Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 347: Before fighting against the outside world, one must first make peace with the inside
Ma Yueran looked around the huge venue, and then glanced at the scholars around him: "Zhang Chao is a writer with independent thinking ability, and his choice should be respected.

This was originally just a matter between a writer and a reader - I was the reader and he was the writer, so the initiative in our meeting was in his hands.

Do you remember the story? A French fan of Fortress Besieged wrote to Qian Zhongshu hoping to meet this wise author, and Qian Zhongshu responded:

"If you eat an egg and it tastes good, why do you need to know the hen that laid it?"

But some voices either elevated it into a court audience, or distorted it into a cultural trial!
I am tired of all the talk about the Nobel Prize. This prize is like a weather forecast. I can tell you what the weather will be in Stockholm today, but there is no need for writers around the world to dress for that weather.

You should care more about writers and their works rather than awards, even if it is the Nobel Prize.

Zhang Chao's Star Chaser made me see the possibilities of the Chinese language, a possibility that does not need any award to stamp and certify.

I know he is a controversial writer with many "enemies" - it is said that even Orhan Pamuk is attacking him.

Literature is never afraid of controversy, but it is afraid of taking controversy as truth. Let us put the focus of discussion back on the work itself, which is the most basic respect for the writer.

As for those groundless accusations - populism, conservatism, literary speculation... to what extent they are based on facts or have other intentions, I don’t know and don’t want to know.

But please don’t use my name to kill a young man with a bright future.”

After Ma Yueran finished speaking, the scene was eerily quiet at first, and then there was a wave of applause and cheers, one after another, which lasted for nearly 2 minutes before the audience quieted down after repeated reminders from the host.

Before today, no one thought that Ma Yueran would defend Zhang Chao with such a firm attitude, and no one thought that he would say these words on such an important occasion.

Who is Zhang Chao? No matter how much criticism he may receive from the outside, he is still one of Yanda’s “own people”.

As the first student after the resumption of the Yanda Writers Class, Zhang Chao's achievements are obvious to all. Even though Yanda has produced many great figures in history, it is not an exaggeration to say that he is the "pride of Yanda."

The Chinese Department of Yan University is his "base camp", and many students have argued with others on the forum to defend Zhang Chao.

The white-haired Swedish old man in front of them also became much cuter in the students' eyes.

Ma Yueran felt mixed emotions as he looked at the excited Yan University students in the audience.

In 1948, as a graduate student of Karlgren, he followed his mentor to China for the first time to conduct dialect surveys in the southwest region. He did not return to Sweden until the project ended in 1951.

The young people who ran around the mountains carrying cameras and recording equipment at that time would never have expected that decades later, they would become the "emperor" of contemporary Chinese literature.

Ma Yueran, who is well versed in Chinese culture, certainly knows that this is called "the result of the times", but the feeling of "wearing a yellow robe" is just a burden for an 80-year-old man who lives a very clear life.

Even though he repeatedly emphasized during his many visits to China and interviews in the past that Chinese literature has its own origins and development, and has never been inferior to any civilization since the birth of the "Book of Songs", Chinese writers are also very wise and can write great works.

But it still cannot stop some people from asking, "What's the problem with Chinese literature?" as if he is a Taoist priest who dispenses talismans and water, or Bian Que who cures all diseases with medicine.

Zhang Chao's refusal gave him a good opportunity, an opportunity to extricate himself from the childish game of comparison.

……

"Did Ma Yueran really say this?" In the meeting room of the Writers Association, Zhang Chao and several leaders responsible for organizing the "Young Writers Delegation to Japan" received news from Yanjing University during their tea break.

Everyone's reactions were all surprised, and then they all turned their eyes to Zhang Chao.

Zhang Chao awkwardly touched his chin—but there was no beard there for him to stroke—and muttered to himself, "This is troublesome..."

Liu Heng was puzzled and asked, "Isn't this good? It's rare that the old man supports you so much. You two are close friends regardless of age difference, even though you have never met. Why is it a problem?"

