Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 204 Not Shabby
Did the audience understand Zhang Chao's defense live? Most of them didn't. After all, it involved a lot of Chinese professional knowledge and terminology, and even college students who love literature could only understand it vaguely.

Did the audience think Zhang Chao's defense live broadcast was interesting? "It was interesting." Although the professional content was difficult to understand, the defense live broadcast satisfied many aspects of curiosity:
The spectators saw the last process before the graduates of China's top university were "released";
Zhang Chao's fans saw their idol eloquently speaking and debating with scholars in front of the camera;

College students witnessed their peers complete a challenge that would scare most graduates;

For many people, this is much more interesting than watching a few little girls with weird looks and off-tune singing jumping around on the stage.

Chinese people have a natural yearning and admiration for "culture" and "education". In February this year, Xiamen University professor Yi Zhongtian's "Taste the Three Kingdoms" program on CCTV2's "Lecture Room" triggered a viewing boom, making "Lecture Room" once again a shining example after Yan Chongnian's "The True Story of the Twelve Emperors of the Qing Dynasty".

In May, Yu Qiuyu served as a "cultural judge" for the 5th Youth Song Contest, specifically asking contestants some questions about literature and history related to the content of the songs, and doing some knowledge popularization during the Q&A process. This was considered the most impressive part of that Youth Song Contest.

Zhang Chao's live broadcast in June not only unexpectedly continued the popularity of Yi Zhongtian and Yu Qiuyu's programs, but also opened up a new track.

Compared with the one-sided indoctrination of scholars like Yi Zhongtian and Yu Qiuyu, the "questioning and answering in the court" format of graduation defense not only ensures academic rigor, but also has a certain sense of immersion and interactivity.

When the audience heard the defense instructor raise questions that they were interested in or found difficult, they would always unconsciously put themselves in Zhang Chao's role and cheer for his wonderful answers.

As for those strange, abstruse and profound academic expressions, if you don’t understand them, then just ignore them. The percentage of Jay Chou’s songs that can be understood without reading the lyrics is even lower than this - distance and misunderstanding can both produce beauty.

However, there was still a responsible Chinese major college student who believed that if Zhang Chao was in charge of killing her, he should also be in charge of burying her. He uploaded the first explanation video on Youku, PPS and other platforms:

[Hi, everyone. I am "Xiaolanzi Talking Chinese", a Chinese major student. I want to share with you some knowledge about my major. Let's watch this video first...]

[Student Zhang Chao mentioned a term called "artistic truth" in his answer. Although we often say that art comes from life and is higher than life, "artistic truth" is not the same as "life truth". "Artistic truth" is the writer's assumptions or fictional situations...]

[Professor Qian Liqun of Yanda University asked Zhang Chao how he viewed the "elegance" and "vulgarity" of Wang Xiaobo's novels. The "elegance" and "vulgarity" in literature are different from the elegance and vulgarity in our daily life, and they are not two absolutely opposite concepts, but the boundaries between them will constantly change over time...]

[In this clip, Zhang Chao explains a very important concept for us - "disciplinary society". This term comes from the French philosopher and sociologist Michel Foucault, who examined the three ways in which power operates in history...]

Lanting spent four hours recording before she could barely edit the 4-minute video. During this process, she realized how much pressure people would feel when facing the camera - let alone live broadcasting.

After the video was uploaded, the effect was surprisingly good. Although Lan Ting was wearing a mask during the recording, her delicate features, sweet voice and professional explanation made the video more than 24 hits on the two platforms in just 10 hours. PPS even put "Little Basket Speaks Chinese" on the homepage.

The next day, while she was still in class, the content operations manager of PPS sent her an email using the email address she filled in when she registered, expressing her strong desire for her to update as soon as possible, and suggesting that it would be best if the update was done exclusively on PPS and not on Youku.

Lan Ting didn't receive the email until she turned on her computer to surf the Internet that night, and she was a little confused. In the Internet age, this mechanism that makes you famous unexpectedly can really catch people off guard.

She sent a text message to Zhang Chao with trepidation, briefly explaining the situation and asking her whether she should continue with this video series.

Soon Zhang Chao replied with a very long text message, which not only encouraged her to keep going, but also provided her with suggestions on how to make the content richer and more diverse, so that "Little Basket Says Chinese" can be updated steadily after explaining her defense live broadcast.

Being famous is not shameful!
On the other side, in the office of the Dean of the Chinese Department of Yanda University——

"CCTV10 asked if we could have a live defense broadcast every graduation season?"

"What? Boring! No way!"

"PPS website asks if there are any students whose defense can be live-streamed in the next two days?"

"What? Childish! No!"

"The toilet station asked if they could collaborate to plan a graduation defense reality show?"

"What? Ridiculous! No way!" "They said that they can give our Chinese Department generous sponsorship and advertising revenue sharing, and all the teachers who appear on the show will be paid?"

"Huh? Which station said that?"

"They also said that if our Chinese department is not willing, they will go to the Chinese departments of Yanshi University, Nanjing University, or Fudan University."

"…Tell them that we can discuss the details…but the program cannot be entertaining, and the tone must be rigorous and academic. The toilet channel is too entertaining, so you should talk more with CCTV or that PPS."

"okay!"

Professor Wen Rumin, the head of the Chinese Department of Yan University, watched his assistant leave the door, leaned back, and couldn't help the fatigue that came over him. He stretched out his hand and pinched his eyebrows. This Zhang Chao seemed to have a kind of magic. A very simple thing, as long as it happened around him, instantly became utilitarian... and economically profitable!

But this is also a benefit for the department and teachers, it's not shabby!

Two nights after the defense, Zhang Chao was having dinner with Song Jia when he received a call from Fu Hai.

"Son, someone from the publishing house came to see me today!"

"Ok?"

"He said he wanted to ask me to write a book for him."

"…What book?"

"A book written specifically about you - the publisher said they've already given me the title."

"What's it called?"

"Son Zhang Chao."

When the title of the book came out, Zhang Chao's hair stood on end. He quickly asked, "...You agreed!?"

"No. I think this publishing house is a bit 'shady'. Their editor said that they can have someone write the book for me and I just need to put my name on it. They want to publish it next month."

Zhang Chao: "..."

"I was thinking, I'm a graduate of Xiamen University's Chinese Department, how can I not write? Aren't these two skills of yours... most of them were taught by me."

Zhang Chao pondered for a moment and asked, "Dad, do you want to write something too?"

On the other end of the phone, Zhang Chao's father was obviously a little "shy" and said hesitantly: "...I haven't written for more than ten years, so my hands are itching...Besides, the pocket money your mother gives you is too little..."

Zhang Chao smiled and said, "Dad, if you want to publish a book, I can help you contact the publishing house. I guarantee it will be more reliable than that one. But don't write about my growth history. There was nothing special about me before the third year of high school.

But there is a subject that I think you are good at, has a lot of material, and is quite valuable. I think the sales will be good too.”

The voice on the other end of the phone was visibly excited: "What's the subject?"

Zhang Chao slowly said the title of a book: "I Teach My Son to Write Compositions."

It’s not shameful to earn some pocket money for dad!
(End of this chapter)