Why do you say "accident"? Because Junichiro Tanizaki's writing style has always been "demonism", that is, seeking "aestheticism" in the cruelty and extreme pain of being abused. Fine Snow is an uncharacteristic book, returning to the beauty of Japanese classicism: the beauty of cherry blossoms and tears, the beauty of gorgeous kimono, and the beauty of aristocratic etiquette.
The book Fine Snow depicts the life scenes of four sisters who lost their aristocratic families in Kansai during World War II: the eldest sister He Zi, the second sister Xing Zi, the third sister Yukiko and the younger sister Miao Zi (according to Kansai custom, the youngest girl in the family is called "fine", so Miao Zi is often called a fine girl). Fine Snow revolves around the marriage between Yukiko and Miao Zi.
Although the four sisters grew up together, they have different personalities. He Zi strictly abides by the complex rules of the Shigang family, and his thoughts are rigid and stubborn. He is hesitant and has no personal opinion. Based on tradition, Xing Zi can accept a little western ideas and be more tolerant and open. Although yukiko likes western-style food and objects, she is still a traditional Japanese elegant woman at heart. Miao Zi lived a completely Western-style life, advocating freedom ideologically, even to the point where he broke off relations with his relatives, but he was deeply tortured by rebellion and contradiction against old ideas.
Japan during World War II was a period of intense collision between western culture and traditional culture. The book Fine Snow shows readers the social reality at that time through the four sisters of "cultural transformation". Although the author doesn't express it clearly in the book, he can always feel the author's sigh about the beauty of Japanese classicism that is slowly disappearing, because Junichiro Tanizaki understands that this is an irreversible disappearance in the tide of the times.
Back to the "beauty" throughout the book, the beauty of people, dance, etiquette and instrumental music are all presented in the book. Sisters are all beautiful and have their own strengths;
Abstract belongs to the first volume, and only readers will understand it when they read the second volume. Junichiro Tanizaki's understanding of "beauty" is not "a certain beauty" as we imagined, but a beauty that breaks through the standard and has different styles. In fact, among these sisters, there are those with high cheekbones, long faces, thin and fat ... No matter which kind, Junichiro Tanizaki can find the vitality and beauty of blooming.
As a result, our current social trend seems to frame beautiful capital: thinness is formal beauty, white skin is beauty, big eyes and high nose are templates, and plastic surgery is the norm. Even if someone breaks the aesthetic imprisonment, most people (including myself) still can't break through the aesthetic limitations shaped by the big environment. How can we tolerate and appreciate the beauty of different styles? On the one hand, it is more important to start aesthetic education, on the other hand, it is actually to learn to fully appreciate yourself and others, so as to discover more beauty beyond what is known to all.
Writer An Zhi once talked about his views on Junichiro Tanizaki:
Besides beauty, there is another aspect of this book that I care about. Fine snow is a custom novel during World War II, and there must be a description of the war in it. In fact, there are not many such descriptions in the book, but people's comments on the current situation. There are only a few novels with more than 400 thousand words.
However, as a reader of the hostile country of the war at that time, when he saw the description of the war, he could not be calm.
I can't look at it from a bystander's eyes when I think of how the people in China were in dire straits at that time, but the Shikaoka family on this side of the novel lived such a carefree life. Junichiro Tanizaki did not express his views on the right or wrong of this war in the book, but wrote when referring to it:
Junichiro Tanizaki is a staunch pacifist. He was a consultant of China-Japan Cultural Exchange Association. Under the situation in Japan at that time, it was really commendable to deal with sensitive topics in this way.
In a word, Fine Snow is well worth reading. In the process of reading, readers will be worried about Yukiko's marriage, and will also experience the beauty of Japanese classics. Although there are no wonderful plot twists and turns, there are always some small surprises to attract readers to keep reading, which may be Junichiro Tanizaki's profound skill.