Jiang Yi: Let people hear the voice of the "dumb walker".
China News Weekly: Qiu Guangyu
Published in the 2023th issue of China News Weekly magazine on December 12, 4
On June 1956, 6, at the annual meeting of the honor society of Harvard University in the United States, a speaker with a difference took the stage. This is a burly middle-aged man with black hair and yellow skin, who looks calm and sven. He wore a black Chinese gown, a traditional attire that clearly distinguished himself from the red-robed speakers, and spoke wordlessly about his identity as a foreigner. In his speech, he used his years of experience in spreading Chinese culture to tell people that cultures from different countries should choose to be interdependent, rather than isolated from each other and isolated from the world.
This man is Jiang Yi, a writer, calligrapher and painter living abroad. The lecture event he participated in was a landmark event in the American academic community, and only the most prominent members of society and well-known scholars were invited, including many celebrities such as US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Jiang Yi is the second Asian to give a speech here after Rabindranath Tagore, and the first Chinese to receive this honor, which marks a high degree of recognition of his influence by the American academic community. This is Jiang Yi's personal highlight moment, and it is also an honorary moment for all Chinese. Years later, Jiang Yi's colleague at Columbia University and literary critic Xia Zhiqing praised the speech when he recalled the content of the speech.
However, this honor received by Jiang Yi is still unknown to most Chinese. Because he went to England to study in the 20s of the 30th century and wrote in English for a long time, Jiang Yi's name rarely appeared in China for many years. Although he is known as a bilingual writer on a par with Lin Yutang's influence, due to language barriers and other reasons, his works have never entered the public eye on a large scale, and even though many of his works have long been translated into Chinese, they have not caused repercussions. In contrast, some foreign researchers and readers who love Chinese culture are more familiar with Jiang Yi's name.
Nowadays, scholars around the world are constantly digging into Jiang Yi's life and works, and books about Jiang Yi are constantly being published. In November 2023, Paul Bevan, a lecturer in the Department of Modern Chinese Literature and Culture at the University of Oxford, said that Jiang Yi's work would soon be widely popular in China. "Because of his innate goodness, and the values of peace and friendship that he preached, can be understood anywhere." Bewen told China News Weekly.
The versatile "dumb walker"
As a researcher of Chinese literature, Englishman Paul Bevan feels that he has a special relationship with Jiang Yi: he grew up in the Hampstead district of London, England, where Jiang Yi lived for the first time when he studied in the UK. In the 20s of the 30th century, Hampstead was a famous art district in the United Kingdom, and the Chinese literary and artist groups composed of Jiang Yi, Xiong Shiyi and others were also here, and the high creative atmosphere incubated many literary and artistic works, including Jiang Yi's "Paintings" series of world cities through the eyes of Chinese, and Xiong Shiyi's drama "Wang Baochuan" that caused an overseas sensation. Today, Bewen still often passes by those places, and he knows that although the two houses where Jiang Yi lived were bombed during World War II, some buildings still retain the style of those years, and these old buildings can lead him back to the era when culture and art flourished. The apartment where Jiang Yi later lived in Oxford was kept by the British, and a blue sign representing the former residence of a celebrity was hung as a memorial as a memorial. In the United Kingdom, there are only three Chinese who have won this honor, except for Jiang Yi, the other two are Sun Yat-sen and Lao She.
With Bevan's return to the scene of that era, people may be able to understand why Jiang Yi, a Chinese student who was originally unknown, suddenly became "popular" in the UK and became a best-selling author. When Jiang Yi went to study in the UK in the 20s of the 30th century, by chance, the British public began to be interested in Chinese culture, especially in the field of art. At that time, the London area also often held exhibitions of Chinese-themed art. During this period, Chinese playwright Xiong Shiyi, calligrapher and painter Jiang Yi, poet Wang Lixi and others came to England for further study, and they all lived in the Hampstead district, and together with the historian Cui Ji, the writer Xiao Qian, and the translator Yang Xianyi, they gradually formed a group of Chinese intellectuals who supported and helped each other.
In 1933, Jiang Yi, then 30 years old, came to the United Kingdom from Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province to study, and later came to the Hampstead district and lived with Xiong Shiyi, a fellow villager in Jiangxi. After graduating from Southeast University a few years ago, Jiang Yi served as a county magistrate in Wuhu, Jiujiang and other places, and wanted to do something practical for the country, but found that the complexity of officialdom and the darkness of society were beyond his imagination. In order to learn advanced political science knowledge overseas and find a way out, he studied in the UK with the support of his family.
