The literary era since 1979

quiet!
The entire venue was eerily quiet; you could hear a pin drop. Everyone held their breath and looked at each other. The atmosphere dropped to freezing point.

Finally, the avant-garde writers could no longer hold back and argued: "Teacher Fang, Latin American magical realism literature is a unique school in the world literary world, and Marquez is a representative figure of this literary school. Even the Nobel Prize in Literature..."

"Besides One Hundred Years of Solitude, have you read any other works by Marquez?"

Fangyan interrupted directly.

"Of course!"

Ma Yuan and others listed "Love in the Time of Cholera", "A Premeditated Murder" and so on.

"Since you have read his novels, why do you still say that his works are all magical?"

Fang Yan said: "Most of Marquez's works are either realistic or reality overwhelms magic. Most of those illusions, dreams and even nightmare-like plots that we find incredible have a basis and prototype in reality."

"Like "The Colonel Who Has No One to Write To", the war pension that can never be waited for but is always expected, the man who committed suicide by playing chess in "Love in the Time of Cholera", the hero and heroine are based on the early love experience of Marquez's parents, and the numerous illegitimate children with crosses painted on their faces in "One Hundred Years of Solitude", the colonel who keeps making goldfish, and even the women who eat wall plaster, make shrouds, or remain virgins all their lives, are all the disasters and misfortunes that the Latin American people have suffered in history..."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone nodded and applauded.

"In Marquez's novels, magic and reality are not equal. It's not 50% magic and 50% reality, but 5% magic and 95% reality," Fang Yan said. "This is true for my The Hunt, as well as Pedro Páramo, which describes class oppression and exploitation in rural Mexico. This is also true for many of Kafka's novels. The real source of magic is reality."

"This this……"

Yu Hua's eyes were wide open, and his understanding of magical realism and avant-garde literature was completely overturned at this moment.

Avant-garde writers such as Ma Yuan, Ge Fei and Can Xue tried to defend themselves, but they did not know where to start and were speechless for a while.

"We are realist writers first, and then we use the techniques of magic and illusion realism to write."

Fang Yan said: "Everything is based on social reality. Like Marquez, I am disgusted by the titles of 'magical realist writer' and 'illusionary realist writer', just like the feeling of Zhu Yuanzhang beheading the painter in anger in the legend."

"What do you mean?"

Wang Shuo turned to look at Zhong Acheng, and saw him recite the allusion easily.

"One hundred painters painted Zhu Yuanzhang's portrait. After Zhu Yuanzhang saw it, he killed 95 of them in anger and only kept 5."

"Why did you kill him? Wasn't the painting good enough?"

"It's not bad, but they only care about the handsomeness and not the real appearance."

After hearing what Zhong Acheng said, everyone present suddenly understood.

The focus of "magical realism" is not on magic, but on realism!

Fangyan said seriously: "Realism is a mirror that reflects social problems, and magical realism is a funhouse mirror, because it deliberately exaggerates and distorts reality, giving real problems a layer of illusion. As a result, people often ignore the truly important social problems and the truth because of the 'magic' in the funhouse mirror. This is completely putting the cart before the horse."

Yu Hua felt as if he had been enlightened, as if a layer of window paper was pierced, and his whole body trembled violently.

There are many people like him who have suddenly realized their mistake and started to question and reflect on the avant-garde literature that advocates magical realism.

Seeing this scene, Wang Meng showed a relieved and satisfied smile:

"I originally thought that Yanzi included "The Hunt" in the research topic of this symposium in order to promote and spread "illusionary realism" and guide a new direction for avant-garde literature that has reached a bottleneck, but now it seems that I was wrong."

"what do you mean?"

Zhu Wei cast a puzzled look.

"He is using this forum and his novel of hallucinatory realism, The Hunt, to hope that more writers can return to realistic literature." Wang Meng smiled knowingly, "Put the focus of their creations back on social issues, just like The May 19th Long Shot."

“Indeed, ‘magical realism’ has bewitched countless avant-garde writers.”

Zhu Wei was unsure and said, "But they have gone crazy. I'm afraid it won't be that easy for them to wake up, right?"