Zhang Chao did not answer, but asked Xiao Liu, the clerk who delivered the message, again: "Did he really say that?"

Xiao Liu said, "It's absolutely true - look, this is the transcript written down by students from Yanda University, and it was posted online as soon as the meeting was over." After that, he handed the phone to Zhang Chao.

Zhang Chao took the phone and looked at it carefully, then returned it to Xiao Liu and said thank you.

Zou Guangming saw that Zhang Chao had something to say, so he explained something to Xiao Liu and sent him away, then asked, "What happened?"

Zhang Chao pondered for a while and said, "What Academician Ma Yueran said has complicated the matter."

"Oh, what's the matter?" The attention of others was also drawn to it.

Zhang Chao simply repeated the text he had just read, and added: "This speech is too targeted. I just saw that students at Yanda University have begun to call for the exhumation of the 'traitor in the literary world'...

Although I also hate those remarks that go beyond the boundaries of literary criticism, but…”

Wang Meng was the first to react. He understood why Zhang Chao hesitated to speak, so he simply added: "But to 'pick them out' in this way also goes beyond the boundaries of literary criticism, right?"

Zhang Chao nodded and continued, "In fact, I know who these people are, and even what their purpose is..."

There was silence at the scene. Everyone present was a savvy person who had witnessed many strange phenomena in the literary and public opinion circles. With Zhang Chao and Wang Meng singing the same tune, it was clear to them where this trend came from.

Liu Heng and Zhang Chao had a good relationship and he also had a bad temper. He knocked the table with his thermos cup, making a loud "dong" sound that startled everyone. He then said, "If anyone wants to cross the line, these people will be the first to do so.

As the saying goes, "to resist foreign aggression, one must first stabilize the internal situation." If you want to go to Japan this time to showcase the image of Chinese literature, you must first wipe off the dirty water that has been thrown on you.

These people are really willing to make any money, this time let the people take care of them!"

Zhang Chao: "..." He couldn't help but roll his eyes. What's this "pacify the country before fighting foreign enemies"? Is there such a curse?
But he could only sigh helplessly and said, "The people who threw dirty water this time are all unknown people..."

Liu Heng was puzzled and asked, "Isn't it good to be an unknown person? This advantage is in you!" Zhang Chao: "..." Teacher Liu, if you can't talk, just say less! And watch less of that classic movie recently...

However, he could only patiently explain: "With Ma Yueran saying this and my classmates' pushing me like this, I can't let go of the long line and catch the big fish. What a pity, what a pity!"

Everyone: “…” Everyone is united in their hatred of the enemy, but what you are thinking about is how to catch the big fish?
But after a while, everyone figured it out. Even Liu Heng slapped his thigh and said, "It's true!"

The complexity of this matter lies in the fact that they can put the blame on others, but in the current public opinion environment, the classmates' behavior of "pointing it out" will put Zhang Chao in a passive position in public opinion.

As time goes by, Zhang Chao is no longer the young man just starting out a few years ago. Whether he admits it or not, he is a "local lord" with great influence in the literary world.

And those who criticized him this time - whether they were associate professors in the Faculty of Literature of a certain university or veteran writers from a certain local writers' association, were not even in the same league as him.

The key to Zhang Chao's success in past public opinion wars is that he has always been the relatively weaker party, and his counterattacks are often regarded as helpless self-defense - it's just that sometimes the defense is a bit too excessive, and he accidentally overwhelms the opponent's public opinion.

Just like this time when he rejected Ma Yueran, people agreed with him more in attitude. Apart from his outstanding performance in the CCTV interview, the inner emotional logic was still the huge identity gap between him and Ma Yueran.

A young Chinese writer who has just risen to prominence in the past few years, and a lifetime judge of the Nobel Prize in Literature who has accumulated prestige for more than 20 years. Everyone subconsciously believes that the former's voice is much weaker than the latter.