When he arrived in England, Jiang Yi found that he had not made any achievements in political science, but had developed a great interest in literature and art. And this interest was originally "stimulated" by his friend Xiong Shiyi. In July 1934, Xiong Shiyi published the play "Wang Baochuan" based on the Chinese legend, which was quickly arranged into a play and performed many times in Europe and the United States, and was very popular. At that time, Jiang Yi had painted twelve line drawing illustrations for the book "Wang Baochuan", and the script sold well, and he was also honored. Later, Xiong Shiyi proposed that Jiang Yi could specially illustrate his paintings and calligraphy. But this request made Jiang Yi very uncomfortable in his heart, he has had a talent for calligraphy and painting since he was a child, and he is famous in his hometown, so he is naturally reluctant to make a wedding dress for others. As a result, Jiang Yi, who originally had very poor English skills, began to take the initiative to communicate with the locals, practice English expression, and even go to the park to find someone to practice English, hoping that one day he could write a book in English.
The goddess of opportunity often favors those who work hard and are prepared. Jiang Yi's talent for painting was soon discovered. In 1934, a British environmental protection association, the "Human Tree Association", solicited works from artists, and Jiang Yi painted ink paintings on the recommendation of the Chinese Embassy and went to participate in the competition, but he did not expect the paintings to be published in London newspapers, and he began to become famous in Britain as a painter. In 1935, Jiang Yi assisted the painter Liu Haisu in organizing an exhibition in London, and he also created several ink paintings for Liu Haisu, Liu Haisu put his works on the exhibition, and one of the paintings was quickly sold, which gave Jiang Yi, who had never made a living from his works, some confidence. Soon, on the recommendation of Xiong Shiyi, the publisher approached Jiang Yi and asked him to write a book popularizing Chinese art as a Chinese artist.
The opportunity came to make Jiang Yi excited and nervous, what made him nervous was that his English writing level at that time was still far from the book, if he wanted to write in English, he had to write Chinese articles first, then translate them into English, and then find locals to help him polish them, so that he could pass the test. At that stage, Jiang Yi happened to make friends with two nobles who would help him for a long time in the future, one of whom was Johnston, the dean of the East Asian Institute at the University of London. Johnston admired Jiang Yi's knowledge of Chinese culture, arranged for Jiang Yi to teach at the East Asian Institute, let Jiang Yi study for his doctorate, and supported and protected him everywhere in his academic journey. In addition, among the students of his Oriental College is a local girl named Innis Jackson, who is very talented, and has a solid foundation in both Chinese and English, and Innis is willing to help Jiang Yi polish her English, and she can also take the opportunity to learn Chinese culture. The two hit it off and began a lifelong friendship and cooperation.
Soon, with the help of Johnston, Innis and others, Jiang Yi's work "Chinese Painting" was published, which was well received, and after that, he continued to participate in lectures and courses as a Chinese artist, published articles, and accumulated fame. In 1937, Jiang Yi published his famous work The Dumb Walker: A Chinese Painter in the Lake District (also known as The Lake District Paintings), which describes the essays and paintings he wrote while taking a break from his studies and life in the Lake District of England to relax and spend time with nature. It was also in this book that Jiang Yi began to officially use his pen name, Silent Traveller. The reason why it is called "dumb walker" is, on the one hand, because Jiang Yi's character Zhongya, "dumb" is homophonic with "ya", and on the other hand, the meaning of silence in the word "dumb" also implies that he is a foreigner whose native language is not English.
Through "Dumb Walkers: Chinese Painters in the Lake District", Jiang Yi's image as a "dumb walker" was truly established, and it was recognized by British and American publishers with good sales. Since then, no matter in the world, Jiang Yi will use the form of "painting notes" to care about the customs and customs of foreign societies from the perspective of a foreigner. Everywhere he goes, his exquisite and imaginative paintings, delicate and textured brushstrokes, and documentary-like descriptions full of camera sense can arouse the reader's amazement. He has written and painted the snow-covered streets of Oxford and the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge in New York, and in the face of these famous places, he can dig out rich cultural connotations in his personal experience, so that readers can obtain a novel, popular but deep spiritual experience.
The "panda man" who survived in frustration
Jiang Yi's biographer, Zheng Da, professor emeritus of English at Suffolk University in Boston, mentioned that Jiang Yi had written a work called "Chinese Calligraphy", which was published in Britain in 1938, and four years later on Christmas Day in 1942, the book was suddenly sold out of stock, because many American soldiers went to Britain to fight in the war, and when it came to the holidays, they needed to buy gifts for their families, and they were very interested in this illustrated work, so they bought books and sent them back to the United States. Zheng Da himself encountered this situation, and the first time he read Jiang Yi's "Boston Pictorial" abroad was at the home of a landlord in the United States, and the book was also a Christmas gift from his landlord.
