1 Poem by Lu Xun

Tombstone Inscription

I dreamed that I am standing before a tombstone, reading the inscription. The tombstone seems to be made of sand stones, which is peeling off and choked with moss, with a few remnant words —

 “…Cold stroke in the heat of singing, to see abyss in the sky. To see nothing in all eyes, and to be saved in hopelessness…”
 “…A wandering soul is transformed into a long snake, with poisonous teeth. Instead of biting people, it bites itself, and eventually perished …”
 “…Get away! …”
Coming to the back of the tombstone, I see a lonely tomb, bare of trees and grasses, and is dilapidated. From a big gap, I see a corpse, with broken belly and chest, without heart and liver. But the face is free of any sign of happiness or sadness: it is misty and hazy.
Before turning back, in doubt and fear I see remnant words on the nightside of the tombstone—

 “…Get one’s own heart to eat, so as to taste the original flavor. But it is so painful, how can the flavor be tasted? …
 “…When the pain is allayed, to eat it slowly. But the heart is old, how to get the flavor? …
 “…Answer me. Or, get away! …”

I am to go away. But the corpse is sitting up in the tomb, and it says without movement of lips and mouth —
 “When I turn dust, you’ll see my smile!”
I hurry away, not daring to turn back, afraid of seeing his tailing up.

June 17, 1925


About the author:

Lu Xun (1881—1936), originally named Zhou Shuren, was a native of Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. He went to study in Japan in 1902. Later, he gave up medicine and engaged himself in literary creation. He returned to his native country in 1909. In May, 1918, he published A Madman’s Diary, the first vernacular novel in the history of modern Chinese literature, and became a great standard-bearer of May 4th New Culture Movement. Wild Grass, a collection of prose writings is his representative work. His Complete Works of Lu Xun (ten volumes) is known to the world.
(Tr. by Zhang Zhizhong）

墓碣文
    鲁迅

　　我梦见自己正和墓碣对立，读着上面的刻辞。那墓碣似是沙石所制，剥落很多，又有苔藓丛生，仅存有限的文句——

　　“……于浩歌狂热之际中寒；于天上看见深渊。于一切眼中看见无所有；于无所希望中得救。……
　　“……有一游魂，化为长蛇，口有毒牙。不以啮人，自啮其身，终以陨颠。……
　　“……离开！……”
　　我绕到碣后，才见孤坟，上无草木，且已颓坏。即从大阙口中，窥见死尸，胸腹俱破，中无心肝。而脸上却绝不显哀乐之状，但蒙蒙如烟然。
　　我在疑惧中不及回身，然而已看见墓碣阴面的残存的文句——

　　“……抉心自食，欲知本味。创痛酷烈，本味何能知？……
　　“……痛定之后，徐徐食之。然其心已陈旧，本味又何由知？……
　　“……答我。否则，离开！……”

　　我就要离开。而死尸已在坟中坐起，口唇不动，然而说——
　　“待我成尘时，你将见我的微笑！”
　　我疾走，不敢反顾，生怕看见他的追随。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　               1925年6月17日

作者简介
鲁迅（1881—1936），原名周树人。浙江绍兴人。1902年赴日本留学，后弃医从文。1909年回国。1918年5月，发表中国现代文学史上第一篇 白话小说《狂人日记》，成为“五四”新文化运动的伟大旗手。主要作品有：散文诗集《野草》。另有《鲁迅全集》（十卷本）传世。