序言 Preface

這一本很小的集子，從開手寫起到編成，經過的日子卻可以算得很長久了：足足有十三年。This very small collection took what may be called a very long time—from the moment I first set pen to paper until it was compiled: fully thirteen years.

这一本很小的集子，从开手写起到编成，经过的日子却可以算得很长久了：足足有十三年。

第一篇《補天》——原先題作《不周山》——還是一九二二年的冬天寫成的。The first piece, “Mending Heaven”—originally entitled “Mount Buzhou”—was completed in the winter of 1922.那時的意見，是想從古代和現代都採取題材，來做短篇小說，《不周山》便是取了「女媧煉石補天」的神話，動手試作的第一篇。My idea at the time was to draw subjects from both antiquity and the present day and make short stories of them; “Mount Buzhou,” based on the myth of “Nüwa smelting stones to mend the sky,” was my first attempt.首先，是很認真的，雖然也不過取了茀羅特說，來解釋創造——人和文學的——的緣起。At first I approached it quite seriously, though all I did was borrow Freud’s theories to explain the origins of creation—the creation of man and of literature.不記得怎麼一來，中塗停了筆，去看日報了，不幸正看見了誰——現在忘記了名字——的對於汪靜之君的《蕙的風》的批評，他說要含淚哀求，請青年不要再寫這樣的文字。I forget how it happened, but midway through I laid down my pen and turned to the newspaper, where, unfortunately, I came upon a critique by someone—whose name I have now forgotten—of Mr. Wang Jingzhi’s The Wind of the Rue; he said that, with tears in his eyes, he wished to implore young people never again to write such things.這可憐的陰險使我感到滑稽，當再寫小說時，就無論如何，止不住有一個古衣冠的小丈夫，在女媧的兩腿之間出現了。This pitiful piece of malice struck me as absurd, and when I resumed the story, try as I might, I could not stop a petty little man in ancient cap and gown from appearing between Nüwa’s legs.這就是從認真陷入了油滑的開端。That was the beginning of my descent from seriousness into facetiousness.油滑是創作的大敵，我對於自己很不滿。Facetiousness is the great enemy of creative writing, and I was deeply dissatisfied with myself.

第一篇《补天》——原先题作《不周山》——还是一九二二年的冬天写成的。那时的意见，是想从古代和现代都采取题材，来做短篇小说，《不周山》便是取了「女娲炼石补天」的神话，动手试作的第一篇。首先，是很认真的，虽然也不过取了茀罗特说，来解释创造——人和文学的——的缘起。不记得怎么一来，中涂停了笔，去看日报了，不幸正看见了谁——现在忘记了名字——的对于汪静之君的《蕙的风》的批评，他说要含泪哀求，请青年不要再写这样的文字。这可怜的阴险使我感到滑稽，当再写小说时，就无论如何，止不住有一个古衣冠的小丈夫，在女娲的两腿之间出现了。这就是从认真陷入了油滑的开端。油滑是创作的大敌，我对于自己很不满。

我決計不再寫這樣的小說，當編印《吶喊》時，便將它附在卷末，算是一個開始，也就是一個收場。I resolved never again to write such stories, and when I compiled and published Call to Arms, I appended it to the end of the volume, counting it both as a beginning and as an end.

我决计不再写这样的小说，当编印《呐喊》时，便将它附在卷末，算是一个开始，也就是一个收场。

這時我們的批評家成仿吾先生正在創造社門口的「靈魂的冒險」的旗子底下掄板斧。At the time, our critic Mr. Cheng Fangwu was standing at the gates of the Creation Society, beneath the banner of “the soul’s adventures,” brandishing his battle-axe.他以「庸俗」的罪名，幾斧砍殺了《吶喊》，只推《不周山》為佳作，——自然也仍有不好的地方。Condemning Call to Arms as “vulgar,” he hacked it to pieces with a few strokes of his axe, praising only “Mount Buzhou” as a fine work—though naturally even it still had its faults.坦白的說罷，這就是使我不但不能心服，而且還輕視了這位勇士的原因。To speak frankly, this was why, far from being convinced, I actually came to despise this valiant warrior.我是不簿「庸俗」，也自甘「庸俗」的；I do not disdain the “vulgar,” and am quite content to be “vulgar” myself;對於歷史小說，則以為博考文獻，言必有據者，縱使有人譏為「教授小說」，其實是很難組織之作，至於只取一點因由，隨意點染，鋪成一篇，倒無需怎樣的手腕；As for historical fiction, I believe that works based on extensive study of the sources, in which every statement has evidence behind it, are in fact extremely difficult to construct, even if some mock them as “professorial fiction”; whereas merely taking some slight pretext, embellishing it at will, and spinning it out into a story requires no great skill at all.況且「如魚飲水，冷暖自知」，用庸俗的話來說，就是「自家有病自家知」罷；《不周山》的後半是很草率的，決不能成為佳作。Besides, “as fish know the water they drink, whether it is cold or warm,” or, to put it vulgarly, “each man knows his own ailments”; the latter half of “Mount Buzhou” was written very carelessly and could never be a fine work.倘使讀者相信了這冒險家的話，一定自誤，而我也成了誤人，於是當《吶喊》印行第二版時，即將這一篇刪除；If readers believed this adventurer’s words, they would surely mislead themselves, while I too would become one who misled others; so when the second edition of Call to Arms was published, I removed the piece.向這位「魂靈」回敬了當頭一捧——我的集子裡，只剩著「庸俗」在跋扈了。Thus I dealt this “soul” a blow squarely on the head—in my collection, nothing but “vulgarity” remained to run rampant.

