Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 274: Japanese male writers castrated by the times

After the "Shamatte" went away, Zhang Chao and Lan Ting looked at each other. Lan Ting was the first to say with concern: "I see... some of the nails and rings on their faces are rusty. Will they really not get tetanus?"

Zhang Chao: “…” You are such a nice person!
But he still asked, "What do you think is the difference between them and the characters in "Slit Tongue" and the author Kanehara Hitomi?"

Lan Ting thought for a moment before saying, "Apart from their hairstyle and decorations, can we tell that their financial situation is not very good? First, most of them are very thin, and the eyeshadow and foundation they use for makeup are obviously cheap.

The most obvious thing is the clothes, pants and belts, which look shiny, but are actually made of poor fabrics and workmanship. "

Zhang Chao nodded and said, "In just a short while, you have observed very carefully."

Lan Ting said proudly: "After all, I want to be a writer, so I do have some skills."

Zhang Chao suddenly asked curiously, "I've been working on Youth Magazine for almost a year, how come I've never seen your manuscript? Aren't you always writing?"

Lan Ting said hesitantly: "I submitted them to Ludao Literature and Fuhai Literature, and several of them were published."

Zhang Chao asked, "Why don't you vote for Youth?"

Lan Ting blushed, and after a while she said, "I think my style and level are a bit far from "Youth"."

Zhang Chao did not continue to ask. Whether Lanting was modest or not, it was the unique self-esteem of a writer. He brought the topic back to "Shamatte" and said, "Do you know what these people are called?"

This is obviously beyond Lan Ting's life experience. In fact, this culture has only been around for two or three years and is far from attracting attention. Zhang Chao went on to explain: "They call themselves 'Shamatte', which is the transliteration of the English word 'smart', meaning smart and fashionable."

Lan Ting's pupils trembled after hearing this. She said in disbelief: "Smart? Fashionable?"

Zhang Chao laughed and said, "Why, don't you find it incredible? These young people look neither smart nor fashionable, right?"

Lan Ting nodded like a chick pecking at rice, wanted to say something, but then shut up.

Zhang Chao looked at the old classmate next to him - he was wearing a light blue knitted cardigan on the upper body, with a loose white round neck T-shirt underneath; on the lower body he was wearing a high-waisted plaid A-line skirt and a pair of small leather boots with wedge heels.

Cute, pretty, and not too eye-catching.

Lan Ting's face turned even redder, and she whispered, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing today?"

Zhang Chao said: "It's because it's so true that it reminds me of those 'Shamatte' just now - why do most people, including you and me, think that your outfit and hairstyle are fashionable and beautiful, but only think that they are weird, abrupt, or even ridiculous?"

Unexpectedly, Zhang Chao would suddenly throw such a difficult question to her. Lan Ting pondered for a long time before saying, "Maybe it's because of family? Education?"

Zhang Chao said: "If you are really interested, you can find the answer yourself. But what I want to say is that although these 'Shamatte' have not yet entered the mainstream audience like Japan's Kanehara Hitomi or 'Visual Kei', they also represent the aesthetic awakening of a group of people.

Just like you think your outfit today reflects your style, they also think their outfit reflects their personality. We think they are ridiculous, and they think we are old-fashioned. Same here."

Lan Ting was obviously interested in Zhang Chao's words and asked, "What kind of people are they?"

Zhang Chao did not answer Lan Ting directly, but pointed in the direction where the "Shamatte" had just come from and asked: "What's over there?"

Lan Ting recalled for a moment before saying, "That's Malong and Linhou, where there are a lot of electronics factories and industrial parks, and the population is also quite dense."

Zhang Chao then asked, "Are there more Internet cafes, KTVs, small restaurants, and hair salons the further you go?"

Lan Ting thought for a moment and said embarrassedly: "I really haven't noticed it. But what you said is very likely - how did you know?"

Zhang Chao thought that staying in Shenzhen for a few years was common sense, but he still patiently replied: "Have you ever thought that most of the time, these people are just ordinary workers, screwing screws on the assembly line for 10 or 12 hours at a time.

In the factory, they need to ask for leave from the line leader even to go to the toilet, and there is a time limit. If they exceed the time limit, they will be deducted. After making some money, they escape from the factory for a short time and dress themselves up as "Shamatte". Is this not only an individual's "aesthetic awakening", but also a hole they have dug in the thick shell of life to breathe? "

Lan Ting was silent. She had been well-protected, if not pampered, since she was a child. She had only read about the hardships of life in books and on TV, and had never seen them so concretely.

In particular, the disparity between the external appearance of these "Shamatte" and the internal nature just described by Zhang Chao was so great that it was difficult for her to digest it for a while.

But after she regained her sanity, she had to admit that what Zhang Chao said made sense. The details of these people revealed their material poverty. In addition to the reasons Zhang Chao mentioned, the reason why they exaggeratedly decorated themselves was also a form of self-protection.
Lan Ting became more and more absorbed in her thoughts, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the gate of Xiamen University.

Zhang Chao interrupted Lan Ting's thoughts with a smile and asked, "What do you think?"

