The literary era since 1979

"Does Professor Fang think contemporary literature is not dead?"

"Of course, literature will only die when humanity perishes!"

His eyes were firm, and his tone was unwavering.

With a snap, Zhu Lin saw him slam his hand on the table and stand up, staring intently at his figure, momentarily forgetting his acting.

Not only did she forget, but Lü Yue, as the director, also didn't call "cut" immediately, instead letting Fang Yan continue to perform.

A writer in the shot immediately raised an objection: "Isn't Professor Fang's statement a bit too assertive?"

"No, this is an inevitable law of the development of human literature!"

He spoke earnestly in his dialect: "Leaving aside the whole world, just in China, the history of literature has accompanied the awakening of humankind. It has also evolved along with human evolution. The earliest were work songs, then folk myths and legends and folk songs, and then poetry with the participation of literati. You might as well think about the literature preserved by our ancestors: the prose of the pre-Qin period, the fu of the Han dynasty, the poetry of the Tang dynasty, the ci of the Song dynasty, the qu of the Yuan dynasty, and the novels of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Even today, novels still occupy the mainstream of literature."

As he spoke, he scanned the entire room and said, “Literature will not die; it can only be that one style recedes while another rises. The literary styles we are familiar with are roughly four: poetry, prose, drama, and novels. Throughout human history, these four styles have each gone through their turn once. As for whether they will come back again, we do not know at the moment, but new forms may certainly emerge.”

Tie Ning was very curious: "Could you elaborate on what kind of new format it is?"

"The first type is film and television media. TV series and movie scripts can also be considered a form of literature."

Fang Yan said, "Another possibility is that the rapidly developing computers and the Internet will combine with literature in the near future..."

"Even so, the poetry and seriousness of literature are gone! The soul of literature is gone!"

There are still those who disagree, arguing that the commercialization, entertainment, and popularization of literature have drowned out the poetic essence of novels. This slow and meticulous pursuit of "poetic beauty" in literary writing has been replaced by the "noise and turmoil" of the times, and literature has gradually lost its former "radiance."

"That's wrong!"

Fang Yan shook his head. "As long as literature exists, as long as people's inner pursuit of beauty remains, 'poetry' will never die out. Even if it only exists in memories and settles in imagination, it can still be transformed into a real pursuit of a better world."

"I agree with that statement!"

Shi Tiesheng said, "Contemporary literature is indeed somewhat disappointing, but we should have full confidence in the future of literature."

The two exchanged a smile, and Fang Yan said solemnly:
"Literature is like an old tree sprouting new buds; its form may change, but its roots are always firmly planted in life!"

"Clang."

Just then, Zhu Lin, lost in thought, accidentally knocked the thermos she was pouring water over a water glass, causing the glass to fall and shatter into pieces.

"Crack!"

Even though Lü Le was still enjoying the conversation, he had to stop filming. He then cleared his throat and reminded her, "Zhu Lin, you'd better look at Wang Zhiwen with more affection." Of course, he couldn't say the second part directly, but it was that Zhu Lin's gaze at Fang Yan just now was affectionate enough.

Liu Yiwei said, "Professor Fang, could you please continue the discussion about 'literature is immortal' later?"

Fang Yan nodded: "Of course, I think that answers the second question."

"Yanzi is right. Literature will never die out, it will only decline."

Shi Tiesheng expressed the views of most people present: "And this is precisely the responsibility and mission of us writers."

Tie Ning said, "Many of you here were my classmates in the first Literature Workshop. I'm sure you all remember the banners that Yanzi and we made when we started school, right?" Then he looked around and said, "It is our duty to revitalize the glory of Chinese literature!"

"That's right!"

"As long as writers uphold Chinese literature and persist in literary creation, literature will never perish!"

Fang Yan's remarks, along with those of Tie Ning, Shi Tiesheng, Jiang Zilong, and others, were all included in the special topic of "What is Poetic" and "Literature Is Never Dead," appearing in the latest April issue of People's Literature along with "Those Things About the Ming Dynasty."

Suddenly, a "Ming Dynasty craze" gradually arose, and even Chinese literature, which was already in a slump, began to rebound against the trend.

In the following years, during Fang Yan's tenure as editor-in-chief of People's Literature, the magazine published a series of epic novels, including The Ming Dynasty, The Qin Dynasty, The Rise of the Qin Dynasty, The Rose Gate, To Live, and White Deer Plain. These works reignited the long-dormant serious literature scene and gave the literary world a glimmer of hope for revitalization, reminiscent of the early 80s.

Fang Yan, who has devoted so much effort to the revival of Chinese literature, finally received an invitation and congratulatory letter from the Swedish Academy in 2008, the year the subprime mortgage crisis broke out. As the head of the China Writers Association and the Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and as the editor-in-chief of the People's Literature Publishing House, he was "unexpectedly" chosen.

Congratulations to Fang Yan for being selected as this year's Nobel Prize in Literature laureate!

On December 10th of that year, the Nobel Prize award ceremony was held in Sweden as scheduled.

Markus Stott, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nobel Foundation, delivered a speech. The stage was covered with a dark blue carpet, with a bronze statue of Nobel behind it. The walls were decorated with many flowers, and the atmosphere was solemn and dignified. All the guests were dressed in formal Western or national attire.

Gong Xue, dressed in a moon-white cheongsam, sat in the front row, holding the hand of her son, Fang Bin, who bore a striking resemblance to her in dialect.

On her other side sat Yang Xia, Fang Hong, Han Yuemin, Fang Yan and their family, all with beaming smiles and looking very pleased with themselves.

Meanwhile, across the ocean, Brigitte Lin, Joey Wong, Keiko Matsuzaka, Komaki Kurihara, Zhu Lin, Li Zhi, and others also watched the show on television, not wanting to miss this moment of glory, because it represented not only a moment of personal honor for Fang Yan!

It was a shining moment for all Asian literature, especially Chinese literature!

This is the first Nobel Prize in Literature for Chinese literature! And it's also the first Nobel Prize won by a Chinese nation!
Amidst great anticipation, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra played the Swedish national anthem, "The King's Song."

Then, to the strains of Mozart in D major, Fang Yan entered the venue with the other Nobel laureates. However, unlike the others who wore black tailcoats, he wore a black Zhongshan suit and frameless glasses, and his face showed a touch of the dignity nurtured by age and power.

When it was his turn to receive the award, Swedish Academy member and writer Wilsberger stepped forward to give a speech:
"Fang Yan's creativity and imagination transcend human existence itself; he is an outstanding sculptor of nature... The Swedish Academy congratulates you. Now, I invite you to accept the Nobel Prize in Literature from the hands of His Majesty the King of Sweden. Fang Yan, step forward to receive the award. Good luck!"

"Thank you."

Fang Yan smiled as he accepted the Nobel Prize certificate, medal, and prize money check from King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

The band on the second floor played Carl Nelson's Aladdin Suite No. 4, "Chinese Dance," at just the right moment.

He then shook hands with the king, smiled to express his gratitude, and bowed in all directions, which immediately drew enthusiastic applause from the audience.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa."

Amidst applause, cheers, and lights, even the usually composed Fang Yan couldn't help but be moved. The image of holding the dying Shen Yanbing's hand at his bedside kept flashing through his mind, and hearing him shout in his last words: "It is our duty to rebuild the glory of literature!"

But this is not the end of the revitalization of Chinese literature, but the beginning of its revival!
【Complete book】(End of this chapter)