在中国屏风上 (On A Chinese Screen)

一九一九至一九二○年冬季，时年四十五岁的毛姆来到中国，溯长江而上一千五百英里，《在中国屏风上》即是他此次行程的产物，五十八篇或长或短、原本可以写成小说的"素材"，连缀成"一组中国之行的叙事"。毛姆为英国同胞展现的是一幅古色古香、散发着浓郁东方情调的"中国屏风"。他以一颗久经世故又不失赤子纯真的悲悯之心感受着、传达着他所碰到的形形色色的中国人的形象；尤其重要的是，他在满怀同情地试图贴近中国风土人情的同时，毫不留情地以批判的态度反映了在中国的英国人的生活真相。因为他始终认为："写作中，更重要的不是丰富的材料，而是丰富的个性。"(In winter from 1919 to 1920, the 45 years old Maugham came to China, went against the stream of 1500 miles, On A Chinese Screen is the product of travel at this time, 58 long or short articles "material" which can be originally written to novels compose "a set of narration of the Chinese Trip". Maugham showed a "Chinese screen" with antique flavor and rich oriental exoticism to British citizens. He felt and conveyed all kinds of the image of Chinese people he encountered with a heart of compassion that well-experienced in the ways of the world but not breaking the champ innocence; of particular importance is that he reflected the truth of British life in China without mercy with the critical attitude at the same time he tried to press close to China's local conditions and customs full of sympathy. Because he always thought that: "in writing, the more important is not rich materials, but rich individual character.")