Lan Ting thought and said, "I'm thinking about the difference between them and Kanehara Hitomi. Kanehara Hitomi was born into an elite family in Japan, and her father is a university professor and translator. Why do two people with such a huge difference in social class have such similar behavioral pursuits?
Is China's "Shamatte" just pure imitation? Or does it have its own aesthetic consciousness? ..."

Zhang Chao listened for a long time and concluded: "They were extremely materially deprived on one side and extremely materially abundant on the other, but in the end they all ended up in spiritual confusion, emptiness and dejection.

Although Hitomi Kanehara's "Slit Tongue" is a bit like an autobiographical novel, depicting marginalized people like her, it is almost certain that she must have extracted some shining qualities from this life experience, even if it is only a momentary light like fireworks, it must be there. "

Lan Ting looked at Zhang Chao in surprise and asked, "You haven't finished reading the novel, how did you know?"

Zhang Chao replied: "Since it won the Akutagawa Prize, it means that this novel has written something that suits the tastes of the 'old men' who serve as judges. - In this case, have there ever been such brilliant moments in the lives of China's 'Shamatte'?
If so, what kind of light is it? If not, why? "

Lan Ting suddenly understood something and asked, "You've said so much, do you want me to write about their story?"

Zhang Chao laughed and said, "This kid is teachable!"

Lan Ting pouted and said, "You should have said it earlier. Actually, after you said that, I am really interested in writing about them!"

Zhang Chao nodded and said, "I have been planning to publish another spin-off of Youth, which is Youth Non-Fiction. If you can do a good job of research and write good stories about these 'Shamatte', then this magazine will have a good start."

Lan Ting was surprised and asked, "Are you asking me to write an article?"

Zhang Chao asked, "Why, you don't want to?"

Lan Ting smiled and said, "How is that possible... It is the dream of many people to have their works published in Youth. But I have not come across the term 'non-fiction writing' that you mentioned. I have only heard of it in class. Is there any difference between it and reportage?"

Zhang Chao then realized that there was very little information on this subject in China, and even fewer people writing in this way, so this derivative publication had been brewing for more than half a year without taking shape. So he pondered for a moment and said, "Well, how is your English? Can you read the original work?"

Lan Ting made an "OK" gesture and said, "No problem. Our teacher asked us to read the original works or the English version of the original works when reading European works, so that we can grasp the essence of the author's language more accurately." Zhang Chao said, "That's good. I'll ask the United States to send you a copy of "Now Write!: Nonfiction". After you read it, you will probably understand how to write."

Lan Ting said: "Okay! But I want to do some preliminary investigation preparation first. Do you have any suggestions?"

Zhang Chao thought for a moment and said, "The Internet can be said to be their spiritual home, especially QQ groups and QQ spaces. So, if you search for these keywords, 'Zangai Family', 'Martian Language', 'Audition'..."

Lan Ting listened and took notes, but it was still difficult for her to accept these words coming out of Zhang Chao's mouth one by one.

After Zhang Chao finished speaking, he added earnestly: "Once you finish writing this article, it will not only allow you to make a breakthrough in literature, but will also be a good source of sociological research material. This is the opportunity for you to go down in history, so make the most of it!"
However, I would also like to remind you that if you really want to contact them, you must pay attention to safety and it is best to bring other classmates along. Try to conduct the interview in the form of an invitation, and do not have too much contact in private. When communicating, be sincere and respectful, but do not reveal too much personal information.

They are not dangerous, just a bunch of kids who want attention. But they are a marginalized group after all, so it is always better to be careful.”

Lan Ting wrote down Zhang Chao's words one by one, and suddenly asked: "Since there is a 'danger', why did you suggest that I write this article?"

Zhang Chao thought for a while and said, “Since you said that you felt your work was different from Youth Magazine, I felt that you needed an opportunity to break out of your existing life circle and expand your horizons and experience.

After Sartre won the Nobel Prize, he made a speech in which I was deeply impressed by one sentence: "Today's writers should not serve those who make history, but those who bear history."

These "Shamatte" are, in a sense, representatives of "people who bear history." If you really devote yourself to this investigation, you will understand why I say this.

As for the "danger", you can start by getting to know them through QQ groups, choose representative people, and try to meet and interview them in public places, then there won't be much of a problem. Of course, if you are willing to bring a "bodyguard", you won't have to worry about it."

Lan Ting nodded in agreement, her eyes revealing a confused and yearning light. She wondered if Zhang Chao had also expanded his life experience and spiritual world step by step to reach the point he is today?
He is already so successful, why would he still pay attention to such a marginalized group of people? Is it because human nature is not distorted, or is it because morality is not lost?

After a long pause, he said, "I will definitely finish this article. - I have to go back to class. Where are you going? Back to the hotel?"

Zhang Chao took out his phone and checked the time, then said, "I have an appointment with the agent to go and see the house this afternoon."

Lan Ting was stunned again: "You want to rent? There's no need. You will only be here for two weeks. The school will definitely arrange a dormitory for you - no, it should be an expert apartment. I heard it has at least one bedroom and one living room."

