote a warm thank-you letter to Mussolini himself.
Mussolini also supported the construction of the Chinese Air Force, and Lao Jiang once sent 250 Chinese officers to study in Italy. Because Mussolini liked black clothes and black pants, Lao Jiang asked all Chinese pilots to wear black clothes and black pants in order to flatter Mussolini. He also ordered all the classrooms of the Air Force academies to hang Mussolini Ni's portrait.
At that time, the relationship between China and Italy was even closer than that between China and Germany, until Lao Jiang announced sanctions on Italy...
Sanctioning Italy is naturally to please the United Kingdom and the United States. And Lao Jiang did not dare to offend Mussolini, until Italy ate all of Ethiopia, China officially passed the sanctions against Italy. Don't offend the two ends, not only explained to the League of Nations, but also saved face for Italy.
But Mussolini's nose was crooked, and he scolded Chang Kaishen for being an inauthentic person, and also called Liu Wendao, the ambassador to Italy, to scolded him: "I spent so much money to train China's air force for you, why do you still need it? Sanction me? China is so ungrateful!"
Liu Wendao quickly explained: "The chairman's move is to fight for the League of Nations not to recognize the status of puppet Manchukuo and Japan's invasion of China."
Mussolini immediately slapped the table: "This fool, the League of Nations has already sold you to Japan at a low price. Think about it, why does the League of Nations only sanction Italy, but not Japan, which occupied Northeast China?"
As a result, the diplomatic relations between China and Italy have shifted from intimacy to alienation.
Kong Xiangxi went to Italy this time to ask for a loan. It was purely a hot face and a cold butt, and he was considered good if he could ask for a penny. Because Mussolini is a person who loves face very much, he can say anything to give him face, and he will even do business at a loss. If you don't give him face, hehe!
At this moment, Mussolini was smoking a big cigar, sitting on the sofa in the study, showing off the many famous poetry collections on the desk, intentionally or unintentionally.
Poems are different from poetry collections. For example, Mussolini admired Gabriel D'Annunzio, leaning towards realism and aestheticism. This represented a kind of poetic taste, and Mussolini believed that the poetic taste he liked should be the most powerful, so he wanted all his visitors to know this.
In fact, Mussolini's literary tastes were separate. He claims that he loves passionate, combative, and realistic poetry, but the poems he writes are full of lonely petty bourgeoisie and 200% literary flavor.
In Mussolini's study, the whole wall is full of books, which seems to have more books than Hitler, the German head of state. But there are differences, Hitler's collection of books is varied, from novels and biographies to witchcraft regimen. And Mussolini clearly preferred pure literature and ideological theory, most of which belong to philosophical, literary and theoretical books.
This may be the difference between the two. It is also the dictatorship of the Play Sith. Hitler directly declared that literature is illegal, equating literature and politics. As for Mussolini, although he also persecuted some writers and artists, he tended to be liberal on the whole. As long as you don't bother him by writing articles, Mussolini still supports literary creation and exploration.
Putting the cigar on the ashtray, Mussolini, with big ears and a stout physique, suddenly stood up and recited a poem by his teacher, the famous Italian poet D'Annunzio. In an affectionate and cadenced tone, he closed his eyes slightly and said: "The breeze flapped its wings and wrote blurred words on the soft sand. Ying Ying Qiu Bo passes..."
"it is good!"
At the end of the recitation of an Italian poem, Kong Xiangxi clapped and applauded loudly.
Zhou Hexuan also applauded, applauding sincerely, because Mussolini's recitation was really good. If this guy doesn't play politics and runs to be a poetry reciter, he might be able to make a living.
Pound commented: "Mr. D'Annunzio's "Summer Ballad" is like an oil painting depicting summer. It is very imagery and beautiful. In my opinion, the most important thing in poetry is imagery, which is a bit of Chinese poetry. They did a great job. Three friends from China, can they recite Chinese poetry in Chinese? Not modern poetry, but ancient poetry.”
Zhou Hexuan said with a smile: "Minister Kong is a descendant of Confucius, and heirs poetry and etiquette. You can come here."
"I don't care, I'll get an axe." Kong Xiangxi waved his hand to refuse.
