1978 Synthetic Writers

Chapter 289 The more national, the more international
“.I have not read any books on literary theory and am not used to expressing my thoughts in theoretical terms.

I don't know myself very well, and I'm still thinking about whether I can be considered a writer. Since I started writing, I have probably written no more than 40 novels, so how can I be considered a writer?
"

Xu Zhongyu read Jiang Xian's theoretical article line by line. Compared with theoretical articles written by literary theorists, this article did not seem professional and was full of simple and easy-to-understand sentences.

But it has its valuable
——Written by Jiang Xian.

In Xu Zhongyu's opinion, Jiang Xian may not be the best writer in China, but he is definitely the best modernist literary writer in China.

Some of his views are definitely the most cutting-edge and avant-garde ideas and cognitions in the country.

".
Let me share a few thoughts below.

Regarding the question of mainstream and non-mainstream, this is something I came up with myself, using the concept of general habits.

For example, Jiang Zilon’s works have a direct impact on the times, which is of course the mainstream.

Some of my works are undeniably beautiful and have indirect educational effects, but they are not mainstream.

I don’t want to have too many works of this kind, and I also hope to write more works that reflect reality.

But why do I write more of these works and fewer that reflect contemporary times?
In the past, life was fixed and we could see things more accurately; now things are changing a lot and some views may not be so accurate.

A person must have creative freedom when writing. This "creative freedom" is the freedom of the writer's own imagination, the freedom of fiction, and the freedom of generalization and concentration.

For me, I can imagine and summarize the past however I want, but I cannot reach such a level of freedom and freedom in my new life. "

When Xu Zhongyu saw this, he couldn't help but sigh.

These literary theorists had felt these things before, but their understanding was relatively vague. They did not understand it as thoroughly as Jiang Xian, and were not able to raise this issue accurately.

".
There were many new arguments at the forum today that made me think deeply. For example, Comrade Ji Hongzhen said that many of my novels are about old intellectuals with traditional Taoist ideas, and I am less critical of this type of people.

Whether she is right or not, I cannot say, but this is a new research perspective."

"No wonder it was so quiet at the meeting."

Xu Zhongyu was certain that Jiang Xian's article was definitely written at the symposium.

After all, the views put forward by Comrade Ji Hongzhen were put forward at the symposium.

Jiang Xian did not speak, but he directly wrote down his thoughts at the symposium in this manuscript.

".In today's meeting, the discussion on modernism was divided into two angles. In my opinion, our literature has experienced both of these angles:

Chinese literature once learned from foreign countries, including the West, the East, and the Soviet Union; it also once closed its doors to foreign countries, became arrogant, and banned and burned all "foreign goods."

During this period, I have read some works by foreign writers, including oriental novels by Japanese writers such as Yasunari Kawabata, descriptions of exotic folk customs by some Soviet and Russian writers, and even works by some Latin American writers.
Among them, the writer who impressed me the most was Gabriel García Márquez, whose work One Hundred Years of Solitude is the one I will translate in this way.

When Xu Zhongyu saw the name of Marquez, his eyes lit up.

This is the second time Jiang Xian has mentioned this writer today.

"One Hundred Years of Solitude?"

Xu Zhongyu felt that this translation was quite vivid. It not only conveyed the theme accurately, but also had great charm and a certain linguistic beauty.

"Faith, express, elegance!"

Jiang Xian's translation skills surprised Xu Zhongyu again.

He fantasized that if the novel "One Hundred Years of Solitude" had the chance to be introduced to China in the future, it would not be a bad idea to use the title of the novel translated by Jiang Xian.

“After the publication of One Hundred Years of Solitude, it became a bestseller and received great acclaim in the West.

As far as I know, this is a heavy work created by Colombian writer Marquez after his unique research on the history of Latin America over the past century.

While I was shocked by this masterpiece, I also saw the hope that literature from third world countries can go global.
——The more national, the more international.

Literature should be based on extensive and profound "cultural exploration" in order to engage in dialogue with "world literature".

Our country has a vast history and culture, so we should use the traditional Chinese aesthetic expression method to truly express the lives and emotions of the Chinese people and find the roots of Chinese culture!"

Xu Zhongyu's eyes became brighter and brighter.

He murmured the words written by Jiang Xian: "The more national, the more international."

The words were written a little sloppily, but they were extremely clear in Xu Zhongyu's eyes and won his great approval.

Why is Chinese literature struggling today? This dilemma comes from writers’ denial of Chinese literature and their lack of confidence in their own culture.