这时我们的批评家成仿吾先生正在创造社门口的「灵魂的冒险」的旗子底下抡板斧。他以「庸俗」的罪名，几斧砍杀了《呐喊》，只推《不周山》为佳作，——自然也仍有不好的地方。坦白的说罢，这就是使我不但不能心服，而且还轻视了这位勇士的原因。我是不簿「庸俗」，也自甘「庸俗」的；对于历史小说，则以为博考文献，言必有据者，纵使有人讥为「教授小说」，其实是很难组织之作，至于只取一点因由，随意点染，铺成一篇，倒无需怎样的手腕；况且「如鱼饮水，冷暖自知」，用庸俗的话来说，就是「自家有病自家知」罢；《不周山》的后半是很草率的，决不能成为佳作。倘使读者相信了这冒险家的话，一定自误，而我也成了误人，于是当《呐喊》印行第二版时，即将这一篇删除；向这位「魂灵」回敬了当头一捧——我的集子里，只剩著「庸俗」在跋扈了。

直到一九二六年的秋天，一個人住在廈門的石屋裡，對著大海，翻著古書，四近無生人氣，心裡空空洞洞。It was not until the autumn of 1926, when I was living alone in a stone house in Xiamen, facing the sea and leafing through old books, with no sign of human life nearby and an utter emptiness in my heart, that things changed.而北京的未名社，卻不絕的來信，催促雜誌的文章。Meanwhile, the Weiming Society in Beijing kept writing to press me for contributions to its journal.這時我不願意想到目前；At the time I did not wish to think about the present;於是回憶在心中出土了，寫了十篇《朝華夕拾》；and so memories were unearthed within me, and I wrote the ten pieces of Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk;並且仍舊拾取古代的傳說之類，預備足成八則《故事新編》。I also returned to gathering ancient legends and the like, intending to make up eight Tales Retold.但剛寫了《奔月》和《鑄劍》——發表的那時題為《眉間尺》，——我便奔向廣州，這事就又完全擱起了。But no sooner had I written “Flight to the Moon” and “Forging the Swords”—which was entitled “Meijianchi” when first published—than I rushed off to Guangzhou, and the project was once again completely laid aside.後來雖然偶爾得到一點題材，作一段速寫，卻一向不加整理。Although I later chanced now and then upon a bit of material and made a rough sketch of it, I never set about putting any of it in order.

直到一九二六年的秋天，一个人住在厦门的石屋里，对著大海，翻著古书，四近无生人气，心里空空洞洞。而北京的未名社，却不绝的来信，催促杂志的文章。这时我不愿意想到目前；于是回忆在心中出土了，写了十篇《朝华夕拾》；并且仍旧拾取古代的传说之类，预备足成八则《故事新编》。但刚写了《奔月》和《铸剑》——发表的那时题为《眉间尺》，——我便奔向广州，这事就又完全搁起了。后来虽然偶尔得到一点题材，作一段速写，却一向不加整理。

現在纔總算編成了一本書。Only now, at last, has it been compiled into a book.其中也還是速寫居多，不足稱為「文學概論」之所謂小說。Most of the pieces in it are still no more than sketches, unworthy of being called what primers of literature term “short stories.”敍事有時也有一點舊書上的根據，有時斧不過信口開河。The narratives sometimes have some basis in old books, and sometimes are simply wild flights of fancy.而且因為自己的對於古人，不及對於今人的誠敬，所以仍不免時有油滑之處。Moreover, since my reverence for the ancients falls short of my reverence for people of the present, I have still been unable to avoid occasional lapses into facetiousness.過了十三年，依然並無長進，看起來真也是「無非《不周山》之流」；Thirteen years have passed without the slightest improvement; it seems they truly are “nothing but more works in the vein of ‘Mount Buzhou.’”不過並沒有將古人寫得更死，卻也許暫時還有存在的餘地的罷。Still, I have not made the ancients any deader than they already were, so perhaps these pieces may for the time being have some right to exist.

现在才总算编成了一本书。其中也还是速写居多，不足称为「文学概论」之所谓小说。敍事有时也有一点旧书上的根据，有时斧不过信口开河。而且因为自己的对于古人，不及对于今人的诚敬，所以仍不免时有油滑之处。过了十三年，依然并无长进，看起来真也是「无非《不周山》之流」；不过并没有将古人写得更死，却也许暂时还有存在的余地的罢。