"That depends on Yanzi herself."

When Wang Meng thought about the Xiangshan Conference organized by the editorial department of People's Literature, he couldn't help but feel full of anticipation. If it could really become a conference to revive realistic literature, he and others would leave a significant mark in the history of contemporary Chinese literature.

In our sight, Fangyan debated with a group of scholars, and talked with avant-garde writers about magical realism, realism, and then avant-garde literature.

"Teacher Fang, even if what you said makes sense, learning and creating magical realism does not necessarily have to focus on realism. The 'magic' techniques and styles in magical realism can also be the focus of writing and innovation in contemporary literary works."

Ma Yuan and others were very dissatisfied and said, "Are you saying that our avant-garde literature was wrong from the beginning?"

Fang Yan said: "What does 'avant-garde' in avant-garde literature mean?"

"what?!"

Everyone present, including the avant-garde writers, was shocked and had no idea why Teacher Fang asked such a question.

Fangyan looked around and asked: "Who can translate for me what the word 'avant-garde' in avant-garde literature means?"

"Teacher Fang, avant-garde means being avant-garde, innovative, and at the forefront of literary trends..."

“Break through the limitations of convention and tradition in form!”

"The content introduces neglected and taboo topics, such as "One Hundred Years of Solitude", which contains elements of incest, pornography, and despotism."

"That's right. It's because traditional realistic literature is outdated that we should actively introduce magical realism."

“We must dare to do what other writers dare not do, think what other readers cannot think of, and break through the limits that traditional literature cannot reach.”

"........."

Avant-garde writers were chattering and talking at the same time.

Fangyan couldn't help but joked: "You all say that 'pioneer' means to be ahead of others, but if you just follow behind others, how can you be called 'pioneer'?"

"Teacher Fang, this is the basic law of artistic creation. The first thing we need to do is to imitate and absorb foreign literary genres."

Ge Fei stiffened his neck and said, "It has been like this since the May Fourth Movement. Realistic literature at the beginning also learned and borrowed from the Western 'realistic classical tradition'. We are now just using magical realism to inject new vitality into realistic literature."

"It is understandable in the initial stage, but if it continues to be done, it will violate the basic laws of artistic creation." Without waiting for Fangyan to speak, Zhang Chengzhi and other onlookers were already eager to try and took the initiative to join the debate.

"Yes, no great novelist is great just because he imitates or copies others. Lu Xun, Mao Zedong, Ba Gong, Shen Gong, which one of them did not walk his own literary path, which one of them did not create a school of thought that influenced our modern and contemporary literature!"

"As for your avant-garde literature, you have not transformed 'avant-garde' into 'innovation' or 'imitation' into 'creation' at all."

"That's right. Look at our root-seeking literature. We have always been rooted in national and regional culture to carry out literary innovation!"

"........."

Faced with the siege from the camps of realistic literature, root-seeking literature and other camps, avant-garde literature was unable to fight against all four and gradually lost the battle.

Wang Shuo tried hard to suppress his laughter. Before attending the meeting, he was worried and suspicious that the National Youth Writers Symposium would be too boring. Now he realized that he was too young and really exclaimed "wonderful". Let's fight, fight quickly, don't just talk without taking action, I want to see a river of blood!
Seeing that the situation was not favorable, Ma Yuan strongly refuted:
"Avant-garde literature does not simply imitate, we just focus more on the exploration and innovation of novel style, language, narrative and other aspects."

"But what if all the possibilities of the novel form have been tested?"

Yu Hua, who has come to his senses, recalled what Teacher Fang had once advised him.

"How can it be!"

Ma Yuan and the others were shocked. Yu Hua, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, are you also going to betray avant-garde literature?!
"But there is no literary genre that will not come to an end."

Yu Hua said: "Avant-garde literature is no exception. Just as Professor Fang once warned me, when the space for avant-garde novels to explore texts and languages ​​becomes smaller, they will lose the space for further experiments, and will also lose the motivation and goal for exploration. I now think this is absolutely right!"

"I agree too!"

