Writer 1978: I Need to Give the Literary World a Lesson

Chapter 65 Why don't you start your own magazine?
Inside the courtyard, after Zhang Pengzhi finished speaking, no one else responded. Some people looked resentful and turned to look at Bei Dao. Bei Dao, as always, wore a serious and melancholy expression. The sunlight was blocked by the ridge of the west wing of the courtyard, leaving only a sliver falling at Bei Dao's feet.

Liu Yu took a sip of tea helplessly. He felt that Zhang Pengzhi's words were meaningless. What could an article in the newspaper say? Besides, a score of 451 was indeed excellent!
"This article in China Youth Daily doesn't prove anything. I think highlighting exemplary figures and setting examples is something they do all the time, and we should take it in stride. Newspapers, magazines, and television are all reporting on Ning Bo, praising his genius. We can't possibly try to prove we're more talented than Ning Bo!"

Ning Bo was a child prodigy who was widely reported by the media in 1978. He could recite more than 30 poems by leaders at the age of two and a half, started primary school at the age of five, and could read prescriptions from a book on traditional Chinese medicine at a glance. He could recite Tang and Song poems and compose couplets with others after learning a little bit of Tang and Song poetry. He was received by high-level officials and won two chess games. He entered the University of Science and Technology of China at the age of 13, and a special class for gifted children was set up for him.
When it comes to genius, everyone would be ashamed!

After glancing at Liu Yu, Munk said, "Liu Yu, how can these be confused? This is the literary world. I heard that after Ai Qing met Liu Yimin, she praised him to everyone she met. As a result, many veteran writers who returned to Yanjing know about Liu Yimin."

"We need to speed up the launch of our magazine. The first issue will be available to readers at the end of November. We're not competing with anyone, but we must make our voice heard and carry the banner of a new generation of poetry." Bei Dao spoke in his usual tone.

Zhang Pengzhi and Mang Ke nodded. Their only remaining problem was paper. As an underground publication, they had no paper ration and no money to buy it. Each magazine had its own paper ration; some newly established magazines sold well, but lacked printing paper.

However, Mang Ke works at a paper mill, and Huang Rui works in the publicity department of a factory. The group decided to take a little bit each day, and when they had taken enough, the first issue of "Today" would be ready to meet the readers.

At Yenching University, in a classroom, the three large characters "Donkey Water" were written on the blackboard. Professor Yan Jiayan sat in the first row like a student, while Liu Zhenyun stood on the podium, stammering as he explained his class assignment.

Liu Yimin sat next to Professor Yan Jiayan. Every time a student finished speaking, Professor Yan Jiayan would ask, "Yimin, what do you think?"

"Teacher, some students have come up with some really interesting analytical perspectives!" Liu Yimin thought for a long time before finally managing to say this.

"You're so good at avoiding offending anyone! What kind of nonsense are you analyzing? You're jumping from one topic to another. You talk about city gate towers, and someone else talks about hip bones and elbows. You're always trying to be novel and different, but it's all just formalism. A thousand or two thousand words of yours is nothing."

Yan Jiayan said with dissatisfaction, but his voice was very low, just enough for the two of them to hear. The students next to them kept their distance.

While complaining, Yan Jiayan looked up at the podium and said with a smile after the student finished speaking, "The analysis is good. Next, you should strengthen your basic literary skills."

"I still need to encourage them!"

“Professor, the desire for novelty and difference shows that our students in the Chinese Department of Yenching University have a strong sense of pride and are unwilling to refer to the analytical perspectives in magazines and newspapers,” Liu Yimin said.

Upon hearing this, Yan Jiayan immediately chuckled: "You always manage to come up with some new and interesting ways to praise someone."

Liu Zhenyun analyzed the relationship between the donkey and the protagonist Zhang Yiman, believing that the donkey symbolized Zhang Yiman's hard work for the school and students. People treated the donkey as livestock, pulling the millstone, and killing and eating it when it could no longer pull it, implying that Zhang Yiman was destined to be abandoned by everyone.

"This analysis is quite good. Although the words are rough, the meaning is conveyed!"

After Liu Zhenyun finished his lecture, Yan Jiayan walked up to the podium, placed his hands on the table, and began to talk about literary theory and the framework of literary analysis.

"To analyze 'Mr. Donkey,' the first thing to analyze is the character Zhang Yiman. All the analysis revolves around Zhang Yiman; she is the soul of this novel, and through her life, we can see the complexity and tragedy of human nature."

After class, Liu Zhenyun pulled Liu Yimin aside and asked him what the professor had said to Liu Yimin while he was lecturing on stage.

"The professor said you gave a great lecture, the best one in the entire department." "Really?" Liu Zhenyun was overjoyed, then said shyly, "Actually, due to time constraints, there was still a lot I didn't get to say."

Li Xueqin leaned closer and asked, "Yimin, we're planning to sign up for our school's literary society. Do you want to come along?"

"You guys go ahead, I have something to do!" Liu Yimin waved his hand and said.

Liu Zhenyun looked on with curiosity. Like Li Xueqin, he was also planning to sign up for the literary society. He had heard that everyone there was talented in writing and had a pleasant way of speaking.

"What's up? Our literary society has just been re-established and is currently recruiting. If we join, we'll be considered veterans, and the vice president is a senior from our Chinese department."

"I need to go to People's Literature and Art magazine and submit a manuscript."

The novel "Hachiko: A Dog's Tale" has been completed. The entire story is about 10 words long, which is considered a short novella. It just so happens that I will be able to fulfill Cui Daoyi's request and submit the manuscript at the end of October.

However, it seems unlikely that the 11th issue of "People's Literature" will be published in time; it will have to wait until December.

"Another submission? Do you want us to die?"

"Yimin, why don't you start your own magazine? With your output, you could definitely publish a quarterly magazine," Li Xueqin said helplessly. They had been watching him write the novel, and before they knew it, it was finished.

"Start a magazine? Great idea! I'll invite you to be the editor when we do!"

Li Xueqin's words reminded Liu Yimin of Zheng Yuanjie, the "King of Fairy Tales." Because the magazine wouldn't increase his payment for his articles, he founded "King of Fairy Tales" in a fit of anger, and all the fairy tales in it were his own creations. He was truly a remarkable person.

There's a difference between fairy tales and the novels Liu Yimin writes; even writing a short story of just a few thousand words would exhaust him.

After Liu Yimin finished speaking, under the watchful eyes of the others, he mounted his brand-new Phoenix motorcycle with headlights and drove off the campus. The Phoenix with headlights was like a Rolls-Royce nowadays; with headlights, riding at night would be much more convenient.

The distance from Yenching University to the editorial office of *People's Literature* is quite far, taking an hour and a half by bicycle. Fortunately, he didn't have classes in the afternoon, so he had enough time. He could also visit the Writers' Association guesthouse to chat with Lao Ma and gather some materials about old Beijing.

He was familiar with the plot of "The Flames of War in Beiping," but he didn't know much about the people and customs of old Beiping or other geographical information. He couldn't write something that wasn't authentic.

Just as he was heading towards People's Literature, two editors from Yenching Literature also rode towards Yenching University, determined to get a manuscript from Liu Yimin.

Thank you so much to the generous 200 coins from the user "纵横天下有我" (Zongheng Tianxia Youwo). I'll add an extra chapter after the book is released.

Thank you everyone for your monthly tickets and recommendation votes! I'm asking for more!

(End of this chapter)