Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.2, 2019

 

On Guo Moruo’s Writing of “Question of a Letter”: With a View into the Negative Influence of Preconception on Academic Research

(Abstract)

 

Liao Jiuming

 

In his letter to Yao Ke, included in Letters of Lu Xun that was published in 1946, Lu Xun mentioned that Jing Yinyu once said he had sent Roman Rolland’s review of Ah Q’s Story to the Association of Creation and received no response. In 1947, Xu Shouchang published “Impression of My Passed Friend Lu Xun”, saying that the Association of Creation had blotted out the review letter. Guo Moruo quickly replied in“Question of a Letter” that it is impossible for the Association of Creation to“blot out this review letter”. Based on the newly revealed “Jing Yinyu’s Letter” and Lu Xun’s diaries, Lu Ge argued that “Guo’s refutation and statement are basically inappropriate”. But as a matter of fact, Guo Moruo was not accessible to those historical materials, and as such his explanation was restricted. Lu Ge and others made a wrong argument for they were obsessed with their label as “Lu Xun experts”. Through a close examination of Lu Ge’s essay “About Roman Rolland’s Review of Ah Q’s Story”, this paper corrects Lu Ge’s argument and clarifies a few points. This example also testifies to the negative impact of preconception on academic research.