Xu Zhongyu continued to read impatiently:
“.Some people say that I am a neo-realist. I can’t explain this clearly. The requirement I set for myself is to return to realism and national tradition.

I have also been influenced by foreign literature, including works of 'stream of consciousness'. Even in some of my current works, there are traces of foreign literary influence.

But, in general, I still have to return to realism and national traditions.

This kind of realism is a realism that accommodates various schools of thought, and this kind of national tradition is a national tradition that absorbs the essence of foreign cultures. The path should be broader. "

After reading the entire article, Xu Zhongyu closed the cardboard and stood up suddenly, with a strange expression of shock and excitement on his face.

He slapped his thigh and said, "What a great way to find your roots!"

When talking about modernism, of course we cannot label ourselves as a group that actively accepts Western modernist literature.

Too limiting!

We don't accept it, we combine it and make it our own original creation, something with Chinese characteristics.

Cultural roots!

Using national packaging to implicitly express modern consciousness suddenly seemed to become a feasible path, and it was a path that could make a group of theorists scream and shout, which was quite earth-shattering.

Xu Zhongyu recalled the contents of the article with an overwhelming emotion, clapping his hands in joy.

Huang Yaomian, who was also from the Theoretical Research Society, came over at this time.

He had been looking for Xu Zhongyu for a long time but couldn't find him, and now he finally saw him here.

"Mr. Xu, you are not a grown-up girl, why are you still hiding here and not daring to see anyone? Come on, let's go eat."

"You only know how to eat."

Xu Zhongyu was enjoying himself so much that he bluntly rebuked Huang Yaomian for disturbing him, and at the same time he showed off the manuscript in his hand, "Old Huang, reading this article today is more satisfying than eating ten meals of delicacies from the mountains and the sea, or a full banquet of Manchu and Han cuisine."

"Oh." Huang Yaomian became interested. "What article?"

"It's a manuscript that Jiang Xian and I agreed on."

Xu Zhongyu replied, "Although Jiang Xian is still very young, his literary awareness is higher than that of many Chinese professors."

His words were nothing short of praise.

Huang Yaomian was surprised after hearing this.

I was suddenly curious about what kind of views Jiang Xian wrote in this article to receive such high praise and recognition from Xu Zhongyu.

"What is it about?"

"These are his profound insights into modernist literature. This young man, Jiang Xian, has made a penetrating analysis of the current predicament in the development of Chinese literature." Xu Zhongyu recalled the content of the article and roughly told it to Huang Yaomian.

"He has an interesting new point of view."

"What's that?"

“He believed that literature had roots.

The roots of literature should be deeply rooted in the cultural soil of national traditions.

Chinese literature should be based on extensive and profound ‘cultural excavation’ in order to engage in dialogue with ‘world literature’.”

Xu Zhongyu repeated to Huang Yaomian some of the ideas that had left a deep impression on him.

"Literature has roots." Huang Yaomian's eyes lit up.

He muttered this word, paced several times, and suddenly stamped his feet, "Okay!"

“What a literary search for roots!”

We have always said that our writers are very "poor", which is a kind of spiritual poverty, but we have a long and profound cultural soil in front of us. If we root our literary creation in it, there is no need to worry about not being able to get rid of poverty! "

Huang Yaomian became more and more excited as he spoke. "If this concept can be promoted, I think after scar literature and reflective literature, a new literary trend will become popular in the Chinese literary world - root-seeking literature."

"Root-seeking. Root-seeking literature"

Xu Zhongyu was also overwhelmed with emotion when he heard Huang Yaomian's bold prediction that the root-seeking literature proposed in Jiang Xian's article would become a new literary trend in the literary world. He was moved to be the first to do so. He raised the cardboard in his hand and said:
"Quick, find a fax machine and send this article back to Shanghai for publication as soon as possible!"

"I'll go find someone to arrange it!"

"Haha, if we can raise the banner of root-seeking literature, the literary world will be very lively in the future."

Xu Zhongyu laughed excitedly for a few times, and then suddenly remembered something, "Old Huang, let's go find Jiang Xian and talk to him about this root-seeking literature and listen to his detailed explanation."

"Yes, go!"

Huang Yaomian and Xu Zhongyu, two old men, found Jiang Xian's home together. As soon as they saw him, they shouted, "Xiao Jiang, good! You are doing well!"

"Hmm? What's good?"

