A question in Chinese lit
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I have a question about a Chinese literary piece which I hope someone can help me with. Here goes:
I remembered reading a piece of modern Chinese essay a long time ago by quite a famous writer (canÂ’t remember his name). He wrote a short essay about a seemingly trivial incident in his childhood days but through which he has conveyed his regret over his inability to make amends to a wrong he has committed a long time ago.
The gist of his essay is as follows:
Per chance, the writer was reminded of an incident which took place in his childhood. On that day long ago, the writer was flying kites together with his younger brother. The writer found that his younger brother could fly the kite higher and better than himself, and he started getting jealous. The younger boy was enjoying himself and laughing innocently the whole time and did not even noticed that he has inadvertently caused his older brother much angst. This infuriated the writer even further. Finally, in a fit of rage, the writer destroyed the kite of his younger brother, and gloated over the distraught and tearful little boy.
Incidents like this are pretty ubiquitous, and matters of such bickering between siblings are quickly forgottenÂ…Â….
Fast forward 50 years to the present. Both the writer and his younger brother are middle-aged men in their fifties. Now that the writer has recalled this incident, he felt very remorseful over his unprovoked destruction of his younger brotherÂ’s kite. The writer then seeks out his younger brother to apologize for his actions. Unsurprisingly, the younger brother laughed it off, gave his elder brother a warm pat on the back, and told the writer that he cannot even remember this incident.
However, the writerÂ’s brotherÂ’s apparent indifference to this incident left the writer more distraught, as he realized that he is unable to apologize and undo the hurt he has caused the little boy when he destroyed his kite.
The hurting and tearful boy no longer existsÂ…. In his place is a middle-aged man that the little boy has grown intoÂ…, with no memories of the hurt his older brother has caused him all these years ago. The writer is thus unable to make amends to the boy he has hurt so badly at that point in time when such consolation would have the power of alleviating much of the suffering the little boy was going throughÂ….
Anyone knows the title of this essay or the writerÂ’s name? -
lu xun got an essay on destroying his younger brother's kite. Is that what yuo looking for??
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Yah yah, I think that is most likely the one I am looking for... Do you know the title of the essay?Originally posted by mochou:lu xun got an essay on destroying his younger brother's kite. Is that what yuo looking for?? -
I am not very familiar with Chinese writers, sorry about that.Originally posted by Beyond Religion:Anyone knows the title of this essay or the writerÂ’s name?
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Thanks for your help mochou!Originally posted by mochou:
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ju shou zhi lao, bu yong ke qi.
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Thanks Mochou. I got some details of the story wrong, but this is the one I am referring to.Originally posted by mochou:
... Would advise all forumners here to read this little essay. It's not only a literary masterpiece, it's a very thought-provoking master piece as well. -
Not only that, it is also a very touching story.Originally posted by Beyond Religion:Thanks Mochou. I got some details of the story wrong, but this is the one I am referring to.
... Would advise all forumners here to read this little essay. It's not only a literary masterpiece, it's a very thought-provoking master piece as well.
Let's all be kind to children. -
ahem i not patient enough to read long chinese poem
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But it is not a poem; it is an essay.Originally posted by MoonIce:ahem i not patient enough to read long chinese poem