A Historical Study of the Relationship between Zhou Zuoren and Long Yusheng

Yiting Chai

doi:10.71222/3hmk3x56

Authors

Yiting Chai Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.71222/3hmk3x56

Keywords:

Zhou Zuoren, Long Yusheng, Zhou Zuoren riji (The Diaries of Zhou Zuoren)

Abstract

The 2025 Linking Publishing edition of Zhou Zuoren riji (The Diaries of Zhou Zuoren) provides a vital new documentary basis for reexamining the intellectual and personal relationship between the eminent modern Chinese writer and scholar Zhou Zuoren and the distinguished ci lyricist Long Yusheng. Drawing upon this recently published primary source alongside other archival materials, this study systematically reconstructs the trajectory of their association, demonstrating that their correspondence commenced in late 1942, a finding that revises the year 1943 previously accepted in existing scholarship. Their interactions were multifaceted, encompassing the reciprocal exchange of books and literary materials, mutual assistance with publication endeavors, financial support during periods of hardship, and various other dimensions of scholarly camaraderie. A pivotal role in deepening this bond was played by Long Yusheng's eldest daughter, Long Shunyi, whose involvement transformed the personal friendship between Zhou and Long into a close and enduring connection between their respective families. Furthermore, the shared aesthetic sensibility of dan—characterized by outward restraint sustained by inward passion—as expressed in the poems and ci lyrics that Long presented to Zhou, illuminates the profound intellectual and emotional affinity that underpinned their relationship. Through a comprehensive examination of the historical record, this study not only offers a corrective to prevailing accounts but also reveals the deeper spiritual and aesthetic dimensions of their bond, extending well beyond the scope of their everyday exchanges.

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