Tao Te Ching
A Madman's Diary
By Lǔ Xùn
A Madman's Diary 1917 狂人日记 Kuángrén rìjì
In English, we use the term “Dog eat Dog world” and the Chinese version translates as “Man-Eat-Man” to describe the capitalistic, “me-first,” materialistic attitude that has throughout history created the great discrepancies between rich and poor. This short story takes that phrase literally through the mind of a madman distorting but seeing the unacknowledged truth of man’s inhumanity to man. It questions, “Is it right because it has always been like that?”, rebels against the Confucian taking away of too much freedom by overly defining morality and virtue, and urges deep change that will “Save the children.”
"China's first modern short story,” listed as one of the 100 best books in all history, and most influential modern book written in vernacular Chinese; A Madman's Diary was an attack on traditional Chinese culture and a call for change. A defense of thought-freedom, it was used by Mao to help foment revolution but later suppressed. A direct attack on feudal Confucianism, this short story encouraged an intellectual and cultural response to China’s backwardness and humiliating defeats by Western imperialists.
Quotes from A Madman's Diary
“I knew that in this laughter were courage and integrity. Both the old man and my brother turned pale, awed by my courage and integrity.”
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“Is it right because its always been like that?”
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“Since the creation of heaven and earth, men have been eating each other. I have been living in a place where for 4000 years they have been eating human flesh… But if you will just change your ways immediately, then everyone will have peace.”
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“When the tenant wanted the rent reduced, you said it couldn’t be done… You should change, change from the bottom of your hearts! If you don’t change, you may all be eaten by each other.”
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