Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 310 The most hidden question of the trap

As more and more readers gathered outside the New York Public Library, the new book launch of Zhang Chao's "The Great Doctor II" officially began at 3 pm.

Amid the expectant gazes of the crowd, Alice Mayhew, Vice President and Editorial Director of Simon & Schuster Publishing, first took the podium.

She has worked at Simon & Schuster for nearly 30 years and is one of the most senior editors and the direct supervisor of David Miller, editor-in-chief of the international department.

Alice Mayhew is over 70 years old. She has a typical "well-educated" female face and short golden hair parted on the side. Although her makeup and clothes are very elitist, her smile is very warm, making people feel quite friendly.

She said to the reporters and readers in the audience: "Today in this great library, we are very happy to welcome one of Simon & Schuster's most important press conferences this year. The Great Doctor II by Zhang Chao, a young Chinese writer, will soon be released.

This is a historic moment - in the past 20 years, no Chinese writer has ever received such attention and success in the United States. This is partly because his works are excellent and have touched American readers;
On the other hand, it is also because of his strong personal charm and good public image that he defended the values ​​of Simon & Schuster in the midst of controversy! ..."

David Miller said to Zhang Chao who was waiting backstage, "Alice hasn't attended a new book launch in person for many years. We are absolutely sincere about your new book - how about signing it to us?"

David Miller has been excited ever since Zhang Chao revealed on the train that he was going to write a new novel.

What's more lovable to an editor than a bestselling author?
——Of course he is a prolific best-selling author!

Although some writers sell well, it often takes them several years to write a new work. If you encounter a writer like Salinger who has no new works for 50 years after becoming famous, it is like a nightmare for the editor who signed him.

Zhang Chao just finished writing "The Great Physician II" this year, and immediately plunged into the creation of a new work. His speed is comparable to that of Stephen King at his peak. He is simply a treasure for editors.

Zhang Chao laughed and said, "The novel I'm writing may not sell well. Both the subject matter and the technique are not very friendly to American readers."

David Miller said without hesitation: "Sign it to us. We will still sign a publishing contract with you according to the standards of The Great Doctor. Zhang, you have to believe in our sincerity. Simon & Schuster is definitely the best publishing house for you. The previous disturbance was a misunderstanding."

Zhang Chao did not comment, but just said: "...your editor-in-chief seems to have praised me too much."

Hearing this, David Miller turned his attention back to Alice Mayhew's speech on the main stage. He saw this elegant old lady full of intellectual beauty praising The Great Physician II with all her might:

"In this novel, Zhang Chao shows the great effect of combining the traditional Chinese medical concept of "benevolence and benevolence" with modern medicine. It proves that medicine is not only a scientific practice, but also a concern for humanity and a responsibility for ethics and morality."

"The individual fate of doctors is closely related to social changes, showing how the profession of 'doctor' finds its own position in the historical process of feudal society and increasing modernization."

“Zhang Chao attempts to re-examine the spread and influence of ancient Chinese culture and medicine in the contemporary context. The work not only reflects the diversity and complexity of ancient Chinese culture, but also, through the dialogue between modernity and tradition, prompts readers to think about how to re-understand and inherit these cultural elements in the context of globalization.”

"This work is of great significance in terms of 'cultural adaptation' and 'cultural reconstruction', which not only injects a modern perspective into ancient culture, but also provides a brand new cultural narrative path for contemporary readers."

David Miller found it a little unbelievable. The old lady had been working in the publishing industry for over 50 years and had even proofread William Faulkner's manuscripts when she was young. It was really an exaggeration for her to praise Zhang Chao, a young man, like that.

However, Alice Mayhew's speech was not too long, and it ended in less than 5 minutes. She said: "Let us welcome today's protagonist, Zhang Chao from China, our youngest internationally signed writer!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chao straightened his clothes, walked out from the backstage with brisk steps, and walked towards the podium while waving.

As soon as he appeared, flashes and cheers filled the grand space of the New York Public Library's main lobby, with many people shouting, "Zhang Chao, You're Hero!"

The reporters were even more excited. For them, what could be more exciting than attending a new book launch by a best-selling author?
——Of course, to attend the launch of a controversial new bestseller!
In order to create his works, Zhang Chao deliberately blocked some public opinion information these days, so he did not know much about the "Me Too!" movement that is in full swing in the United States. He did not know that his portrait has been made into a slogan picture and widely circulated on social media.

