Back to 80: My Literary Life

Fang Minghua was a little helpless.

Wouldn’t it be nice for everyone to have some tea and chat?

Why are you blushing and not giving you an extra cent?

Even the host smiled and asked Fang Minghua to say a few words. He knew that he had to stand up and say a few words.

"First of all, one thing I want to say is that I never think that I am a representative of avant-garde writers." Fang Minghua said.

"Editor Fang, you are being modest." Wang Weiming replied with a smile.

Unexpectedly, Fang Minghua shook his head and looked at him seriously: "No, I'm not being modest, and I don't agree with your point of view: the future of domestic literature must belong to Western modernism!"

ah? !Wang Weiming was stunned.

There were also whispers in the conference room.

The representative writer recognized by the domestic literary world as an avant-garde actually claims that he is not an avant-garde! And he also asserted that the future of domestic literature may not be dominated by Western modernists!

What exactly is going on?

Wang Weiming reacted first. He still had a smile on his face, but his tone was a bit sarcastic: "Editor Fang, you said that the future of domestic literature does not belong to Western modernism. What does it belong to? The old traditional realism?"

"So, let me ask you, after you wrote two realist works "Into the Dust" and "Youth", you successively published "The Sun Also Rises", "Donkey Gets Water", "Roadside Picnic" and other stream-of-consciousness, magical realism The works, and they all belong to the category of Western modernism! The results have won a lot of praise! Why do you continue not to write about realism? "

sharp!

Those present secretly praised the man and quickly caught the loopholes in the other person's answer.

See how this young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes responded?

Fang Minghua continued calmly: "You are right, I have written several pieces of so-called Western modern literature, but now I have returned to realist themes. Recently I am writing a long novel, which is a traditional realist theme. "

ah? this?

"I testify!" Lu Yao, who was sitting next to him, interjected: "Xiao Fang is telling the truth. I have read part of his manuscript and it is quite good. There is no trace of avant-garde novels at all."

Lu Yao is a master in writing realistic works, and his "Life" is well known all over the world, so his words naturally carry some weight.

"Xiao Fang, why?" Wang Anyi, who was sitting on the other side, was surprised and couldn't help asking.

Actually returned to realism again?

"Sister Wang, I visited Teacher Wang Meng from Yanjing last year." Fang Minghua looked at her and smiled:

"As we all know, Teacher Wang Meng is also a master of stream-of-consciousness novels. Everyone has read his "Bu Li" and "Butterfly", so I won't go into details here. He once said something to me that makes me think till now. The memory is still fresh.”

"Whether it's avant-gardeism, stream of consciousness, magical realism. We can all learn from their techniques and tell our own stories!"

"The key is to tell your story well!" Fang Minghua emphasized: "So I think that all kinds of writing methods are tables, and the content is the foundation!"

"Novel techniques are applicable to any country or nation regardless of East or West. Writers with any aesthetic taste may wish to master more modern techniques, but the content of the novel must be our own. As Teacher Wang Meng said, speak it well. Your own story!”

Bang bang bang.

Applause erupted in the conference room.

Wang Weiming suddenly felt a little embarrassed, but he would not give in easily.

"Editor Fang, as you said, Western modern novels are just a certain technique. Then why do you think that this technique will not be the mainstream way of writing domestic literature in the future?! You see, more people are using it now Is this the way?"

"Good question." Fang Minghua smiled.

"Many people in China are now starting to write Western modern novels. Western modern novels represented by avant-garde novels will set off a climax, but I am sure that they will eventually return to realism, because avant-garde novels have their inherent characteristics. defect."

Too avant-garde literary techniques and styles may make it difficult for readers to understand and accept

Criticism and subversion of tradition may lead to uncertainty of literary value.

The pursuit of innovation and breakthroughs may lead to defects in literary form and content.

Fang Minghua talked endlessly, and in the end even Wang Weiming took out his notebook and recorded it carefully.

"Of course, we cannot deny that Western modernism, including avant-garde novels, has promoted our country's literature. I think it is mainly in the following aspects:"

The exploration of literary form and content in avant-garde novels provided important inspiration for subsequent literary innovations.

The avant-garde nature and particularity of avant-garde novels may make it difficult for readers to understand and accept them, but it also prompts readers to think more deeply about and explore literary works.

The exploration and experimentation of avant-garde novels promoted the development of literary genres and styles such as expressionism, postmodernism, feminism, etc.

He spoke for forty minutes in one breath!

Now that I’ve said it, let’s just explain it thoroughly.

When Fang Minghua sat down, the conference room once again burst into warm applause.

The person who applauded the most fiercely was Wang Weiming just now.

"Xiao Fang! Amazing, I didn't expect your literary theory literacy to be so high." Wang Anyi next to her was very impressed.

"Haha, we are all used to it." Lu Yao said with a smile: "We have a folk literature club privately. We all get together to chat and talk about literature when nothing happens. He always publishes some very thoughtful theories, which benefits us a lot. shallow."

"I don't dare, I don't dare." Fang Minghua was very modest: "I'm just throwing ideas out there."

"Ha, Xiaofang, your brick is too heavy. I guess others won't dare to say anything anymore." Wang Anyi joked.

Sure enough, things started to get quiet later on.

Even if Fang Minghua's ordinary discussion was over, he didn't expect that someone from the organizer of this seminar would find him during dinner in the evening.

"Hello, Comrade Xiaofang, I am He Shaojun, deputy editor-in-chief of "Literary News"."

"Hello, Editor He." Fang Minghua shook hands with him. He couldn't figure out what this middle-aged man wanted to do with him.

He Shaojun continued: "I read the minutes of your group meeting today, and I feel that your speech is very theoretical. Can you sort out your speech and publish it in the Literary Journal?"

Oops

Can my review article also be published in "Literary Newspaper"?

This reminded Fang Minghua of the controversy against him last year, which started with the "Literary Newspaper"!

Of course this is possible.

Fang Minghua readily agreed and said that he would bring it over for you to take a look at after finishing it.

This article titled "The Advantages and Limitations of Western Modern Literature" soon appeared in the "Literary News" newspaper.

This article describes in detail the advantages and disadvantages of this genre, analyzes its impact on Chinese literature, and puts forward its own opinions.

Won the appreciation of the domestic literary and theoretical circles.

So Comrade Fang Minghua gained another title: literary theory scholar.

Of course this is what comes later.

The literature seminar for young and middle-aged people in Shanghai continued, and soon attracted a large number of Shanghai students and literature lovers, some of whom came from Hangzhou, Nanjing and other places.

Some want to meet their favorite writers and sign and leave messages, while others also want to ask these writers to comment on articles they have written. Of course, it is best to publish them.

After all, many writers are themselves editors of magazines.

Fang Minghua received a novel written by a young man.