"Fountain in the Rain" Author: [Japan] Yukio Mishima Publisher: CITIC Press

Why did they burn down the Temple of the Golden Pavilion? Mishima's other faces besides beauty and violence

“Not being understood is the reason for my existence.”

“Everyone who lives is a clown in some sense.”

☂Includes Mishima's precious conversations and short stories translated for the first time in China! From 1938 to 1970, from his first work "Sorrel" published at the age of 13 to the last interview before his suicide at the age of 45, there are not only short stories such as "Tobacco", a debut work highly praised by Yasunari Kawabata, and "Haruko", which tells about female love, but also a long autobiographical essay "The Sun and Iron" that analyzes the core of his thoughts and aesthetics. The unexpected reversal of the boy's feelings in "Fountain in the Rain", the naughtiness and slight malice, make people feel lost, "The sealed treasure box treasured in childhood, I tried every means to open it when I was a teenager. I lifted the lid and found that there was nothing inside."

——————————————

【Content Introduction】

This book selects representative short stories written by Yukio Mishima from the age of 13 to 38. Two of them are translated for the first time in China, from which we can get a glimpse of the background and tone of his writing in the future: enjoying the crazy joy in cruel and elegant satire. In order to further understand him, his autobiographical long essay "The Sun and Iron" in his late period is included, which fully explains the core of his thoughts, behaviors and aesthetic concepts, and is also a key text for interpreting the mystery of his physical transformation and death. At the end of the article, there is also his last interview before suicide, which is translated for the first time in China. In the conversation, Mishima was more frank and humorous, and spoke frankly about his views on art, literature, war, life and death, etc. The illustrator drew color illustrations for each article, with rich and gorgeous colors and melancholy and beautiful painting style.

——————————————

【Editor's recommendation】

★ Includes 5 short stories written by Mishima between the ages of 13 and 38, two of which are translated for the first time in China

From his first work "Sorrel" published at the age of 13 to the rare pure love novel "Fountain in the Rain" left at the age of 38, we can marvel at Mishima's sophisticated mind that accurately grasped human nature in his youth, and we can also see the pure and immature strokes in his mature youth. This huge sense of contrast may also be Mishima's unique literary charm. It is especially important for those who want to read Mishima's works in a panoramic way.

★The last interview before suicide is made public for the first time! This is the first translation in Japan

This is a precious conversation between Mishima and his English translator after he completed the third part of his novel The Sea of ​​Fertility, Temple of the Dawn, nine months before Mishima committed suicide (November 1970). It is rich in content, covering Mishima's unique views on art, literature, war, life and death, etc. "Those who truly understand The Sun and Iron will understand the purpose of everything I do." "Thoughts can only be advocated through style." "After the war, the hypocrisy of the Japanese became more serious." "My novels are related to death from beginning to end."... In the in-depth and intense conversation, Mishima analyzed himself and expressed many sharp insights and interesting opinions. It is especially important for professional readers who love and study Mishima.

★The epitome of Japanese literature——standing at the intersection of femininity and masculinity

Different from the feeling of "emotion over reason" in traditional Japanese literature since "The Tale of Genji", Mishima's literature combines Japanese classical aesthetics with ancient Greek philosophical speculation and presents the characteristics of "emotion and reason are equally important". From the concept of "the ultimate beauty is destruction" in the masterpiece "The Temple of the Golden Pavilion" to the description of the wild and fiery desire of men and women in the pure love work "The Saoir of Tide", from the self-analysis in the semi-autobiographical "Confessions of a Mask" to the reincarnation of the four-part novel "The Sea of ​​​​Fertility". From the faces of youth to old age, the unpredictable changes of Mishima's aesthetic concepts and creative techniques are fully revealed.

★Japan's last literary samurai who committed seppuku - Pursuing the long-lost Japanese Bushido spirit

Before he went to junior high school, Mishima lived with his grandmother, who held the power of the family. Under her influence, he gradually developed aristocratic complex in the future. On November 25, 1970, when he handed over the fourth part of "Sea of ​​Fertility" "The Five Decays of Heavenly Man" to the editor, Mishima decided to die. He led the right-wing student group Shield Society to rush into the headquarters of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces with knives and held the general hostage. He then gave a speech on the rooftop, claiming to preserve the traditional Japanese Bushido spirit and protect the emperor. In the end, Yukio Mishima committed suicide by seppuku according to the traditional Japanese ritual. Shield Society member Morita Hisakatsu used the famous sword "Seki Magoroku" to slash Mishima's head, but failed to cut off his head after several attempts. Mishima couldn't bear the pain and tried to bite his tongue to commit suicide. The fourth slash was carried out by another Shield Society member Koga Hiroyasu who had learned Iaido, and finally succeeded. Normal people often find it difficult to achieve extraordinary things. The other side of genius is engraved with loneliness and madness. Mishima's abnormality is precisely where his brilliance lies.

——————————————

【About the Author】

Yukio Mishima (1925-1970), whose real name is Hiraoka Kimio, was born in Tokyo. He is a contemporary Japanese novelist, playwright, and film actor, and one of the masters of Japanese postwar literature. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature twice and enjoys a high reputation in the international literary world. He wrote 21 novels, more than 80 short stories, 33 plays, and a large number of essays. In his memory, the Yukio Mishima Literary Museum was established in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, and the Japan Shincho Literature Promotion Association established the Yukio Mishima Literary Award in 1988. On November 25, 1970, he committed suicide after finishing the fourth volume of The Sea of ​​Fertility, The Five Decays of the Celestial Being.

Yukio Mishima (1925-1970), whose real name is Hiraoka Kimio, was born in Tokyo. He is a contemporary Japanese novelist, playwright, and film actor, and one of the masters of Japanese postwar literature. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature twice and enjoys a high reputation in the international literary world. He wrote 21 novels, more than 80 short stories, 33 plays, and a large number of essays. In his memory, the Yukio Mishima Literary Museum was established in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, and the Japan Shincho Literature Promotion Association established the Yukio Mishima Literary Award in 1988. On November 25, 1970, he committed suicide after finishing the fourth volume of The Sea of ​​Fertility, The Five Decays of the Celestial Being.