Anarchism In The War

After returning from France,Ba Jin experienced an unprecedented sense of powerlessness in the real revolution,which led him to doubt Anarchism as a political belief and face a great confusion of identity.In 1935,the Culture& Life Publishing House was established and became a chance for Ba Jin to alleviate his mental suffering.He transformed his political beliefs that were difficult to put into practice in reality into a work ethic and responsibility awareness.In his editorial and publishing work,Ba Jin adhered to the Anarchist values of “justice,mutual assistance and dedication”,and persisted in bringing out books that were readable by the youth,constructing a new value system of the intellectuals,and sending out sparks of ideas.In 1937,the Anti-Japanese War broke out.In Ba Jin’s view,the war against Japanese invasion,like the Spanish civil war,was a battle between the people and the fascists.It was a spontaneous popular movement and a reform of the old political institutions,fighting for the freedom and equality of the people,which aroused the passion deep down in Ba Jin’s heart for reengaging himself in politics.Therefore,Ba Jin devoted himself to the Anti-Japanese War.In response to the call of the publishing community,he published Fenghuo which more fit in with the specific cultural needs of the war.He concentrated on translating articles,books,and albums related to the Spanish Civil War that he supported,and propagating the Anti-Japanese War.He cheered for the brave soldiers on the front line and the people in the country,gave them inspiration,and also upheld the name and career of both the international and domestic anarchists.At the same time,Ba Jin jointly published the Declaration of Chinese Literary and Art Workers.In the debates with various thoughts and ideas about the Anti-Japanese War,he insisted on the subjectivity of the anarchists in the "United Front." Part of his prose writing showed his unique concept of the Anti-Japanese War which was rooted in Anarchism.As time went by,the passion,the optimism and confidence in the early days of the Anti-Japanese War gradually faded away,and was replaced by the deadlocked war situation,the grim social reality,and the long-term wandering life.Moreover,Ba Jin was at his middle age then and returned to his hometown.Feeling exhausted,he was eager to live a stable life.That also corrected his tendency of “eliminating family” which was rooted in Anarchism.These changes in thoughts,mentality and life experience were reflected in the facts that he chose to translate Theodor Storm’s love stories and Oscar Wilde’s fairy tales,rather than the stories of heroes written by Russian nihilists.In his writing of novels,he turned from the lyrical sighs of passion and enthusiasm into the revelation of the profundity and calmness of life and world.The image of "family" and "parents" had changed secretly in the novels,such as A Garden of Repose and Fire,which were different from that in the “Torrents” Trilogy."Family" no longer had a strict order,and was no longer a cage and a shackle that suppressed the happiness and will of the youth."Parents" were not ignorant,unjust,and absolutely antagonistic any more."Family" began to have tender feelings based on blood relation,and was a habitat for body and mind.In addition,his prose writing began to show a peaceful and casual style.