The beauty of this campaign lies in the mutual understanding and friendly attitude that Zhang Chao and Kiran Desai finally showed in the third episode of the "Orient Express Dialogue" program, which further confirmed that the previous accusation against Zhang Chao by the American Indian newspaper was deliberate misleading.

Everyone feels more justified in spreading the news.

Only after Zhang Chao stood in front of the podium and saluted repeatedly did the noise at the scene subside.

He flicked the microphone habitually before saying, "Thank you Ms. Mayhew for your evaluation of me and The Great Physician II. I am flattered. I have always believed that writing every novel is a new adventure.

The end of this adventure is not when I type the last punctuation mark, but when it meets the readers for the first time.

The world is a vast ocean, and literature is a solitary boat that allows us to drift on it. Humans rely on this solitary boat to find the words that best express their feelings and thus connect with others.

Being able to meet in a work is a one-in-a-million miracle for both the author and the reader. So this novel is dedicated to those who are willing to connect with the world through reading and read across the vast ocean together. "

The audience burst into applause. Zhang Chao used a brilliant metaphor to stir up the emotions of everyone present, especially those readers who liked him.

Next, it was time for reporters to ask questions. As the host, David Miller first called out several reporters who had been arranged in advance and asked some common questions about the novel "The Great Doctor II", which were nothing more than the theme, technique, protagonist, and ideas... just like the reading questions in middle school.

Zhang Chao was naturally well prepared for these formulaic questions and answered them satisfactorily.

But a new book launch obviously cannot be so boring. After the set questions are answered, the media can truly have free time to express themselves.

First, Jeffrey Goldberg, a reporter from The Atlantic Monthly, asked: "I have participated in the literary media internal reading of The Great Doctor II. What impressed me most about this novel is your complex treatment of the characters, making them seem real and romantic.

But this is still a way of treating the characters as "heroes", and they hardly hesitate when faced with the choice between "righteousness" and "individuality". This confuses me.

The contradictions and struggles they show when facing moral dilemmas are not sufficient. Do you think that in contemporary society, we can still rely on the traditional hero model, rather than embracing a more complex and ambiguous hero concept? "This question is profound! Zhang Chao thought for a while and said: "As a writer, I prefer to explore the complexity and diversity of the characters. I think the definition of 'hero' has changed in modern society. Heroes are no longer simply impeccable and perfect.

They are often caught in moral dilemmas and life difficulties, and cannot fully comply with the simple division of "right and wrong" when faced with major choices - but this is an interpretation in the cultural context of the United States and cannot be fully applied to China.

After the Civil War, the American mainland has hardly been baptized by war, and your people have not experienced a life of displacement and precariousness.

The background of the novel "The Great Doctor" is precisely the crisis of China's internal and external troubles, broken mountains and rivers, and the collapse of the country. Since ancient times, Chinese education has a tradition of cultivating sacrificial heroic personalities of "sacrificing oneself for justice". (Is this sentence English enough?)

The three protagonists of "The Great Doctor" studied modern medicine at the professional level, but they were still deeply influenced by this heroic education, which is what we call "gentlemen" - gentlemen are also the carriers of the highest expression of the combination of the two identities of "intellectual" and "hero".

Therefore, their "lack of hesitation" and "lack of struggle" in times of crisis are the true manifestations of Chinese heroes. In a sense, heroes are indeed our idealized projections, and like us, they are ordinary people with flaws and struggles.

But at this critical moment, isn't it a bit too Hollywood-like to say 'still hesitating' or 'still struggling'? "

The last sentence triggered a burst of laughter; the wonderful answer also made Jeffrey Goldberg, who asked the question, very satisfied.

Then Emma Hopkins, a reporter from the New York Times culture section, took the microphone and said sharply: "Ms. Alice Mayhew mentioned many times that this book involves 'cultural adaptability' and 'cultural reconstruction'.

But in my opinion, this work seems too "Chinese" and ignores its conflict with global culture. My question is, do you think "The Great Doctor II" successfully builds a cultural bridge, or does it only deepen the cultural gap? "

"This..." Zhang Chao was a little speechless. As expected of The New York Times, their perspective on the issue was so unique, but since they asked, he had to answer. So he said, "If you have seen the first part of The Great Doctor, you will know that it is too 'global conflict' - China is almost destroyed by foreign invaders."