Zhang Chengzhi, who had been watching, suddenly stood up and said without hesitation that his "Golden Ranch" had tried the techniques of avant-garde literature, but was a typical example of failed imitation. He kept claiming that he had been fooled by magical realism and inexplicably pursued a failed structure.

"How come you say that?"

Fang Yan, Wang Meng and others looked at each other curiously.

Zhang Chengzhi said: "I don't know foreign languages, and my study of magic realism techniques all started with translating works. So no matter how I write "Golden Ranch", it can't be authentic magic realism, because the "magic realism literature" I have seen and learned are all "second-hand" manuscripts translated by domestic translators. No matter how much I learn, it will still be half-baked."

"Just like the Star Absorbing Technique is a fragment of the Northern Ocean Divine Art."

Fangyan nodded.

Wang Shuo, who was watching the fun, added: "Teacher Fang, the Sword Manual of Exorcism is a fragment of the Sunflower Manual!"

"Hahaha!"

In an instant, bursts of laughter broke out, slightly easing the tense atmosphere caused by the heated discussion.

Some avant-garde writers like Yu Hua have gradually recognized the true face of avant-garde literature and are ready or planning to abandon the illusory concept of avant-garde literature and turn to the path pointed out by Mr. Fang, the literary beacon.

Realistic literature!

Another group of avant-garde writers, like Ma Yuan, could not smile and had gloomy faces. They wanted to fight another three hundred rounds for avant-garde literature.

However, due to the opening ceremony of the National Youth Writers Symposium, the parties had to call off the fighting and temporarily cease fire.

As the organizer of this conference, Wang Meng went on stage and gave an impassioned opening speech, and his dialect was no exception.

After the opening ceremony, Yu Hua came over immediately, with confusion no longer in his clear eyes.

"Teacher Fang, thank you!"

"Thank me for what?"

"Thank you for saving me from Kafka's butcher knife."

Yu Hua was very excited, "Just like you used Kafka's novel to save me from Kawabata Yasunari's knife."

Fang Yan smiled and said, "So, you have found your new literary direction?"

Yu Hua vowed that he was ready to give up avant-garde literature and no longer stick to the path of magical realism.

"very good!"

Fangyan patted his shoulder. In fact, if he hadn't considered that some things couldn't be said openly, he would have been afraid that the words would be too radical and lead to an unnecessary quarrel.

Avant-garde literature could no longer develop by the end of the 80s. Many avant-garde writers had gone too far and, in the name of avant-garde, they mystified others and indulged in individual experience. They did not pay deeper attention to the problems of society and the times. Their wording was tricky and difficult, and while alienating the masses of the people, they did not explain any profound truths, just like the art films directed by the fifth and sixth generation directors such as Chen Kaige and Lou Ye.

Faced with the impact of commercial novels and popular literature, the market for novels is very narrow and is disliked by other literary genres.

As a result, the entire avant-garde literature became bad in the literary world, and "avant-garde" gradually became an insulting word.

Therefore, in his previous life, Yu Hua returned from avant-garde literature to realism and wrote novels such as "To Live", "Xu Sanguan Selling Blood", and "Brothers". However, now with the guidance of dialects, he wakes up faster and more thoroughly.

"Originally, I was planning to write the graduation novel assigned by Lu Xun Academy of Literature in the direction of avant-garde literature."

Yu Hua said seriously: "But now I have changed my mind."

Fangyan said: "It seems that you have a new idea?"

Yu Hua said: "I plan to follow your footsteps and write a novel of hallucinatory realism, focusing on realism."

"What topic?" Fangyan was surprised.

Yu Hua said that he had been the editor of "Mystery World" for some time, and the novels he came into contact with most often were either suspense and mystery novels or criminal investigation themes, so he planned to start his illusionary realism novel with a police and gangster story.

Fangyan became more and more interested as he listened, "Go on."

"I saw it on the news."

Yu Hua said: "I wanted to write about a police investigation into a murder case, where an innocent person was killed due to a misjudgment, just like the protagonist in The Hunt, who was bullied and even murdered by the entire town because of the girl's 'childish talk'."

Fangyan immediately thought of the movie starring Zhu Yilong, and coincidentally, the novel adapted from it was written by Yu Hua. (End of this chapter)