1978 Synthetic Writers

Chapter 295 Mao Dun Literature Award

Li Tuo has always been a humorous and bold person. He suddenly proposed the idea of ​​"root-seeking", which made all the other writers laugh with joy.

Zheng Wanlong, deputy editor-in-chief of October magazine, joked: "Comrade Li Tuo must have read too many martial arts novels. Others have the Huashan School, the Hengshan School, and the Songshan School, but you have to create a root-seeking school."

"Ha ha ha ha."

Li Tuo smiled awkwardly, "Excuse me, everyone."

"You're right, I think Comrade Li Tuo's proposal is very interesting."

Wang Meng is a writer with a strong romantic aura. He stepped forward to help explain, "Since we are all fans of the 'roots-seeking' slogan, as the saying goes, great minds think alike. We are all heroes. I think it's not a bad idea to form a 'roots-seeking faction'."

Wang Meng's status is there, and after he said this, several young writers who were already somewhat interested became more eager to try.

Furthermore, as long as writers work in the direction of "seeking roots", they will be automatically classified as such even if they do not admit that they are "root-seeking" writers in the future.

Just as Lu Xinhua and Liu Xinwu would be classified as the "scar faction", Ru Zhijuan and Gao Xiaosheng would be classified as the "reflection faction".

Jiang Zilong then spoke up: "In my opinion, you should first ask the creator of 'Searching for Roots' for his opinion."

"Yeah, I don't know what Comrade Jiang Xian thinks." Writer Chen Rong also spoke at this time.

Chen Rong is Liang Zuo's mother. She loves smoking. She smoked eight cigarettes in a meeting just now.

Jiang Xian was quietly listening to a group of writers' heated discussions. After Jiang Zilong said this, all the writers' eyes were immediately focused on him, and he instantly became the focus of everyone's attention.

Wang Meng chuckled and asked him, "Jiang Xian, what do you think of this 'root-seeking sect'?"

Jiang Xian paused and asked back:
"Do we have to divide into factions or mountaintops?"

"."

His words stunned Wang Meng.

The other writers' eyes also paused at the same time.

Yes.

Literature is inherently inclusive.

Is it necessary to form a faction and label oneself as a “root-seeking” writer?

"Root-seeking" was originally intended to broaden the path of literary creation. If one locks oneself in the cage of "root-seeking" and becomes restricted in one's actions, then one is putting the cart before the horse.

“Searching for roots or cultural roots is just one aspect when we discuss literature.”

Jiang Xian then said, "For the convenience of writing, I temporarily used the term "root-seeking literature", but there are too many factors that determine literature, and if you look at it in detail, you will oversimplify the issue.

Writing is like treating a patient. It requires not only a stethoscope, but also X-rays, CT and MR. It requires multiple perspectives and multiple methods to see other profiles and levels of a person and to understand society and life from multiple perspectives.

So, ‘seeking roots’ essentially means that the author should seek the roots of culture, but if the author seeks the roots of culture, it would be laughable.”

After he said this, many writers looked ashamed.

During this period, they kept discussing "searching for roots", and each of them felt confident that they had thoroughly understood "searching for roots".

But after hearing Jiang Xian's insights, they felt more or less ashamed, thinking that they were like summer insects, ignorant and arrogant.

Writers such as Wang Meng and Jiang Zilon also nodded slightly, agreeing with what Jiang Xian said. At the same time, there was a little more appreciation in their eyes when they looked at him.

This guy really understands literature!

"Okay, okay, I'm also a know-it-all." Jiang Xian noticed that the atmosphere was a bit strange and made a self-deprecating remark with high emotional intelligence.

Why set up a “root-seeking sect” with such a big fanfare?
What a joke!
Jiang Xian's style of doing things has always been: he will be crazy when he can be crazy, but he will definitely be quiet when he needs to be quiet.

Li Tuo just said that he wanted to set up a "root-seeking sect", and he got goosebumps.

"Seeking roots" has always carried a heretical meaning in the current times. If, as Li Tuo said, there is such a "roots-seeking faction", a war of words will inevitably break out in the literary world. By then, wouldn't he, the person who proposed the "roots-seeking" slogan, be put on the fire?
Even if others regard him as a "root-seeking" writer in the future, that is their business and he has never admitted it.

It’s better not to show off in this kind of limelight.

After the symposium started, the writers present talked a lot, including about Mao Gong.