The late Chinese geographer Duan Yifu, who lived in Australia as a child, also had memories of Jiang Yi's work, and he first read Jiang Yi's books in his childhood hospital bed. As a child, when he was resting from surgery at the Children's Hospital, he received two books as gifts, one was Xiong Shiyi's "Flyover" and the other was Jiang Yi's "Dumb Walker London Paintings". At that time, he felt that the story of "Flyover" was a little complicated, but the exquisite watercolors in "The Dumb Walker in London" left a unique impression on him and made him read it with relish. It seems that no matter where in the world, no matter what country the reader comes from, people can find a universal solace and peace in Jiang Yi's works.
Under the soothing style of painting and writing, Jiang Yi's heart has actually experienced unknown setbacks and turmoil. Growing up in an old-style literati family, he was smart from an early age and studied both Chinese and Western. When he was a teenager, he did not care much about politics and state affairs, but as the social environment continued to change, he felt the national crisis and was increasingly inspired by patriotic thoughts. In order to realize the ideal of saving the country through science, he gave up his good at literature, calligraphy and painting, and chose to major in chemistry at Southeast University. But after graduation, Jiang Yi's "job search" to serve the country was full of ups and downs: when he was a middle school teacher, he was hindered by the local people's fierce customs and lack of funds, so it was difficult to carry out his work; In the middle, he also worked as an assistant to his uncle Cai Gongshi, who was a diplomat of the Republic of China, but Cai Gongshi was suddenly killed in a conflict with the Japanese, which cut off his career prospect again. Later, he became a county magistrate in a bookish rage, but in the end he was unsuccessful.
Fortunately, Jiang Yi had his brother Jiang Ji to support him in the first half of his life. Jiang Ji participated in the National Revolution in his early years, and later served in the Jiangxi government, he was also good at painting and calligraphy, like-minded with his younger brother, and his ideas were more avant-garde than his younger brother. Because of the early death of his parents, Jiang Ji took care of Jiang Yi like "the eldest brother is like a father". At almost every juncture in life. Jiang Ji can give guidance and help to Jiang Yi. Whether he is studying in college or going abroad to study for a master's degree, it is Jiang Ji who pays for his tuition. Therefore, when Jiang Ji died of a heart attack in the war in 1938, Jiang Yi, who was overseas, was heartbroken and homesick even more intensely, but China was being invaded by the Japanese army, and he did not dare to return to China rashly. At this time, Johnston, the mentor who fully supported him, had also died, making Jiang Yi feel even more isolated.
From the moment the umbrella disappeared, the homesickness of leaving home turned into an indelible pain, and he had made a plan with his brother to learn knowledge before returning home, but the war and the death of relatives and friends interrupted everything. Without a guide, he couldn't imagine what his future would look like. Eventually, he diluted the pain with non-stop work, pinning his emotions on the critters and natural beauty that he loved. It was in 1938 that Jiang Yi's life suffered a major setback, and the panda cub "Ming" from China became the most popular star of the London Zoo, Jiang Yi was a member of the London Zoological Society, and he also fell in love with this black-and-white, healing and cute creature, he drew more than <> panda sketches, and later painted hundreds of panda pictures based on it. Later, Jiang Yi wrote his first work of children's literature, Jinbao and Hua Xiong, in which one of the main characters was also a panda.
Jiang Yi once said that work can keep him away from most of his worries. "Maybe work is the only form I can have happiness." Writing is the spiritual home he has built about the culture of his hometown. The curiosity, playfulness and innocence that he exudes in his words and pictures have touched many more people. His pandas were also popular with readers at home and abroad, and the image of the panda was widely disseminated among foreigners, and British critics nicknamed him "Panda Man". Because he is good at drawing animals and has a gentle temper, Jiang Yi is also very popular with children in the Chinese circle, who call him "Uncle Jiang" and like to play with him and watch his paintings. Relying on painting and literature, Jiang Yi stubbornly walked out of the loneliness and pain of being far away from his relatives, pinned his nostalgia on the end of his pen, and brought the beautiful side to more people.
