Literary Master 1978.

Chapter 363 The Future of the Nation

Lin Chaoyang knew very well that what Lu Yao called "a mountain that is difficult to read" should be his last book "Ordinary World" which he left to the world. With millions of words, it can be called a masterpiece.

Lin Chaoyang knew that with Lu Yao's talent, it would not be a problem for him to write this novel. What Lu Yao needed more now was encouragement.

He smiled and said, "The mountain is right there. If you go, you will naturally be able to climb over it."

Lu Yao was slightly stunned when he heard this, then he looked 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 against me", which made Lu Yao feel confident that no one else could do it but him.

"Chaoyang, I will definitely write this book."

Lin Chaoyang patted his shoulder and said, "Come on!"

The next morning, the National Rural Theme Novel Creation Symposium was officially held in the banquet hall of Taoyuan Hotel. The venue layout was no different from a normal symposium, except that the scale was a bit larger.

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

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

Most of the writers who came this time are young and middle-aged. Wang Meng is one of the older ones in terms of seniority and age. He also serves as the editor-in-chief of "People's Literature". Zhang Guangnian invited him to speak first.

Wang Meng has always been smooth in his words and deeds. When he talked about his knowledge and understanding of "rural-themed" novels, his words were full of dialectical arguments and flawless.

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

The cultural circles of this era 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 them.

This was also a normal phenomenon when Yenching writers communicated with writers from other provinces during this era. Perhaps because they were in the capital, Yenching writers would always intentionally or unintentionally place themselves in political propositions, swinging "left" or "right", and occasionally mixing in some inside stories of current affairs, but unable to express them all.

As a result, there seems to be a barrier between the two sides' communication, making it difficult for them to open up to each other.

Perhaps sensing the annoyance of some writers from other provinces, Zhang Guangnian did not speak immediately after Tang Yin finished his speech. Instead, his eyes wandered around the nearby writers, and finally landed on a figure who was trying to take advantage of the situation.

"Recently, there has been a hot topic in our literary circles, which is Comrade Chaoyang's new work. He happens to be here today, so why not let him share his creative experience with everyone."

Lin Chaoyang was daydreaming when he suddenly heard Zhang Guangnian call his name. He couldn't help but give Zhang Guangnian a look: We agreed to just have a meeting and not talk.

Zhang Guangnian gave him an encouraging look in return.

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

“Just now, comrades Wang Meng and Tang Yin both elaborated on their knowledge and understanding of rural-themed novels from their own perspectives, and their speeches were relatively objective.

Comrade Guangnian asked me to share my experience in this regard. To be honest, I was not well prepared.

But since it is for sharing, there is no need to demand perfection or perfection. I will just share some of my insights during the creative process for your reference. ”

Lin Chaoyang's attitude was very humble, but no one present would underestimate 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.

Although he debuted for only a few years, he already has more representative works than the total works of some of you here.

"Today we are talking about the creation of rural-themed novels. I was born in the countryside and lived there until I was 20 years old 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 before me is: What is a rural area? "

Lin Chaoyang suddenly asked a question, catching everyone present off guard.

What is rural area?

It seems like a question that is asked despite knowing the answer, but when people really start to think about it seriously, they find that it cannot be simply summarized in a few sentences.

"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 area' in what our literary circles have called 'rural-themed novels' since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

From the 1950s, there were 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 countryside seems to be compressed into a piece of paper. It is so flat and boring, as if it has only thirty to fifty years of history and only the stories of landlords and farmhands.

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

I was chatting with my friends in the literary world, and one of them told me that he used to work in a production team by the Miluo River, and the Quzi Temple was less than 20 kilometers away from him. He could even connect the local dialect with the words used in the Chu Ci.

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. "Yonglu" records: This place is the most important place in Chang'an. Anyone entering and exiting the Yao and Tong passes from the west and east must pass through it.

Wang Changling wrote "Baqiao Fu" and said: Only at the Ba River, only at the source of the Ba River, at the mouth of the Qin land, it binds the running shafts of the east passage, drags it horizontally, like a rainbow that has not yet turned.

From their words, we can vaguely see that today's countryside was once a place of outstanding people and gathering of celebrities 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 lived and worked near Dongting Lake, which is also the "East Sea" mentioned in Miao songs and was the ancient Chu land.

Later, due to natural disasters and man-made disasters, they moved up the Five Rivers and toward the southwest. This is the story of how Chi You was defeated by the Yellow Emperor and his descendants retreated to the mountains.

The Miao ethnic group's historical song about their migration, "Climbing Mountains and Wading Water," also vaguely reflects this tragic history of their westward migration.

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

That is, has our definition of "rural" been too narrow over the past few decades?

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

I would go further and say that we have deliberately separated the concept of "rural" from our culture, which serves the political purpose more, but ignores the roots of our national culture. "

Lin Chaoyang often spoke in an impassioned tone, but he always spoke slowly and calmly, and he did the same in his speech today.

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

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

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

Everyone pondered over the concept proposed by Lin Chaoyang with a thoughtful look on their faces.

Those writers from other provinces who had originally shown little interest in the previous speeches now showed excitement on their faces. It was obvious that Lin Chaoyang's speech had stimulated their inner interest.

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

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

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

Since the May Fourth Movement, our literary circles have been accustomed to looking to the West, eagerly breaking through 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 myself have been influenced 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 hastily and rigidly apply it to China.

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

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 renewed 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 only look at literary creation from a political perspective, or only 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", Daner believes that human characteristics have many levels. What floats on the surface are some living habits and thoughts and feelings that last for three or four years, and they are all replaced within a few years.

The lower, more solid characteristics may last for twenty, thirty, or forty years, and only after that generation has passed will these thoughts and feelings disappear.

The third level of characteristics can exist in a complete historical period and remain intact despite severe friction and destruction, such as the customs of the French in the classical era. This characteristic is accompanied by or extends to a large number of isms and thoughts and feelings.

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

Even more difficult to be eradicated by time than these ideas and customs are certain instincts and talents of a nation, such as certain philosophical and social tendencies, certain views on morality, understanding of nature, and certain ways of expressing ideas.

To change the characteristics of this level, sometimes it is necessary to rely on invasion by foreign races, complete conquest, racial hybridization, or at least change the geographical environment, migrate to a different place, and be slowly influenced by the new water and soil. In short, both the mental temperament and the physical structure must be changed.

Taine was a proponent of "geographical determinism". We do not need to fully agree with some of his views on culture, but he at least helped us understand the so-called cultural levels from a certain perspective.

If we ourselves do not value our own national culture, and regard everything as dross, banning and burning 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.

When Lin Chaoyang said this, his voice was low and filled with grief.

His voice was always low, but it became heavier to everyone.

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

The reasons behind this are very complex when examined in detail, but the destruction of national culture, whether active or passive, is indeed an extremely important factor.

Lin Chaoyang's explanation was very thorough, and many people present couldn't help but nod in agreement.

“A nation’s past is easy to forget, but also not so easy to forget.

Theoretically speaking, as long as there is a Chinese person in this world, our Chinese culture will not become extinct.

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

Can a nation without a past have a future?"

Lin Chaoyang's questions struck the hearts of everyone present and were thought-provoking.

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 literature will flourish.

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

After he finished speaking, the symposium fell 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 after his speech and gave the first round of applause.

Then, the applause was thunderous and deafening.

(End of this chapter)