In a letter to the China Writers Association before his death, Comrade Mao Dun mentioned that in order to encourage literary creation, he was willing to use 25 yuan of royalties to establish a novel award.

Now this matter has finally been settled by the Central Committee.

The award will be named after Mao Dun, making it the first literary award in New China named after an individual.
——Mao Dun Literature Prize.

Ba Jin served as the chairman of the jury for the first selection. The selection was held every three years (later changed to four years). The participating works had to be novels with a word count of more than 3 words.

The "Mao Dun Literature Prize" is similar in form to the Nobel Prize, and it is also the first long-form literary award in New China. Moreover, there is a prize money for winning the prize. It can be said that every writer is yearning for this honor at this moment.

But who will win in the end?

The writers present looked around and felt that they were always born among these faces.

After all, it can be said that the best writers in today's literary world are gathered here at the moment.

"Can Chen Rong take it?"

"Comrade Chen Rong? Comrade Chen Rong seems to have written too few novels. The works to be nominated must be 13 words."

"I think Zhang Jie has hope."

"."

The writers discussed in low voices.

However, most of the writers they mentioned lack a novel that can be nominated.

This is indeed the case. In recent years, short story writers have been shining in the literary world, while writers who choose to write novels are relatively unknown.

"Why don't you mention Jiang Xian?" someone reminded.

After he said this, everyone recalled that perhaps the recent article "The Wreath under the Mountain" brought too much light to Jiang Xian, so many of them had forgotten it.

In the past few years, Jiang Xian has always insisted on writing novels.

"Xu Sanguan Selling Blood, Rice, Glazed Moon Shining on Copper Coins. What else?"

"Thatch house!"

“Does this count as children’s literature?”

“Can that be considered children’s literature?”

"Don't forget Furong Town." After everyone took stock, they realized how terrifying the number of Jiang Xian's creations was.

Other writers spend years and work hard to produce a novel that can be considered a classic.

Jiang Xian is so young, but he has already published several articles.

"This kid is a favorite to win the prize!"

When the Mao Dun Literature Prize was still in the selection stage, many writers were certain that Jiang Xian would win the prize, and he became a popular candidate in the eyes of writers.

At the same time, Jiang Xian was also thinking about the Mao Dun Literature Prize.

He was both confident and unsure about winning the award.

After all, he, the butterfly, has already flapped his wings. Who knows whether history will follow its original trajectory? Moreover, there are so many dark horses in the field of novels in Chinese literature!

In addition, the Mao Dun Literature Prize has two more regulations:
1. Works that have not won awards can continue to participate in the next round.

2. The next selection will try to avoid the works of the previous award-winning writers. In other words, it is not allowed for a writer to win two awards in a row.

So Jiang Xian thought, since he is young and has so many good works in his hands, even if he can't win this time, he will win one sooner or later.

After the award ceremony, Jiang Xian returned home with the first prize certificate and gave it to Zhu Lin.

"Wow, you got first place again?" Zhu Lin exclaimed, and helped him hang up the certificate with a happy look on her face.

Now, the wall with Jiang Xian's award certificates can be regarded as a fruitful one. The excellent novel selection has been carried out for four years, and Jiang Xian has won three first prizes: "The Chess King" in the first session, "Fuxi Fuxi" in the second session, and "The Garland under the Mountain" in the fourth session.

The couple stood together in front of the wall, examining the honors.

Zhu Lin took Jiang Xian's arm and smiled at him, "Feeling proud, right?"

Jiang Xian was like a lion patrolling his territory. "It's a pity that we are just one step away from winning the third National Excellent Novel Award."

"Just be content." Zhu Lin laughed.

"By the way, the selection for this year's Popular Film Hundred Flowers Awards should have already started," Jiang Xian said.

The "Hundred Flowers Award" has always been sponsored by Popular Film magazine, China's largest-circulation film publication. It is a mass award in which Popular Film distributes ballots, and readers tear off the ballots after purchasing Popular Film, and then mail them to the editorial department for voting. The process is similar to the national outstanding novel selection process, and the winner of each award is the one with the most votes.

"There is also a Golden Rooster Award this year," Zhu Lin reminded.

The Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards later became the same thing, but are now two separate awards. The Golden Rooster Award was newly created last year and is co-organized by the China Film Association and the Chinese Language and Literature Federation, while the Hundred Flowers Award is sponsored by Popular Films magazine.

