Japanese Visions of Lu Xun in the Light of the Magic Lantern Incident

Volume 5 | Issue 2 | Article ID 2344 | Feb 02, 2007 The Asia-Pacific Journal | Japan Focus Japanese Visions of Lu Xun in the Light of the Magic Lantern Incident Christopher Robins Japanese Visions of Lu Xun in the Light be physically sound, he felt that spiritually they of the Magic Lantern Incident were close to death. By Christopher Robins Abandoning Medicine to Minister to the Chinese Spirit through Literature In January of 1906 in the northeastern Japanese city of Sendai, China’s most famous modern writer, Lu Xun (Zhou Shuren 1881-1936), claimed to have experienced a life- changing epiphany that led him to abandon his medical studies and “devote himself to the creation of a literature that would minister to the ailing Chinese psyche.” [1] The now famous “magic lantern (slide) incident” allegedly took place at the end of Lu Xun’s bacteriology class at the Sendai Medical School. The lesson had ended early and the instructor used the slide projector to show various images to students Image 1: Portrait of the “magic lantern from the recently concluded Russo-Japanese incident” War (1904-05). Lu Xun later recounted that the Japanese medical students were roused into a patriotic frenzy by scenes of the war,Through the lens of Chinese nationalism after culminating in reverberating chants ofWorld War II and the victory of the communists “banzai!” One scene showed a Chinese prisoner in 1949, the slide incident came to represent about to be executed in Manchuria by a Lu Xun’s prescient decision to reject Japan’s Japanese soldier and the caption described this bellicose nationalism and Western-style science man as a Russian spy (see image 1). Lu Xun in favor of a politically-motivated literature. Lu reported that rather than the sight of a fellow Xun’s “conversion” to a life of literature Chinese facing death, it was the expression on suggests a quasi-religious renunciation of his the faces of the Chinese bystanders that past life and the beginning of a process of troubled him deeply. Although they appeared to spiritual and political purification following his 1 5 | 2 | 0 APJ | JF extensive contact with China’s longstanding story “Mr. Fujino,” also became familiar to national nemesis. Japanese students after they were included in the public school curriculum after the Pacific War in the 1950s. [4] As an intellectual who was both sharply critical of traditional Chinese social institutions and active in socialist literary and political circles The Canonization of Fujino-sensei until his death in 1936, Lu Xun’s apotheosis as a national icon within the Chinese Communist Party was swift and enduring. On the first The story of Lu Xun’s life in Japan has long anniversary of Lu Xun’s death, Mao spoke to an fascinated Japanese readers as a means of assembly at the North Shaanxi Public School in understanding his transformation into China’s Yan’an and assessed Lu Xun’s influence on greatest modern writer. Lu Xun’s descriptions China as comparable to Confucius: “The value of his time in Japan appeal to Japanese readers of Lu Xun in China is that he should be not only because of his famous epiphany regarded as the number one sage of China. following the slide incident, but also because of Confucius was the sage of the feudal society; the countervailing narrative of Lu Xun’s Lu Xun is the sage of the New China.” [2] In relationship with his former anatomy teacher 1940 Mao showered Lu Xun with praise for his and mentor at medical school, Professor Fujino role in the May Fourth New Culture movement Genkuro (1874-1945). and paved the way for his elevation to the status of national hero and party stalwart: Fujino is recalled fondly in several of Lu Xun’s works, including a vignette based on his relationship with the professor entitled “Mr. Lu Xun was the greatest and most Fujino,” written in 1926. Lu Xun was the first courageous standard-bearer of this Chinese student to study at the Sendai Medical cultural force. The chief School, and during his first semester of study, commander of China’s cultural Professor Fujino offered to review and correct revolution, he was not only a great his lecture notes for him on a weekly basis. The man of unyielding integrity, free description of Fujino’s appearance in Lu Xun’s from all syncophancy . he was account of the same name created an also the bravest and most correct, endearing portrait of a somewhat absent- the firmest, the most loyal and the minded and rumpled professor devoted to most ardent national hero, a hero distraction in his work. without parallel in our history. The