Zhu Ziqing Explained

Zhu Ziqing
Birth Name:Zhu Zihua
Birth Date:22 November 1898
Occupation:Poet, essayist
Language:Chinese
Alma Mater:Peking University
Period:1920–1948
Genre:Poem, essay
C:朱自清
P:Zhū Zìqīng
W:Chu Tzu-Ch'ing
Also Known As:Zhu Zihua
T2:朱自華
S2:朱自华
P2:Zhū Zìhuá

Zhu Ziqing (November 22, 1898 – August 12, 1948), born Zhu Zihua, was a renowned Chinese poet and essayist. Zhu studied at Peking University, and during the May Fourth Movement became one of several pioneers of modernism in China during the 1920s. Zhu was a prolific writer of both prose and poetry, but is best known for essays like "Retreating Figure", and "You. Me." . His best known work in verse is the long poem "Destruction" or Huimie .

Early life

In 1916, Zhu graduated from Secondary school and entered Peking University where he fell in love and married Wu Zhongqian (Chinese: 武仲謙). A year later, he changed his name from Zihua to Ziqing, the name change was said to be due to his family's dire economic conditions. Zhu graduated in 1920, and went to various secondary schools in Hangzhou, Yangzhou, Shanghai and Ningbo to teach. During his time as a teacher, he was also active in the poetry circles, and became a well-known poet.

The essay "Chinese: " (Green) was written by Zhu Ziqing about the beauty of Meiyu Pond (Chinese: {{linktext|梅雨潭) and waterfall in the Middle Yandang Mountains in Xianyan Subdistrict, Ouhai District, Wenzhou of southeastern Zhejiang province in eastern China after his visits to the area in 1923. A selection from "Chinese: " (Green) is among the sixty potential reading selections test takers may be asked to read for the Putonghua Proficiency Test.[1] [2] [3]

Academia

Later, he was appointed professor of Chinese Literature at Tsinghua University in 1925, and on August 1928, he published his first essay collection known as "Retreating Figure". The book became a wild hit and he soon established his name as a prolific author and poet. However, Zhu's wife soon died which was a terrible blow to Zhu.[4] From 1931 to 1932 he studied English Literature and Linguistics in London. He married his second wife Chen Zhuyin and continued to teach at Tsinghua University.

In 1937, when the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out, Zhu followed his university to move to Changsha, Kunming and Chengdu. During this time, Zhu continued to teach in other universities.

Later years and death

After the Second World War, Zhu encouraged his students in Kunming to oppose Chiang Kai-shek for starting the Chinese Civil War. In 1946, he returned to Beijing and was appointed the Head of the Chinese Language Department in Tsinghua University. When he heard of the assassination of patriotic authors Li Gongpu and Wen Yiduo, Zhu disregarded his own safety to attend the funeral of both men.

Zhu later died on August 12, 1948, after joining the rebellion of refusing aid from the United States. Though it is a common belief that Zhu died of starvation due to Mao Zedong's famous article "Farewell, Leighton Stuart". However, the real cause of Zhu's death was gastric perforation resulting from his severe stomach ulcers.[5]

Portrait

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: zh:普通话水平测试实施纲要 . 2004. 北京. Beijing. The Commercial Press.. 7-100-03996-7. 382–383.
  2. Book: zh:朱自清散文 . Zhu . Ziqing . 浙江文艺出版社 [Zhejiang Arts Press] . 2014 . 9787533935993.
  3. Web site: http://www.ouhai.gov.cn/art/2014/12/3/art_1412645_13677317.html . zh:电视文学艺术片《绿》在仙岩梅雨潭景区开机. TV Literary Art Documentary 'Green' starts filming in Xianyan's Meiyutan Scenic Area . zh-hans. Ouhai District People's Government . "Chinese: 1923年朱自清先生来温州执教,同年先后两次来到仙岩梅雨潭景区,被仙岩浓厚的人文气息和那醉人的女儿绿深深吸引,于是就写下了脍炙人口的美文名篇《绿》。". 3 December 2014. 27 April 2018.
  4. Cf. his essay of 1932 about his wife Qian (武鍾謙, Wǔ Zhōngqiān) who died in 1929, translated by Wolf Baus into German as Meiner verstorbenen Frau in Hefte für Ostasiatische Literatur No. 14 (May 1993), p. 26–31.
  5. Web site: http://history.eastday.com/h/20140812/u1a8277695.html . zh:被歪曲的历史真相:朱自清是怎么死的? . Song . Xiaodong (宋晓东) . 2014-08-12 . zh-hans .