A "patriot" who has wandered all his life
In 1955, Jiang Yi moved from the United Kingdom to the United States, where he was hired as a professor of Chinese at Columbia University, and he has lived in the United States for a long time. In the United States, he continued to write while walking, and successively published well-known works such as "Boston Pictorial" and "Japanese Pictorial", gaining more readers. However, behind the scenery and the conversation, there is still a strong nostalgia. In his 1964 book, Pictorial Notes of San Francisco, Jiang Yi boldly painted a contemporary ink painting: a panda strolling leisurely on the ground of Dove of Peace Square, set against the backdrop of the city's high-rise buildings and rushing crowds. He titled the painting "Oriental Visitors in Union Square", which seems to be a metaphor for his identity: no matter how his status changes, he is still the "panda man" who observes the world in a foreign country.
In the 20s of the 70th century, Sino-US relations gradually thawed, and Jiang Yi, who missed his hometown, finally had the opportunity to set foot on Chinese soil. In April 1975, he returned to his hometown to visit relatives after more than 4 years of absence. Hometown and family are things that Jiang Yi has always been concerned about, and his complex emotions are also hidden in family relationships. Jiang Yi and his wife Zeng Yun got married through arranged marriage by their families, and there was a big gap between the two in terms of cultural level, but they did not choose to divorce in the end. In terms of pursuing career development and preserving his family, Jiang Yi can't achieve a balance, and he also feels guilty about his family in China. Out of the loneliness of living abroad, he brought him and Zeng Yun's two sons overseas to earn a living with him and helped them gain a foothold in the United Kingdom and the United States, respectively.
A friend of his once recalled that Jiang Yi was a more principled person, and when he was abroad, he resolutely rejected the overtures of some female readers, and even avoided them. He had feelings for his long-time friend Innis, but he only maintained friendship with her. In his later years, he fell in love with a Chinese scientist Huang Yaomin, but was opposed by the woman's family and failed to become a family. At the end of the day, Jiang Yi is a typical Chinese traditional knowledge practitioner who is accustomed to restraining his emotions, keeping his sanity, and working hard to live. He mentioned in his letter to Innis that he did not express himself wholeheartedly. In the final analysis, he still believes that restraint is a habit that belongs to the literati of the East, and even if he has lived in the West for many years, this restraint is still engraved in his bones and cannot be erased.
Jiang Yi, who returned to his hometown, became full of emotion, he seemed to have changed a lot after being silent for many years, and in his hometown, he unconsciously became lively and cheerful. He came to Beijing to live with his youngest daughter's family, and despite his 70-year-old age, he took the time to experience everything in his hometown, and in two months, he visited more than 20 cities in China. After returning to the United States, he wrote down his trip to China. At this time, people found that Jiang Yi, who had always been eloquent and unhurried, suddenly changed his style and became more emotional and enthusiastic. He praised everything he had seen in the country, even the improvement in medical care and the social atmosphere. In Jiang Yi's heart, China is no longer the "mess" that he couldn't use when he was a county magistrate, and it is certainly worth writing about.
Although these words have some emotional elements, they are not lacking in sincerity. Jiang Yi's writings in the past have always only talked about culture and not politics, but his original intention to study abroad was to study political science, and he was still influenced by patriotic feelings. After returning to China and seeing the changes in Chinese society, he naturally could not suppress his enthusiasm. Jiang Yi's biographer Zheng Da believes that these words written by Jiang Yi after returning to China are his heartfelt words, because he is comparing the China of the 70s with the China of the 30s in his mind, and when he returns to China many years later, his thoughts will naturally be different.
Everything about his hometown drew him like a magnet until death came. In August 1977, Jiang Yi continued his unfinished journey on his second visit to China, inspecting historical sites, accompanying relatives and friends, watching Peking Opera, and filling his itinerary. Around the National Day, he finally suffered a recurrence of cancer due to physical exhaustion, and died in Beijing a few days later. This "mute walker", who moves freely between different cultures, achieves the return of fallen leaves to his roots in an unexpected way. Coincidentally, many years later, Xiong Shiyi, a fellow countryman and friend who inspired him to embark on the road of literature, also died suddenly while visiting relatives in Beijing, and the fates of the two were so magically intertwined.
Later, when news of Mr. Jiang's death reached the United States, Columbia University, where he worked, said in a eulogy that Mr. Jiang had brought Chinese culture to New York and to everyday life at Columbia. This time, he was just going out of the house, "just like the mute walkers often go out on long trips."
But Jiang Yi eventually stayed in China, and he was buried at the foot of Lushan Mountain in Jiangxi Province, along with his brother Jiang Ji and his wife Zeng Yun. This stranger, who has been adrift, can finally rest in his hometown with his dream of cultural integration.
Reference: Painting of the Westward Journey: The Biography of Jiang Yi, by Zheng Da, The Commercial Press
China News Weekly, Issue 2023, 45
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