Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c10.s2.t11.7

v2.c10.s2.t11.7

During the War of Resistance against Japan, Ba Jin worked in various cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Guilin and Chongqing serving as the publisher and chief editor of the magazine called ‘*Outcry*’ (《呐喊》), later named ‘*Beacon*’ (《烽火》). He was also appointed the Director of the “All China Federation of Literary and Art Circles’ Resistance against the Enemy Association”. He published his novels ‘*Spring*’ (《春》) and ‘*Autumn*’ (《秋》) in 1938 and 1940, respectively. Thus completing his ‘*Torrent Trilogy*’“激流三部曲”; from 1940-1945 he wrote ‘*Fire*’ (《火》), one of the works of his ‘*War Trilogy*’ “抗战三部曲”. Towards the end of the war he wrote two novellas called ‘*A Garden of Repose*’ (《憩园》) and ‘*Ward No. 4*’ (《第四病室》) and completed his novel ‘*Cold Nights*’ (《寒夜》) in 1946 along with his two famous short stories ‘*Gods*’ (《神》) and ‘*Ghosts*’ (《鬼》). After the war, Ba Jin did not write any fiction and was mainly engaged in translation work, editing and publishing. In 1949, Ba Jin was elected to the standing committee of the “All China Federation of Literary and Art Circles” and in 1950 he was appointed as the Vice Chairman of the “Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles”. In 1960, he was appointed the Vice President of the “All China Federation of Literary and Art Circles” (China Federation of Literary Journalists' Association) and the Vice Chairman of the “Chinese Writer’s Association”. Ba Jin was brutally persecuted as a counter-revolutionary during the Cultural Revolution but afterwards he was reinstated to his earlier posts such as the Chairman of the Chinese Writers’ Association. His most significant piece of writing after the Cultural Revolution was his discursive writing called ‘*Random Thoughts*’ (《随想录》, five volumes) where he reflected and wrote about this painful period of his life.