Literary Master 1978

Lin Chaoyang knew very well that what Lu Yao called "the mountain that is difficult to read" should be his last work "Ordinary World" left to the world. It is a masterpiece with millions of words.

Lin Chaoyang knew even more that it was not a problem for Lu Yao to write this novel with his talent. What Lu Yao needed now was more encouragement.

He smiled and said, "The mountain is there. If you go, you can naturally climb over it."

Lu Yao was slightly stunned when he heard this, and then his face was thoughtful. After a moment, he nodded heavily, "You are right, the mountain is there."

Although Lin Chaoyang's words were simple, they contained the determination and courage of "I will go even if there are thousands of people", which made Lu Yao feel confident that no one else could do it.

"Chaoyang, I will definitely write this book."

Lin Chaoyang patted his shoulder, "Come on!"

The next morning, the National Rural Theme Novel Creation Symposium was officially held in the banquet hall of Taoyuan Hotel. The venue was arranged in the same way as a normal symposium, except that the scale was a bit larger.

Dozens of writers from all over the country, as well as some editors and critics, attended the symposium.

Zhang Guangnian, the head of the Literary Association, presided over the meeting. He first gave a high-sounding speech and then invited the writers to speak.

Most of the writers who came this time were young and middle-aged. Wang Meng was one of the older ones. At the same time, he was also the editor-in-chief of People's Literature. Zhang Guangnian invited him to speak first.

Wang Meng was always smooth in his words and deeds. He talked about his understanding of "rural-themed" novels, and his words were full of dialectical words, without a single leak.

Listening to his speech, some young writers present showed disdain.

In this era, the cultural circle advocated ideological liberation and expressing one's own opinions. In their view, Wang Meng's speech was undoubtedly an attempt to please both sides.

After Wang Meng finished speaking, it was Tang Yin's turn to speak. The topics he talked about were both political and literary, and many writers from other provinces were not very interested in listening to him.

This is also a normal situation when writers from Yanjing and other provinces communicate with each other in this era. Perhaps because they are in the capital, writers from Yanjing always consciously or unconsciously put themselves in the political proposition, swinging "left and right", occasionally mixing in some political inside stories, but unable to say everything.

In this way, the communication between the two sides seems to be separated by a barrier, making it difficult to open up.

Perhaps he sensed the boredom of some writers from other provinces. Zhang Guangnian did not speak immediately after Tang Yin finished speaking, but his eyes wandered around the nearby writers, and finally fell on a figure who was fishing in troubled waters.

"Recently, there is a very hot topic in our literary circle, which is Comrade Chaoyang's new work. It happens that he is here today, so why not let him share his creative experience with everyone."

Lin Chaoyang was wandering in his mind, and suddenly heard Zhang Guangnian call his name. He couldn't help but pass a look to Zhang Guangnian: It's agreed that we will only have a meeting and not talk.

Zhang Guangnian gave him an encouraging look in return.

Being called by his name, Lin Chaoyang had no choice but to bite the bullet and organize his words.

"Just now, comrade Wang Meng and comrade Tang Yin both explained their knowledge and understanding of rural-themed novels from their own perspectives, and they spoke relatively objectively.

Comrade Guangnian asked me to share my experience in this regard. To be honest, I didn't prepare anything.

But since it's a sharing, there's no need to demand perfection. I'll just talk about my own experience in the creative process for your reference."

Lin Chaoyang's attitude was very modest, but no one present would despise his speech.

In the eyes of these peers, Lin Chaoyang's level has always been at the leading level in the Chinese literary world. While maintaining high-quality output, he also ensures very high efficiency.

After only a few years of debut, his representative works are more than the total creations of some people present.

"Today we are talking about the creation of rural-themed novels. I was born in the countryside and lived there until I was 20 before moving to the city.

I dare say that I am a rural person, but I dare not say that I understand the countryside.

Why?

On the one hand, it is because of my own age and experience. On the other hand, a more important question in front of me is: What is the countryside?"

Lin Chaoyang suddenly raised a question, which caught everyone present off guard.

What is the countryside?

It seems to be a question that is asked knowingly, but when people really start to think seriously, they can't simply summarize it in a few words.

"In a narrow sense, the places where I have lived and seen since I was a child are all called rural areas. This should be the "rural areas" in the so-called "rural-themed novels" in our literary circles since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

From the 1950s, agricultural collectivization, the Great Leap Forward, the People's Commune Movement, the two roads... to the distribution of land to households and rural reform since the late 1970s.

Our rural areas seem to be compressed into a piece of paper. It is so flat and boring, as if it has only a history of thirty to fifty years, and only the stories of landlords and long-term workers.

But sometimes I also wonder, what was this "rural area" like before? What are the "rural areas" in other parts of our country like?

I chatted with my friends in the literary world, and someone told me that he used to work in the production team by the Miluo River. Less than 20 kilometers away from him was the Quzi Temple. He could connect the local dialect with the words in the Chuci.

I remember Comrade Zhongshi told me that his hometown was called Baqiao Village, which is the "Baqiao" in "Baqiao Zheliu".

During the Spring and Autumn Period, Duke Mu of Qin built Baqiao. The Yonglu records: This place is the most important place in Chang'an. Anyone who enters and exits the Yao and Tong passes from the west and east must pass through it.

Wang Changling wrote "Baqiao Fu" and said: Only in Ba, only in Ba, at the source, at the mouth of Qin, the running shaft of Dongqu is tied up, dragged horizontally, like a long rainbow that has not yet turned.

From their mouths, we can vaguely see that today's rural areas were also places where outstanding people and winds and clouds gathered thousands of years ago.

