The friendship between Shen Congwen and Chen Xianghe began in the early 1920s. Shen Congwen is rich in creation, with more than 80 collections of works, which is the most published among modern writers. Such as Border Town and Auspicious San Ji. From 1923 to 1960, Chen Xianghe wrote historical novels Elegy of Tao Yuanming and Guangling San, which made great achievements in lyricism and realism. They respected each other, exchanged letters for more than 50 years, discussed academic ideas and artistic skills, and worried about the current situation in the literary world. Until later, they encountered different situations, and they still "but I felt the harmonious heartbeat of the sacred unicorn". For example, Li Ling answered Su Wushu: "When people get to know each other, you will know each other."

1923 In August, Shen Congwen arrived in Beijing after a long journey of 19 days. Shen Congwen became an observer of the Chinese Department of Peking University, and met Chen Xianghe of the Chinese Department, Feng Zhi of the German Department, Yang Hui of the Philosophy Department and Chen of the English Department. Shen Congwen and Chen Xianghe are close friends. They went to the Chinese Department of Peking University to listen to Lu Xun's lecture on the history of China's novels. After the publication of Lu Xun's collection of novels "Scream", they went to the bookstore to buy it together. Knowing that Shen Congwen was in financial difficulties, Chen Xianghe often invited Shen to dinner and never asked Shen to pay for it. It is also common for him to give financial aid.

1925, Shen Congwen worked as a clerk in the library of Xiangshan Kindergarten and lived in the new dormitory in front of Xiangshan Hotel. This house was originally built in Tianwang Temple in the early Qing Dynasty. When Xiangshan Temple was converted into a hotel, the kindergarten converted the temple into several dormitories for single workers on the grounds of "breaking superstition", and Shen Congwen was the first person to move in. Knowing the strange environment of this new residence from Shen Congwen's letter, Chen Xianghe rode a donkey alone and staggered up Xiangshan to find a quiet visit and become the first guest of Shen Congwen's residence.

After six years with Shen Congwen, Chen Xianghe came to Qingdao on June 1932 and worked as a Chinese teacher in Qingdao Municipal Middle School. Chen Xianghe is depressed in Qingdao because of life, work and love. Fortunately, Shen Congwen is also in Qingdao, teaching at Qingdao University and living on Fushan Road. Shen Congwen recalled: "At that time, we met in the park (now Zhongshan Park) almost every night and talked in the pavilion in the middle of the pond. It's late, talking about life, literature and art, and personal experiences. Sometimes in the middle of the night, the silence around is a bit scary. Chen Xianghe didn't dare to go back to school alone. I sent him back to the city middle school every time. "

After the liberation of China, Shen Congwen studied at the Central Revolutionary University. After graduation, I went to Yibin, Sichuan with the Beijing working group and participated in the rural land reform for a period of time. At that time, Chen Xianghe was appointed as the director of Sichuan Education Department and the vice chairman of Sichuan Federation of Literary and Art Circles. I heard that Shen Congwen had arrived in Yibin, and he quickly sent a car to take Shen Congwen to his home in Chengdu, and talked about his own situation for more than 20 years. At this time, Shen Congwen knew that after the July 7th Incident, the north was about to fall, and Chen Xianghe had to return to his hometown of Chengdu. 1938 joined the China * * * production party, engaged in the party's United front work in the literary and art circles for a long time, and was responsible for the Chengdu branch of the All-China Anti-Japanese Association in the literary and art circles. After liberation, the party entrusted him with a heavy responsibility, and he shouldered a heavy responsibility. Shen Congwen also told his old friend the truth. 1948, the PLA has arrived at the gates of Beiping. The school affairs meeting of Peking University has made a decision not to move the school, and Shen Congwen resolutely decided to stay. At this time, his mood is actually very contradictory. On the one hand, he is glad that the new era is coming, on the other hand, he is worried that he can't keep up with the pace.

After the land reform, Shen Congwen passed by Chengdu, and Chen Xianghe went to the station to say goodbye. Since then, Chen Xianghe has been very concerned about the situation of his old friends, but because of the distance of thousands of miles, there are many things he can't do. From 65438 to 0954, Chen Xianghe was transferred to Beijing as a director of the Chinese Writers Association, deputy director of the classical literature department of the Writers Association, and editor-in-chief of the quarterly journal of literary heritage and literary research. The two writers met again in Beijing. At that time, Chen Xianghe lived in the writers' association dormitory at No.22 Dongzongbu Hutong, and Shen Congwen lived in Dongtangzi Hutong, not far apart. Due to Shen Congwen's experience, old friends gradually cut off contacts, and Chen Xianghe became a rare frequent visitor to Shen Congwen's family. At this time, Shen Congwen was in a much better mood. When he saw Chen Xianghe, he always said happy things without complaining.

Shen Congwen later recalled: "Looking back at the first stage of my life and study half a century ago, the influence of Weimer, his works and Shoukaku obviously occupied a certain position in my growth. Since then, I have accumulated some achievements in my work, which are inseparable from this friendship. In other words, my work achievements are saturated with the timeless classical friendship of several friends and some simple personalities. "