"Your article." Huang Yaomian patted Jiang Xian excitedly. He had read the article "Return to National Tradition, Return to Real Language" on the way here.

"Your article, the root-seeking literature you talked about, is brilliant, really brilliant, and it is very concise and comprehensive!"

“This article will definitely go down in history!”

"Uh."

Jiang Xian, who was preparing to cook something, couldn't help but show his joy. Hearing these two big names in the theoretical world praising him like this, he was actually a little excited inside, and his mood was just like when he was praised by his teacher in school.

Xu Zhongyu has introduced before that Huang Yaomian is also a famous literary theorist and educator. He was once the chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Literary and Art Circles and his students are all over the world.

"Thank you both for the compliments. I'm just sharing some of my own experiences," he said modestly.

"Your experience is truly remarkable!"

Xu Zhongyu shouted, "If the banner of root-seeking literature is raised, it will promote a new literary trend!"

Jiang Xian was fascinated by his words.

The reason why Lu Xinyu is famous throughout the country is because his article "Scars" unexpectedly opened up the literary trend of scar literature.

If his article "Return to National Tradition, Return to Real Language" promotes the literary trend of root-seeking literature in the Chinese literary world, his fame and reputation in the country will at least rise to a higher level.

"You're so young."

Huang Yaomian was full of admiration, "I only knew that you wrote well before, but I didn't know that you also had such a deep understanding of literary theory."

Xu Zhongyu spoke more directly, "How about it, are you interested in joining our literary theory society?"

"Yes, you should come to our Literary Theory Society." Huang Yaomian was reminded by Xu Zhongyu and immediately followed suit to persuade him.

"This"

Jiang Xian hesitated, "It's not appropriate."

"Why is it inappropriate?"

Xu Zhongyu frowned, thinking that Jiang Xian was doubting the "authority" of their society, and introduced: "Don't worry, we are a national professional academic group, supervised by multiple departments, and the network gathers most of the domestic experts and scholars in literary theory."

"As long as you agree, we will arrange for you to join the club. Don't worry, Mr. Xu and I still have the ability to do so." Huang Yaomian persuaded earnestly, "Talents like you should be absorbed into our team."

"Forget it." Jiang Xian rejected their enthusiastic invitation.

He was not familiar with the Theoretical Research Society, and his acquaintance with Xu Zhongyu and Huang Yaomian was only a chance encounter.

The situation is so delicate these days. He had no qualms about joining the China Writers Association and joined the Chinese Pen Center out of trust in Ba Jin. As for this theoretical society, since he was not familiar with it, it would be better for him not to get involved. Who knows which "mountain" they are from?

"Ah, okay."

Xu Zhongyu and Huang Yaomian looked at each other, feeling helpless. They didn't expect that there was someone who wouldn't give them face even when they tried to persuade him.

I don't have any opinions about Jiang Xian. Today's article "Return to national traditions, return to realistic language" is already the biggest gain. Getting Jiang Xian to join the association is just icing on the cake.

It was dinner time, Jiang Xian called the two old guys into his home and cooked for them himself.

The topic has never left "root-seeking literature".

"Now that I think about it, I can find traces of 'root-seeking literature' in many of your works," said Xu Zhongyu.

He counted the articles one by one on his fingers, "The Chess King, Fuxi Fuxi. There doesn't seem to be any recently."

"Jiang Xian, in my opinion, just a theoretical article is not enough."

Huang Yaomian spoke up, "The fermentation period of those novels that Old Xu mentioned has long passed.

Since you can write, you should write a novel about cultural root-seeking, just like Scars and The Wrongly Edited Story, and publish it together with this article, so as to bring root-seeking literature into the public eye and thoroughly establish the banner of root-seeking literature!"

"Write a novel about root-seeking literature?" Jiang Xian muttered.

What a coincidence.

Just now on his way home, a new synthesis sequence popped up in his mind that he had not seen for a long time.

It was a synthesis sequence like "Wreath" where the synthesis direction could be selected by the user. However, he did not make a choice about the synthesis direction for a long time.

After listening to Huang Yaomian's advice, he stopped hesitating and directly entered the command of "Root-Seeking Literature".

With a click in my mind, the synthesis of the novel was completed.

“【Bandits】+【Anti-Japanese War】= Novella”

(The Nobel Prize was awarded to Han Jiang.

Her piece "The Vegetarian" doesn't seem to be her best.

I will write what I think is her representative work and ask Jiang Xian to copy it later.)
(End of this chapter)