How were Lu Xun, Lao She, and Fu Lei as fathers?

All parents love their children, but the way they express love differs in thousands of ways. As men of letters, how were Lu Xun, Lao She, and Fu Lei as fathers, and what different characteristics did they have?

Lu Xun was very patient with his son Zhou Haiying. He tried to be as considerate to Haiying as he could. Xiao Hong wrote in her book "Remembering Mr. Lu Xun" that, once when they were eating fish balls at a Fujian restaurant, "As soon as Haiying tasted it, he said that it wasn't fresh." No one believed him since everyone else thought they were fresh. Haiyang ate another one, and yelled again that it wasn't fresh. "No one noticed, but Lu Xun took one from Haiying's plate and tasted it, and it was indeed not fresh. Lu Xun then said: 'When he says it's not fresh, he must have his reasons. Ignoring it without examination is wrong.'"

One time, before Haiying went to bed, he yelled at Lu Xun: "Dad, see you tomorrow!" However, Lu Xun was very sick at the time and there was phlegm in his throat, so he responded in a very low voice which Haiying didn’t hear. Hence, Haiying kept yelling on and on: “Dad, see you tomorrow!".......In the end, Lu Xun struggled to raise his head and replied loudly: "See you tomorrow, see you tomorrow," then started coughing. Haiying’s mother, Xu Guangping, reprimanded him, yet Haiying kept crying as he went up the stairs: "Dad is deaf!" As a child, Haiying could not understand his father who was seriously ill, yet the latter could understand his child and always gave a response..

Lao She was very lenient with his children. In a 1942 letter addressed to his wife Hu Qieqing, he wrote: "I think if they can know some characters and know how to do mathematics by adding and subtracting, and know a little bit of history, then that's enough. As long as their bodies are strong and they can learn a skill to make a living, they don't necessarily have to go to college. If I can see my daughter being able to dance and perform and have the potential to become a celebrity; my son being healthy and can endure hardships, then I would be very happy! I wish my children can earn their livings through their blood and sweat......teach them more games, don't force them to study."

Unlike Lao She, who was a loving father, Fu Lei was a strict one. Though his friend Yang Jiang recalls him to "not be someone who kept a straight face" ("Remembering Fu Lei"), but "in front of his children, he was indeed a strict father. When Cong and Min were young, they only wanted to stay in the living room to hear adults talk." "However, Fu Lei firmly forbad them to listen." Therefore, Fu Cong said later: "If my father's friends had life or relationship issues, my father could become their best mentor and beneficial friend when they sought his help." "However, when dealing with the matters of his sons’, he was of no help, he wasn’t objective at all." However, sons usually don't remember punishments by their fathers. "Actually, I cannot recall any of his punishments in the past, not at all. Behind father's rage, I saw incredible torment and suffering in his heart, which gave me an ability that helped me become a performing artist. It made me understand the meaning of 'larger than life' within human nature, or as Berlioz said, 'the abyss of the soul'."

Fu Lei and his wife Zhu Meifu cultivated Fu Cong's musical talent regardless of cost. To allow Fu Cong to learn piano, Zhu sold her jewelry to rent a piano, Fu Lei made thick copies of the music score, and invited Mario Paci, disciple of the famous pianist Liszt, to teach him. Though the hourly lesson fees were extremely expensive, Fu Lei did not mind at all. To let Fu Cong learn piano well, Fu Lei "took him out of elementary school." "For English, math, and other classes, he invited teachers from outside of school. I was responsible for teaching Chinese, and I selected high-quality materials from Confucius, Mencius, pre-Qin thinkers, ‘The Commentary of Zuo’, ‘Yanzi's Spring and Autumn Annals’, ‘Shih Chi’, ‘History of the Han Dynasty’, and ‘A New Account of the Tales of the World’. With ethical ideas and a philosophical air, the combination of interesting stories, fables, and historical facts, integrated with classical poetry and pure literature and art." (Ye Yonglie, "The Death of Fu Lei") The dedicated cultivation by Fu Lei and Zhu Meifu finally resulted in the renowned pianist Fu Cong, who made a name for himself on the global stage.

There is no standard to parenting, but looking at the methods of these men of letters might be useful reference as to "how do we behave as fathers now".

Contributed by Li Yuhui, doctoral student at the School of Liberal Arts of Renmin University of China

Translated by Zhang Junye