Zhang Chao shook his head and said, "It's not renting, it's buying. The scenery and climate of Ludao are so beautiful, it's just right to buy a house and put it here. My parents can come and live here when they are free."

Lan Ting: “…” She suddenly didn’t know how to communicate with Zhang Chao.

The two went their separate ways, each busy with their own affairs. However, the atmosphere in the office of the Chinese Department of Xiamen University was quite strange.

The visiting professor from Japan, Eizuka Iizuka, tried hard to describe to the other teachers in Chinese, which had a stiff accent but a very large vocabulary, the boy he saw today. However, no one could remember that there was such a person among their students - not among the graduate students, and certainly not among the undergraduates.

Especially after Iizuka Eiji repeated the view of this mysterious student that "modern Chinese literature and the modernization of Chinese literature are two different things" and gave it a high evaluation, everyone was even more reluctant to claim it.

"This classmate's point of view, to a certain extent, penetrated the fog shrouding the study of modern Chinese literary history, dissecting the complex historical, cultural, and political factors contained therein in simple and clear language, making me realize that there were certain blind spots in my own research in the past. ..."

Seeing how sorry Iizuka was for not finding the student, Professor Lin Danya came over to comfort him, "Professor Iizuka, don't worry. The student is still our Xiamen University student. You will stay here for a while, and you will find the person eventually."

Iizuka Eiji sighed and said, "How can I not be anxious? You Chinese people say 'seeing the big from the small'. From this answer, I can see the potential of this student in literary research.

If this student is a student of Xiamen University, and can stay here in the future and be well trained, he will definitely become your academic star! "

After hearing this, the teachers in the department became even more confused. They couldn't believe that any student in the department could bear such an evaluation. Professor Liu Xiaogang, who teaches drama literature, also interjected: "Could it be a student from other departments? For example, history or philosophy?"

Iizuka shook his head and said, "No matter what department he is from, you should pay attention to him." Then he smiled and said, "If I find him first, I will invite him to study as a graduate student with me!"

Everyone in the office laughed and the atmosphere became relaxed. It seemed that even the portrait of Mr. Lu Xun hanging on the wall had a smile on his face.

Time flies and the weekend arrives as promised.

Under the organization of Lan Ting, Xiamen University Gulang Literature Society held a literary salon with the theme of "Comparative Reading of Chinese and Japanese Post-80s Writings". Because it was temporary, participation was voluntary in principle and not mandatory.

The members of the literature club were all young people born in the 80s, and they were naturally interested in such topics. Almost everyone came, and some members even brought other classmates to participate. So the small office soon became full and had to move to a larger classroom.

Everyone worked together to rearrange the desks in the classroom into three circles from the inside to the outside, but some students still had no place to sit, so they could only stand at the door or sit on the floor at the podium.

This scene made Professor Lin Danya, who was invited to attend the event, very emotional. She is not only a researcher, but also a well-known writer who published many novels and essays in the 80s and 90s.

She didn't expect that nearly 80 years after the literary heyday of the 20s, she would still see so many college students who love literature gathered together.

A big reason for this is Zhang Chao - with his many outstanding works and controversial public opinion events, Zhang Chao is like a young giant whale, pulling the slightly broken and old ship of "literature" through the wind and waves time and time again, and returning to the "main channel" that has attracted social attention.

His appearance has inspired countless young people and teenagers, igniting their love for literature and life in their hearts.

At 7:80 in the evening, after being delayed for half an hour due to various disturbances, the literary salon "Comparative Reading of Chinese and Japanese Post-s Writings" finally officially began.

Being called a "salon", it should have been relatively relaxed, low-key and enjoyable. However, because the number of participants far exceeded expectations, the atmosphere of everyone speaking freely was lost, and it became more like a stage for the active members of the literary club to perform.

As the "host", Lan Ting first listed the currently well-known "post-80s" writers in China and Japan.

For China, Zhang Chao is naturally the leader, followed by Jiang Feng, Liu Jiajun, Zhou Jianing, Li Shasha, Zhang Jiajia, Zhang Jiawei, Chunshu, Zhang Yueran... Of course, Han Han and Xiao Si are also characters that cannot be avoided.

In Japan, Hitomi Kanehara, the youngest winner of the "Naoki Prize" in history, was listed first, followed by Nanae Aoyama, Lisa Wataya, Manami Kawasaki, Tomoya Sato and others.

As soon as the list was drawn up, Yang Chenpei, a sophomore who was very active in the literature club, keenly discovered the problem. He said: "After reading this list, I find it very interesting that China's post-80s writers are mainly male, and the number of female writers and the degree of attention they receive are relatively small.

But Japan is different. Almost all the writers are women, and they are the ones who win the prize. Why is that? Is it because Japanese women are more mature in thought and culture, or is there another reason? "

When this question was asked, the whole classroom was filled with buzz.

At this time, a loud voice sounded: "Let me tell you why - young Japanese men have been 'castrated' by the times. Simply put, they are all cowardly! Cowardly means no ambition. Without ambition, how can you be a writer? Naturally, the limelight will be snatched away by female writers!"

Wang Zhenxu sat in the first row, holding his head high and speaking with his chest puffed out!

(End of this chapter)