There are many examples like this. For example, when I read Shen Congwen's article, I paid more attention to Xiangxi. According to historical records:

Before the third century AD, the Miao people had already worked and lived near Dongting Lake. This is also near the "East Sea" legendary in Miao songs, which was the ancient Chu land.

Later, due to natural disasters and man-made disasters, they moved up along the Five Rivers and migrated to the southwest.

This is the story of how Chi You was defeated by Huangdi and his descendants retreated to the mountains.

The Miao migration history song "Climbing Mountains and Wading Waters" also vaguely reflects this tragic history of westward migration.

With so many examples in front of me, I have to think about a question.

That is, for decades, has our definition of "rural areas" been too narrow?

Or let me put it another way, is our literary works too one-sided in describing "rural areas"?

I would go further and say that we deliberately separated the concept of "rural areas" from our culture, which served more for politics, but ignored the roots of our national culture. "

Lin Chaoyang's tone of speech was often passionate, but he always spoke slowly and calmly, and he did the same today.

But as the people listened, their expressions became more and more serious, and some people couldn't help but sit more formally.

Because everyone found that Lin Chaoyang seemed to be proposing a very bold concept - "the root of national culture."

You must know that in recent decades, the domestic cultural and literary circles are extremely sensitive to the term "national culture" because this concept is somewhat incompatible with the ideology emphasized above.

Everyone chewed on the concept proposed by Lin Chaoyang, with a thoughtful look on their faces.

Those writers from other provinces who were originally not interested in the previous speeches also showed excitement on their faces. It is obvious that Lin Chaoyang's speech stimulated their inner interest.

Lin Chaoyang did not look at the reactions of the people present, but continued to speak on his own:

"I personally believe that culture is rooted in the national subject, and literature is a concrete reflection of culture.

If we easily cut off the tradition and lose the vitality, then our literature will inevitably become a water without source and a tree without roots, and it will be difficult to have new vitality and vitality.

Since the May Fourth Movement, our literary circles have been accustomed to looking westward, eagerly and bravely breaking the forbidden zone, and introducing, imitating and borrowing a large number of creative ideas and techniques from foreign literary works.

I cannot say that this approach is wrong, because I have also been nourished by Western modernist literature.

But we should understand that foreign literature reflects foreign culture and foreign history, and it is not a good choice to rashly and rigidly apply it to China.

Our writers should focus on the land under our feet, not only paying attention to politics and the present, but also looking back on our nation's yesterday and looking forward to the future of our country.

Some people may think that my idea is out of nostalgia, local concepts or the restoration of some backward culture, but what I want to say is:

The re-understanding of national culture and history and the awakening of national aesthetic consciousness are related to whether our Chinese nation will be firm in its steps towards great rejuvenation in the future.

If we blindly look at literary creation from a political perspective, or blindly pursue the forms of expression of other nations, then these two behaviors will do more harm than good to the iterative development and upward pursuit of our national culture.

In "Philosophy of Art", Taine believes that there are many levels of human characteristics. What floats on the surface are some living habits and thoughts and feelings that last for three or four years, and they will all be replaced in a few years.

The characteristics of the lower layer, which are slightly more solid, can last for twenty, thirty or forty years. These thoughts and feelings will disappear only after that generation has passed.

The characteristics of the third layer below can exist in a complete historical period, and they remain unmoved despite severe friction and destruction, such as the customs of the French in the classical era. This characteristic is attached to or extended by a lot of doctrines and thoughts and feelings.

But no matter how stubborn this is, it still needs to be eliminated.

What is more difficult to be eradicated by time than these concepts and customs are certain instincts and talents of the nation, such as certain philosophical and social tendencies in them, certain views on morality, understanding of nature, and certain ways of expressing thoughts.

To change the characteristics of this level, sometimes we have to rely on the invasion of foreign races, complete conquest, and racial hybridization. At least we have to change the geographical environment, migrate to other places, and be slowly infected by the new water and soil. In short, we have to change our spiritual temperament and physical structure together.

Taine is a "geographical determinist". We don't need to fully agree with some of his views on culture, but he at least helps us understand the so-called cultural level from a certain aspect.

If we don't even cherish our national culture, and regard everything as dross, ban and burn it, have you ever thought about what the long-term consequences will be?

- The destruction of national culture and the decline of national self-confidence. "

Lin Chaoyang spoke here in a low voice, full of grief.

His voice was not loud, but it became heavier as people listened.

Everyone has learned history. Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, China experienced a century of humiliation. Until now, the national self-confidence in the country is still hovering at a low level.

The reasons for this are very complicated, but the destruction of national culture, whether active or passive, is indeed one of the most important factors.

Lin Chaoyang's reasoning was very thorough, and many people present could not help but nod in approval.

"A nation's own past is easy to forget, but it is also not so easy to forget.

Theoretically, as long as there is a Chinese in the world, our Chinese culture will not be extinct.

But if even we ourselves abandon our culture, then, does our nation still have a past?

Will a nation without a past still have a future?"

Lin Chaoyang's questions hit the hearts of everyone present, and were deafening.

Finally, he said in a firm and sonorous voice:

"Our literature should have 'roots', and the 'roots' of literature should be deeply rooted in the soil of national culture. If the roots are not deep, the branches and leaves will not flourish; if the roots are deep, the vitality will flourish.

Only in this way can our national culture be reborn again and shine on the world!"

After the words fell, the symposium was silent. Everyone was immersed in Lin Chaoyang's shocking speech and pondered for a long time.

After a long while, someone finally came back to his senses from his speech and gave the first applause.

Then, the applause was thunderous and deafening.