1978 Synthetic Writers

Chapter 464: Bungeishunju

The notice given to Jiang Xian was very simple.

The selection for this year's national outstanding short story and novella awards is about to begin.

Jiang Xian is not only a young writer who is shining in the literary world today, but also an editor with outstanding work achievements.

Although he is young, he has sufficient experience and great authority.

Therefore, the leaders above hoped that he would preside over this year's selection work.

"Don't feel pressured. The selection process is very long and the selected works must be inspiring and encouraging." Feng Mu arranged work for Jiang Xian.

"."

Jiang Xian listened quietly.

He didn't expect that his superiors would give him such a task.

This identity change was too fast.

He is more accustomed to receiving awards on stage as a writer.

Not to mention him, many old guys in the Writers Association looked at Jiang Xian with strange expressions.

Being able to preside over award judging naturally means that your status has been recognized by those above you.

The National Award for Outstanding Short Stories and Novellas has only been held for seven years, and has only had seven people in charge.

Can be ranked in this position.

That is definitely an honor!
"The latest novel is well written." After the meeting, Feng Mu said to Jiang Xian.

"You mean The Heavenly Bureau?"

"Ah."

Feng Mu nodded, still with a serious look on his face, "I've read it several times, it's very charming. Such a novel can actually help people understand the world and life."

Because of the changes in the publishing style of "You Have No Choice" and "People's Literature", Jiang Xian and Feng Mu had some rifts and had not had much contact for a long time.

Now seeing that Feng Mu was willing to repair their previous relationship, Jiang Xian immediately licked him.

"You are too kind. I have only a little experience in life. What can I teach you? You have experienced everything."

Jiang Xian's words hit the nail on the head and were definitely not nonsense.

Feng Mu was born in 1919, the year 54.

Moreover, he came from a military background. He had carried a gun and fought in wars before liberation. After liberation, he witnessed various events, large and small. He hosted the Literary Gazette, the most authoritative newspaper in the literary and art circles, for many years.

"You don't have to underestimate yourself. This novel is very profound and it's really worth reading."

Feng Mu affirmed, "How did you come up with the idea of writing such a novel? What was your original intention?"

"Harmful."

Jiang Xian immediately took out the speech he had prepared earlier, "Isn't this inspired by the recent China-Japan Go Tournament? That time I met Nie Weiping, 9th Dan, in Suzhou. He said that he had read my book "The King of Go" and felt it was a pity because I didn't write a book about Go.

It happened that day that Kobayashi Koichi won by half a point with white against Liu Xiaoguang. Everyone felt it was a pity because Liu Xiaoguang had a clear advantage in the first half of the game, but made a mistake at the end.

In fact, we can see from that game that when Chinese chess players play against Japanese chess players, even the top Japanese chess player Kobayashi Koichi, they are not much inferior in terms of technology. They just lack fighting spirit and feel they can't beat them.

This incident shocked me deeply, and I came up with this novel when I returned. I wanted to show the ultimate spiritual light of mankind through the chessboard struggle between man and nature, especially the persistent spirit of believing that man can conquer nature. "

"Well, man can conquer nature. Well, you said it very well."

Feng Mu listened quietly to Jiang Xian's story and nodded at him. "I've also been paying attention to the China-Japan Go Tournament. Go beat Japan. This is a big deal and a good thing. Our literary community should publish an article to support it. The timing of your novel is just right."

"Then can you write a literary review?" Jiang Xian climbed up the pole as soon as he saw it.

"you boy"

Feng Mu smiled and pointed at him, "I'll go back and try to write and see if I can come up with some unique ideas."

"That's great!" Jiang Xian was excited.

Feng Mu is the country's leading critic and a person of official status.

If he writes a review, the status of the novel "Tian Ju" in the literary world will immediately be elevated to a higher level.

In addition, many people in the literary world know that there was some unpleasantness between Feng Mu and Jiang Xian due to the previous modernist dispute.

Asking Feng Mu to write a novel for him was also a sign that the two of them had "reconciled", and it also prevented some people with ulterior motives from making something of it and causing trouble for him.

