Features and Shortcomings of Sun Li's Prose

The deliberate pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty is the main feature of Sun Li's prose in the new period, and it is also his consistent aesthetic pursuit. He believes that "the duty of literature is to reflect the beauty and goodness in reality. This is true of literary works at all times and in all countries. " This has been fully reflected in the early creation. However, compared with the "Qingming warmth" of Lotus Lake, Sun Li's understanding of beauty in his later years is more mature and profound, and the feelings expressed in his works are stronger and heavier, giving people a sense of depression and desolation.

For example, chapters such as Anecdotes of the Dead, Old Stories in Baoding and Old Stories in the Village still look back on trivial matters like early works, but through picturesque narration, we can soon feel that the people and things described in these works imply a tragic atmosphere. The feelings expressed by the authors are not early happiness and joy, but deep sadness and helplessness. Moreover, the characters described by the author are mostly "ordinary people, ordinary soldiers, not tall images, absolute people." Therefore, when this kind of prose really misses the strengths of friends, it is not exaggerated or flattering, and all kinds of feelings and feelings are blended into seemingly understated things, revealing the characteristics of truth, simplicity and innocence between the lines. In addition, unlike his early works, which rarely described the negative side of beauty, Sun Li's prose in his later years began to mercilessly expose the ugly things that destroyed and stifled beauty in real life.