Emma Hopkins: "..." She quickly said: "The 'global conflict' I mentioned does not mean..."

Zhang Chao interrupted rudely, "What 'conflict' is more tragic and full of tragedy than war? Don't tell me that those cultural or linguistic frictions and differences are insignificant compared to the real 'blood and fire'.

In the grand narrative of the rise and fall of a country or nation, some "conflicts" are not worth my consideration. I have no intention of explaining or eliminating these conflicts through my works. This is not the mission of the novel "The Great Doctor".

Emma Hopkins was obviously a little embarrassed, but she did not give up, but continued to ask: "Of course I have read The Great Physician. From a readable point of view, it is indeed a good recreational reading, and it can also arouse some interest of American readers in the distant Eastern country.

But I noticed that of the three protagonists in this novel, two are male and one is female. Is this gender ratio arrangement intentional? Gender equality is an important part of the "global conflict" of different cultures in the contemporary context.

As a male writer, do you subconsciously think that male characters are more important than female characters?

Zhang Chao was amused on stage, thinking that this was the so-called "the dagger is revealed at the end of the plot", but he still replied with a smile: "Why not think about it the other way around - the heroine Yao Yingzi is so fierce, generous, delicate and sensitive, and has such a charming character that I have to arrange two male protagonists to set off her image."

Emma Hopkins said anxiously: "You, you are making up stories!"

Zhang Chao ignored her anger and said, "Next one - oh, by the way, Ms. Hopkins, you can accuse me of 'discriminating against women' in your report - but you must think carefully. You must think carefully."

Zhang Chao did not say what exactly he needed to think about, but it was enough to make everyone present imagine.

After answering a few more "free questions", the interview session came to an end. The last question was asked by Lewis Lampham, a columnist for Harper's Magazine: "As a writer with a wide reputation in both China and the United States, do you think the image of the 'heroic doctor' in this work has the intention of over-promoting 'Chinese perfection'?"

Harper's Magazine is an American publication that focuses on recommending new books, covering literature, politics, culture, and art. Lewis Lampham has long been known for his sharp political views.

Normally he wouldn't pay much attention to new literary books. The reason he came to Zhang Chao's new book launch this time was mainly because Zhang Chao had touched a very sensitive social nerve in the United States before, which made him feel it necessary to meet this young writer.

This question is the shortest of all the questions today, but it also has the most hidden trap.

As the country with the strongest cultural output in the world, the United States is also the most sensitive to cultural inputs of different ideologies. It is acceptable to use foreign cultural elements as decorations on Christmas trees, but once they involve cultural subjects, they will cause strong backlash.

What is the core of American cultural output? The "American Dream"! This is an ideal society or "perfect society" based on American culture, which includes a highly prosperous economy, opportunities for success everywhere. And more importantly -

Strong upward mobility. People under the "American Dream" believe that they can achieve wealth through their own hard work, courage, creativity, and determination, rather than relying on a specific social class or the assistance of others.

The "American Dream" formed by this thriving collective social consciousness has attracted countless outstanding talents from all over the world to travel across the oceans to realize their life ambitions over the past few decades.

Once upon a time, when strangers who had traveled across the ocean saw the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, they would take off their hats, throw them high into the air, and then cheer together.

No other country is able to challenge this huge barrier of "soft power"!

But today is different. Lewis Lampham keenly captured that Zhang Chao's "The Great Physician" is different from previous Chinese translated works that write about suffering, denounce experiences, and reflect on tradition. Zhang Chao actually extracted some characteristics from China's traditional culture and modern history that can influence American readers on the cognitive level.

Just like he just said, he is a "gentleman" who highly combines "intellectualism" and "heroism".

This is not Bruce Lee's fists and feet or Japanese ninjas, or European handsome men and beautiful women, this is the real output of ideas!

If Zhang Chao simply answered "no" or "no", he could certainly avoid excessive interpretation by some people, but he would inevitably be regarded as insincere or even cowardly.

But what if Zhang Chao answered "yes"? What consequences would that have?
Now even David Miller and Alice Mayhew in the audience were nervous for him.

(End of this chapter)