"In my opinion, your article 'Heaven's Game' should be published as soon as possible." Feng Mu said: "I heard that during this period, the good news of Nie Weiping's victory was closely linked to the phrase 'half a move ahead of heaven'."

“Such a short novel might not be suitable for publication?”

"Make it into a collection of novels." Feng Mu said.

This is very common in the literary world and is what many writers do. Because a novel is too short and not suitable for individual publication, they put a few other novels on Pinduoduo, put them together, and make a collection of novels called that novel, which can be considered a kind of bundled sales.

Jiang Xian thought for a moment, "All my novels have been signed by Writers Publishing House, and they are going to compile and publish a series of books. If I use my previous novels to compile a collection of novels at this time, I'm afraid it will make readers feel uncomfortable."

Jiang Xian also understood that the method proposed by Feng Mu was naturally understandable and was the practice of many authors today, but for Jiang Xian, it seemed a bit too unethical.

"What should I do?"

Feng Mu glanced at him and said, "Can you write a few more short stories in time?"

"."

Seeing that Jiang Xian didn't answer, Feng Mu calmed down his tone and said, "You don't have to worry too much about this matter. Since Writers Publishing House is publishing your series of books, I will arrange for Renwen Publishing House to help you publish it."

For any writer, Feng Mu's words are extremely important.

Writers Publishing House is the publishing house of the China Writers Association, and Renwen Publishing House is the dream palace of writers.

Feng Mu is particularly respected by senior Chinese writers.

Now, he not only came personally to help Jiang Xian make connections, but also easily helped Jiang Xian eliminate the Writers Publishing House and decided that Renwen Publishing House would be the owner of "Tian Ju".

This is probably something other writers would never dare to dream of.

Just based on Feng Mu's words, it would be no problem for an ordinary person to brag about it for the rest of their lives.

Unfortunately, Jiang Xian is not an ordinary person. It is no doubt that he is a popular figure coveted by all publishing houses and magazines in the literary world.

Therefore, Feng Mu's words were not so sweet to him, and he even felt a little embarrassed.

Because he really didn't want to do that.

But it was not easy to reject Feng Mu's kindness in person, so he had to agree temporarily and think of other solutions later.

"I listen to you."

No. 10, Nanli, Agricultural Exhibition Hall.

Federation of Literary and Art Circles Building, editorial office of People’s Literature.

"What?" "The ninth issue has a higher circulation than the eighth issue?"

The news that just came shocked the entire editorial department.

The ninth issue of People's Literature in 1985 had only been published for more than ten days, but its circulation had already exceeded that of the eighth issue of People's Literature in 1985.

This is incredible!
"Alas, the authors in this eighth issue are so miserable." Editor Wang Fu sympathized with the authors who published articles in the eighth issue in 1985.

Not everyone is like Jiang Xian. People's Literature has to chase him for manuscripts.

For most people, if their works can be published in People's Literature, it is a great honor.

Unfortunately, due to this instruction from above, the ninth issue of People's Literature in 1985 was published ahead of schedule.

This also affected the eighth issue of "People's Literature" in 1985, resulting in the works in the eighth issue not receiving enough attention.

"Look at what you said, good wine needs a bush?"

Editor Cheng Yuchen consoled her by saying, "No matter what, the ninth issue is a hit, and that's something worth celebrating!"

Japan.

Unlike the jubilation at home, Kobayashi Koichi's defeat caught the Japanese media off guard.

You know, before the game, the Japanese media generally expressed absolute confidence in their own chess players.

A public opinion poll conducted by Japan's "Chess" weekly magazine showed that only 27 people, 24 of whom were Chinese students studying in Japan, believed that the Chinese team might win, while the rest supported the Japanese team.

After Kobayashi Koichi won six consecutive victories over Chinese players, Asahi Shimbun, one of Japan's most influential newspapers, reported in a full page that "the Japanese team has sounded the clarion call for a counterattack" and published Kobayashi Koichi's bold statement that "I will do my best to defend the dignity of Japanese Go."

Unexpectedly, this game turned out to be a shocking upset.

The Asahi Shimbun gave extensive coverage to the match.

