Yang Jiang and "We Three"

钱钟书、杨绛夫妇在学界德高望重，《围城》、《洗澡》两部书更令他们声名远播。然而，人们对其家庭生活却不甚了解。1998年钱先生的逝世使文化界深感悲痛。

但罕为人知的是他和杨先生唯一的女儿钱媛已于此前一年先他们而去。唯一的女儿、一生的伴侣相继离去，杨先生晚年之情景非常人所能体味。在人生的伴侣离去四年后，92岁高龄的杨绛用心记述了他们这个特殊家庭63年的风风雨雨、点点滴滴，结成回忆录《我们仨》。记者昨日获悉，生活·读书·新知三联书店原定于五月推出这本书，由于非典将推迟到今年晚些时候出版。

据介绍，这本书分为两部分。第一部分中，杨绛以其一贯的慧心、独特的笔法，用梦境的形式讲述了最后几年中一家三口相依为命的情感体验。第二部分，以平实感人的文字记录了自1935年伉俪二人赴英国留学，并在牛津喜得爱女，直至1998年钱先生逝世63年间这个家庭鲜为人知的坎坷历程。他们的足迹跨过半个地球，穿越风云多变的半个世纪：战火、疾病、政治风暴，生离死别……不论暴风骤雨，他们相濡以沫，美好的家庭已经成为杨先生一家人最安全的庇护所。天上人间，阴阳殊途，却难断挚情。家的意义在杨绛的书中得到了尽情的阐释。

First published in July last year, We Three has been widely praised by literary critics and ordinary readers alike. The author Yang Jiang is a famous writer, critic, translator and scholar. Her husband, Qian Zhongshu, is also an influential² scholar, who is well known for his novel the ‘Besieged City’. Apparently³ Yang Jiang wrote the book to fulfill⁴ the last wish of their cherished daughter, Qian Yuan, who died of cancer in 1997, even one year earlier than her father.

We Three tells Yang Jiang’s family story. The book is written in a unique style. In the first two parts, the author describes an extremely long dream. The scene of final separation is depicted naturally here. However, the seemingly calm narration⁵ cannot hide the author’s immense inner pain. Life is just like a dream. That’s what Yang Jiang tells us after experiencing such a dramatic life. The book records their over 60 years’ family life, which was, from time to time, struck by poverty, political oppression and even vilification⁶ from some green-eyed people.

For many readers, Qian Zhongshu and Yang Jiang are known as a couple that represents the great achievements of modern Chinese literature. Their daughter, Qian Yuan, was less well known. This book just provides an interesting look into their lives. It reveals many real and detailed⁷ aspects of their life.

According to He Yan, a reader of this book and also a senior of Shanghai International Studies University, what attracts her most as regards to this book is the quality of realism.

“The description is quite detailed and the story is vividly⁸ presented. I can imagine their simple but happy days when studying abroad and hardships they went through and I can almost feel their heartbreaking sorrow when they saw that they were being separated by death.”

According to Luo Ping, Professor of English Language and Literature Department at Shanghai International Studies University, the book is a fascinating look into Yang Jiang’s life. “We not only enjoy her simple and plain narration, which, however, radiates strong emotions, but also appreciate her mode of thinking and attitudes towards life.”

Indeed, there is a gentle sadness throughout the book. Through Yang Jiang’s recall of the past 60 years’ life of them three, we saw a picture of the whole family helping⁹ and comforting one another under any difficult circumstance.

Here, let’s taste the dreamlike beginning of We Three again.

One night, I made a dream. I took a walk with Zhongshu. We chatted all way along, finally even at a loss where we’d been to. The sun was set. Dusk was gathering¹⁰, stretching far into the distance. Suddenly, Zhongshu disappeared. I looked for him all around, but there was no trace of him. I shouted, nobody answered me. I was left in the desolate¹¹ outskirts¹² alone, without knowing where Zhongshu had gone. I cried out his name, his full name. The shout was swallowed by the wilderness¹³, even no sound was echoed. The thorough silence added to the shades of night and also my loneliness. Looking forward, the darkness was getting thicker. A sandy soil road was under my feet with the accompany of woods and flowing water. I cannot tell how broad the stream was. Looking back, it seemed that there were many houses located there. However, no sign of light was seen, I guess, it must be far away…