"I talked to Director Wang a while ago, and she felt that it would not be difficult for 'Cars and Water' to win an award." Jiang Xian encouraged, "The sales volume is there, and there are so many awards such as the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers, why don't you get one?"

"."

Zhu Lin did not answer, but there was a hint of anticipation for the future in her almond-shaped eyes.

Although Zhang Shouren refused to do so, he still helped Jiang Xian revise the manuscript of Red Sorghum.

Jiang Xian revised it several times according to his instructions, and revised it several times on his own before he felt satisfied with this first draft.

"Red Sorghum" is one of the stories in Mo Yan's "Red Sorghum Family" and also the most exciting one.

In another time and space, the fame of Red Sorghum is as high as its author Mo Yan, or even better. After all, even if many people don’t know Mo Yan, they must have heard the magical line “Sister, go forward boldly.”

This novel is written in a magical realism style, and the time narrative is very chaotic, so it is not quite similar to the stories presented in movies and TV shows.

The background is the Northeast Township of Gaomi in the 30s and 40s, when my father followed my grandfather Yu Zhan'ao to rise up in the war of resistance against Japan.

He fought the war of resistance, but he was not a person who understood the essence of the war. His resistance was actually a violent desire to rise up and fight for survival.

The world of Red Sorghum is full of bandit-like heroes.

They did all kinds of bad things but also served their country, which was full of the spirit of the times that was both rebellious and full of vitality.

Jiang Xian has seen the TV series starring Zhu Yawen. Zhu Yawen's character Yu Zhan'ao is infatuated and resolute. In fact, the real Yu Zhan'ao in the novel is both the most heroic and the most bastard.

He could kidnap my grandmother Dai Fenglian and have sex with her in the sorghum field, he could kill and burn people for the woman he loved, and he could also kill his uncle Yu Daya who had made a mistake in order to keep his adjutant Ren and unite against Japan.
This man lacks education and culture, is brave but lacks wisdom.

When it comes to relationships, he is not like the heroes in "Water Margin" who are not interested in women but at the same time cannot be loyal to love.

Such a bandit with so many shortcomings paradoxically shows a great side. He is not a coward who can only bully the weak. He understands national justice, knows how to put aside conflicts and unite against foreign enemies, and knows how to defend his country.

In addition, Jiang Xian also disliked the novel "Red Sorghum" because of some rumors he heard from others.

The most common comment I hear is that this novel glorifies the Japanese.

But when he actually read the novel, he found that this statement was completely taken out of context.

Without talking about the author's character, just talking about this novel, it definitely shows the cruelty of the Japanese and writes about the crimes that have aroused the anger of God and man.

What’s more, this novel was selected as “the most influential novel in the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up.”

Every time a film or TV adaptation is made, it is used as a tribute to the anti-Japanese war, and the butt is absolutely correct.

Jiang Xian looked through the manuscript and prepared to send the manuscript of "Red Sorghum" to the editorial department of "People's Literature".

Just as he was about to go out, he ran into director Xie Jin.

"Are you getting ready to go out?" Xie Jin greeted him.

"I was just going out for a while. Why are you here?"

Jiang Xianrang opened the door and invited Xie Jin into the house.

"Didn't I come here to have a drink of 'Qi Si Maotai' with you?" Xie Jin laughed and raised the Xishui Daqu in his hand, "Today I'll treat you to a drink."

The nickname "Maotai is so mad at me" is now widely known in China and has almost become the new name for Xishui Daqu.

"You are here for "The Garland under the Mountain", right?" Jiang Xian pointed out directly.

"Haha." Xie Jin was a little embarrassed. "It seems that someone has come to you these days?"

"Beijing Film Studio, Changchun Film Studio, Xi'an Film Studio, Emei Film Studio." Jiang Xian counted on his fingers and pointed to Xie Jin. "You are a little late to Shanghai Film Studio."

The National Excellent Novels Selection is not only a grand event that attracts attention from the cultural community every year, but also attracts much attention from the film industry.

Jiang Xian has won many "Excellent Novel" awards, but none of the winning novels were realistic.

After he won first place the year before last, several of his award-winning works were not adapted. Various film studios carefully selected from his award-winning works and finally chose the earliest award-winning "The Chess King", thinking that this was a novel about educated youth and could barely be adapted.

This year, his film "The Garland" won first place again. The subject matter of "The Garland" is completely in line with realism, so it is a foregone conclusion that it will be targeted by the film studio.

(End of this chapter)