It is said that the Japanese side had originally prepared a celebratory banner for the "Closing Ceremony of the First China-Japan Go Challenge Tournament", but Nie Weiping's victory made this plan fall through, and the Japanese side was forced to temporarily use the name of a "family reunion" to avoid embarrassment.

In addition, after the game, Kobayashi Koichi sat at the chessboard for nearly an hour and refused to interact with the audience. The details were widely reported. The Asahi Shimbun described his state:
"Like a fool!"

All in all, this match caused a sensation throughout Japan, and the Japanese media reported on the game in great detail, speaking in their usual Japanese style.

We call this game:

The end of the "invincible myth"!

The industry in Japan is in a state of severe internal competition, with all kinds of fancy news headlines flying around. A Japanese reporter who was unwilling to be homogenized took a different approach and read the reports from China, and was immediately attracted by four words:

——"Half a step ahead of heaven!"

After carefully studying the Chinese reports, the Japanese reporter was greatly inspired. He copied a few paragraphs, translated them into Japanese, and added some content of his own.

Soon, an article titled "Chinese chess player 'Nie Tornado' is half a step ahead of God'", accompanied by a photo of Nie Weiping wearing a table tennis team uniform with the word "China" printed on it, became popular in Japan.

Some people say that Chinese chess players were originally considered to be "not strong enough", but Nie Weiping's victory forced us to admit that Chinese Go has the ability to challenge "top-notch" players.

Some people reflect that the Japanese Go community has not been enterprising and has been overtaken by the gradually rising Chinese Go community.

Some people even worship Nie Weiping, the "Nie Tornado" from China, and think that his story of defeating Kobayashi Koichi, a "half-step ahead of God", is extremely legendary.

At the same time, as this news article became popular, more Japanese began to explore the connotation of "half a step ahead of heaven".

At this time someone came out to explain.

This word comes from a novel by Chinese writer Jiang Xian, titled "Tian Ju".

When they heard it was Jiang Xian, and the words "Shengtian Banzi" became quickly popular in Japan, the shrewd Japanese magazine contacted Jiang Xian immediately and prepared to publish the article in Japan.

When Jiang Xian heard that he wanted to publish his novel in Japan, he certainly had no reason to refuse.

The Japanese are extremely efficient at work. Almost at the same time as the name of "Tenju" spread in Japan, the Japanese version of the article was published in "Bungei Shunju", which has hundreds of thousands of readers.

"Bungei Shunju" is not only one of the most influential magazines in Japan, but also won the two major awards in the Japanese literary world, the "Akutagawa Prize" and the "Naoki Prize". It is an important indicator of the trends in Japanese literature.

This magazine is equivalent to China's "People's Literature" and "Harvest" in the Japanese literary world.

Therefore, as soon as the novel "Tian Ju" was published, it caused a sensation in the Japanese literary world.

Yumi Horita is an ordinary housewife whose hobbies are literature, comics and Go.

After going out with friends that day, Yumi Hotta bought herself five or six new sets of clothes.

Although her family's income was not high, Yumi Horita used a medical insurance card to borrow 10 yen from a loan company. The manager also said that her credit limit was 70 yen. She only needed to pay the interest regularly and she could repay the principal at the pace she wanted.

Yumi Horita thought it was a great deal.

Moreover, advance consumption is very popular in Japan today, and is as common as it is in China in later generations.

After buying clothes, on the way home, Yumi Horida bought a few magazines she often read at the bookstore she often visited.

This includes the latest issue of Bungeishunju.

After pouring herself a cup of coffee and preparing some snacks, Yumi Horida knelt on the tatami, with her buttocks sitting on her flat calves, and turned the pages of the novel "Tian Ju".

Then, the housewife was completely attracted by the story written by this foreign writer.

"Yumi-kun!"

Horida Kiyonari, a husband who had just got off work, saw that his wife had bought a few new clothes and he couldn't help but get angry.

He shouted loudly, but was met with a pair of watery eyes from Horita Yumi.

"This"

Horita Kiyonari's anger was instantly extinguished by his wife's tears, and his tone changed from angry to gentle and soft.

"What's going on? What happened?"

"Qionari! Ah, wuwuwu~"

Yumi Horita wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and cried for a long time before she slowly uttered words.

“This novel is so touching!”

"???"

"This is it."