Mussolini laughed: "Just you, just you, don't refuse!"
"Then I'll... come to a song?"
Kong Xiangxi stood up and said in a Shanxi Taigu accent: "As soon as the half-mu square pond is opened, the sky and clouds linger together. How clear is the canal? It's because there is a source of living water."
Pound said immediately: "I know this poem is Zhu Xi's "Reading the Book and Feelings", but it sounds a little different."
"Who did you listen to before?" Zhou Hexuan asked.
"A Japanese poet," said Pound. "My Chinese is not very good, and I only know some simple Chinese characters. My knowledge of Chinese literature comes from Japanese friends."
"Maybe it's an accent problem." Zhou Hexuan laughed.
If you read the same ancient Chinese poem with a Japanese accent and a Shanxi accent, it would be **** if it sounds the same.
Pound commented with a longing look: "This song "Reading the Book Feels" is very imaginative and beautiful. The half-mu square pond opens like a mirror, and the sky light and the shadows of the clouds complement each other. With only a dozen words, it is outlined. A beautiful picture of nature. Chinese Chinese poetry is so beautiful, it is suffocating, I wish I was born in China too!”
Worthy of being an American poet who mixes Chinese characters in his English poems, his admiration for Chinese literature has gone crazy.
Mussolini frowned and said, "It's too short, too short, is all Chinese poetry so short?"
"Chinese Chinese poetry never uses fancy rhetoric and decoration. It is concise, vivid, magnificent, accurate, and full of meaning. This is also the creative concept pursued by our Imagists." Sir, you can also recite a Chinese poem. Come to the head, let your Excellency the Prime Minister appreciate it."
Zhou Hexuan thought to himself: Since you like imagery, I can sing a song "Qinyuan Spring Snow" to you, I'm afraid Kong Xiangxi and the others will hear it.
Zhou Hexuan has practiced in private because he often gives speeches, and his level of poetry recitation has also improved. He cleared his throat and recited: "You can't see the water of the Yellow River coming up from the sky, rushing to the sea and not returning. You can't see the bright mirror in the high hall, sad and white hair, the morning is like blue silk and the evening turns into snow. Life must be full of joy, don't let the golden bottle empty To the moon... Five-colored horses, a thousand golden furs, Hu'er will exchange for fine wine, and sell the eternal sorrow with you!"
Zhou Hexuan's tone of voice was cadence and his emotions were progressive, even Kong Xiangxi could hear some blood rushing up.
"Okay, great!"
Pang De shook his head and praised: "I heard this Chinese poem recited by a Japanese friend. But his recitation is far inferior to Mr. Zhou's recitation. It is as comfortable as drinking ice water in a hot summer!"
"The beauty of poetry transcends national borders. I like the recitation of this poem very much," Mussolini felt a little interesting, "Mr. Zhou, can you translate the meaning of the poem?"
Zhou Hexuan immediately translated the poem into Italian, and Mussolini heard it with brilliance. Although his own poems are lonely and petty, he especially appreciates his open-minded and passionate works, and immediately clapped his hands: "It's really well written, especially those few lines, when you're proud of your life, you should indulge in joy, and don't let the wine glass face the moon. , God created me to be meaningful, and millions of properties will come back if they are lost. This is the same as the way we Italians live. The author who wrote this poem has an Italian heart.”
Mussolini was very fond of "Jiangjinjiu", and he specially asked Zhou Hexuan to write the whole poem and annotate the Chinese verses in Italian.
Kong Xiangxi saw this situation and immediately joined in, using ancient Chinese poems to please Mussolini, hoping that the other party would agree to the loan as soon as he was happy. I have to say that although Kong Xiangxi looks like a pig, he still has goods in his stomach. He has a strong foundation in ancient prose.
Unfortunately, although Mussolini was happy, he didn't mention the loan, and avoided all kinds of giggling detours.
Until he left Mussolini's study, Poundra stayed in Zhou Hexuan and whispered: "Zhou, I want to learn Chinese and translate ancient Chinese works. Can you help?"
"Of course." Zhou Hexuan smiled.
Pang De is still very famous in the West. Having him translate ancient Chinese classics is of great benefit to the spread of Chinese culture.
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