road he took was the very road of China’s new national culture. [3] Professor Fujino was in charge of anatomy. His skin was dark and he wore an arching moustache and Thanks to the adoption of many of Lu Xun’s nearsighted glasses on his gaunt stories as part of the official People’s Republic face. He spoke very slowly with a of China public school curriculum, the details lilting cadence in his voice and his of his early life and his identity as a national unkempt western-style clothes hero became firmly enshrined in the memories were carelessly attired. He was the of millions of Chinese citizens. A number of Lu kind of person who would Xun’s short stories and essays, including the sometimes forget to put on his tie. 2 5 | 2 | 0 APJ | JF [5] Fujino. At the end of the second semester, I visited Fujino-sensei and notified him that I wanted to quit medical studies and planned to leave Sendai. A look of sadness seemed to come over his face. Two or three days before leaving I was invited to his house and he gave me a photograph. The two Chinese characters, “sekibetsu,” were written on the back. Although I said that I would give him my Image 2: Photograph of Professor Fujino photograph, unfortunately, I couldn’t afford it at that time. He eagerly requested that I send him Before Lu Xun withdrew from the medical a photo if I had one taken, and he school in Sendai and moved to Tokyo to enroll asked me to send him letters in German language classes, Fujino gave Lu periodically to keep him abreast of Xun a photograph of himself and wrote the my situation from that point on. Chinese characters sekibetsu (regrettable Yet, as time passed, it became parting) on the back (see image 2). The story of harder to write and make amends; their relationship was not widely known until I just couldn’t take up my brush. after Lu Xun’s death when his works began to The situation is still the same up to be introduced to Japanese readers. At that the present—I didn’t send one point Fujino was discovered living in relative single letter or photograph. I don’t obscurity in his hometown in Fukui Prefecture. know why, but even today I After Fujino died in 1945, his heretofore reminisce about him frequently. Of modest life became so intertwined with the all of the teachers whom I revere, fame of his former student that his house in he was the one person who gave Awara City became a museum, and a memorial me the greatest encouragement in Fukui City was dedicated to the memory of and inspiration. His picture alone their relationship inscribed with the word hangs on the east wall facing my sekibetsu. desk in my home in Beijing. In the middle of the night when I’m bored For Japanese fans of Lu Xun, Professor Fujino’s with my work and I feel like photograph that hung over Lu Xun’s writing quitting, I look up at his dark and desk encapsulates the legacy of his experience gaunt face in the lamplight. Even in Japan. The photograph suggests Lu Xun’s now, when I gaze upon that face lifelong devotion to his former teacher and a that looks like it is about to hold lingering awareness of an unsettled debt. This forth in that harsh tone of voice, it theme is expressed in the following excerpt pricks my conscience and gives me from “Mr. Fujino,” where Lu Xun describes his courage. At that point I light up a reaction to receiving the photograph from cigarette, and once again, continue 3 5 | 2 | 0 APJ | JF writing literature deeply detested Another writer drawn to Lu Xun’s life and work by “saints and virtuous scholars.” was Dazai Osamu (Tsushima Shuji, 1909-1948). [6] Like Nakano, Dazai ran afoul of the Japanese authorities for his left-wing political activities in the early 1930s. By the end of 1932, Dazai joined the long list of Japanese writers with For many Japanese readers, and undoubtedly socialist agendas who had publicly disavowed Chinese readers as well, Fujino’s photograph participation in the movement. [9] stands as a kind of devotional icon, an undying symbol of the teacher’s lasting influence upon his student. Lu Xun’s inability to reciprocate Lu Xun as a Mouthpiece for Wartime Fujino’s kindness and maintain contact over the Japanese Propaganda years seems to fuel a lingering sense of guilt and inadequacy that spurs him to work harder. Ironically, it was Dazai—a fellow writer who The inscription on the photograph conveys a professed respect for Lu Xun’s work and special intimacy that transcends the strictly progressive modernizing agenda—who wrote a formal relationship between teacher and novel about Lu Xun’s time as a medical student student.

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