To Whose Voice Should We Listen?（原創）
 

I read through Eileen Chang's 'Lust, Caution' in a short time. It is only about 20 pages, though it is printed in a thick book, which is a selected works, of course, with 'Lust, Caution' included.

This short story is receiving public attention largely because Ang Lee's new film has become the talk of the town. Although I have read many works written by Eileen Chang before, I should say I didn't pay any special attention to this story, and would never have, if Mr. Lee hadn't made this film based on Chang's original story. I guess even Eileen Chang's sincere fans didn't pay much attention to this story before they were bombarded with the news and critics of this new film.

The story is well told. Chang has a gift for vivid characterization and concise narration. But after finishing it, I felt a little uneasy. My taste for this story was adversely affected by the pervasive and inescapable comments from the mass media that I could hardly get any of my own thoughts on this story. I just couldn't help following and nodding at the commentators' words. I didn’t try to memorize them, but I still couldn't shake them out of my brain. Such was my sad experience!

It's just like we travel to Yue Yang tower and when we finally see the vast Dongting Lake, we can't help but thinking of Fan Zhongyan's famous sentences about it. This power is so compelling that it has already ruined our own appreciation and judgment.

But if I really managed to live with no regard to those comments, then how can I ever pick up this story that may have been thrown far away from my sight?

I haven't watched Ang Lee's 'Lust, Caution', so I have no right to comment on it. But I guess he has added too much sexual content to the film, which was not mentioned in Chang's original story, in order to cater for foreign audiences and critics' taste. Ok, stop, I forget I haven't seen this film yet.

However, I should still say "Thanks" to this film, but for which I would definitely miss one of Chang's best stories forever. Also, I should say "Thanks" to those shrewd book dealers, for they hawked to me Chang's other stories at the same time, giving me a chance to review them.

作者：四川大學通訊員  吳昭文   外專brendan審校