Especially after several weeks of hype by domestic media, the invitation to the meeting became a "palace audience" as Ma Yueran said, and public opinion became more aware of the difference in status between the two.

Zhang Chao's refusal was no longer an impolite young man rejecting a kind old man; rather, it was a brave young man resisting the control of power.

This time, however, the situation was completely different. The criticism against Zhang Chao was far from being overwhelming. Even important newspapers did not reprint it. It only circulated in some local newspapers with low sales.

The college students and netizens who stand on Zhang Chao's side are now rushing over to expose his past and directly label him a "traitor in the literary world." This actually does not allow Zhang Chao to truly gain an advantage in public opinion.

Instead, it makes people feel that Zhang Chao has become too arrogant and cannot stand any criticism. He also mobilizes his fans to go on expeditions at any time.

The public opinion environment in 2007 was so strange - the stronger you were, the more you had to endure; if you couldn't help but fight back, it meant you were uncultured.

Therefore, although Zhang Chao saw those articles at the first time, he chose to remain silent. His purpose was to make the other party more "arrogant" - to wait until they were as "arrogant" as Teacher Fang and Lian Yue, so that he could catch them all in one fell swoop.

This saves you the trouble of slapping a fly here and pinching a flea there, endlessly.

As a result, when the old man Ma Yueran was so excited during his speech at Yan University, he managed to get away, but left the mess to Zhang Chao - but this was probably something Ma Yueran had not thought of in advance.

Zhang Chao could only sigh and say, "I have to settle this matter myself - let's get back to the point. I think there is no problem with the itinerary, and Professor Iizuka should be able to accept it.

The entire trip lasted 15 days, which was neither too short nor too long, including Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka..."

Gao Hongbo asked, "Aren't you going to Hokkaido? I saw this item in the itinerary sent from Japan at the beginning, but why was it crossed out later? Mo Yan and his team went there two years ago and said it was very good. Didn't Mo Yan even publish a book? What was the name of it?"

Chen Jiangong said, "People from Hokkaido."

Gao Hongbo said: "Yes, yes, "People of Hokkaido" - Hokkaido is an important region in Japanese literature. Kawabata Yasunari's "Snow Country" is about Hokkaido.

His opening is great - 'Through the long boundary tunnel, it is the snow country. The background color of the night turns silvery white. '"

Zhang Chao shuddered and said quickly, "The most beautiful time in Hokkaido is winter - it's a snowy country. It hasn't snowed in early October yet, so you won't see the scene of 'the background of the night turning silvery white' if you go there.

So forget it, I'll go again when I have the chance."

Gao Hongbo sighed with regret and said, "Is that so... What a pity, okay."

Zhang Chao was sweating coldly. He knew very well how much controversy Mo Yan's "People from Hokkaido" had caused on the Internet. He had specifically asked Iizuka to cancel his trip to Hokkaido, just to avoid any association between the two.

Zhang Chao knows very well that among all the writings of intellectuals, travelogues are the most perfunctory and unreliable. Or they are like the mainstream crosstalk performers in Guo Degang's early crosstalks, who always sing a line wherever they perform: "xx ah xx ah my hometown."

Or you can be like Teacher Yu Qiuyu, who can always come up with a set of profound truths spanning five thousand years and eighty thousand miles wherever you go.

As for which category Mo Yan belongs to, it is obvious. However, he himself probably did not expect that after many years, one of his speeches was linked with this collection of essays, it would produce such a unique dramatic effect.

It can also be regarded as a specimen of performance art condensed over time.

Zhang Chao doesn't want to be a specimen.

At this time Zou Guangming said: "There is one more thing. Are you sure that Han Han and Xiao Si will come? They are both known for being unsociable, especially Han Han..." Zou Guangming thought of the arrogance of the dark and thin young man and shook his head.

Before Zhang Chao, Han Han was undoubtedly the most trouble-making figure in the literary world. However, with the rise of Zhang Chao, the stars of these two people have dimmed a lot and are no longer as eye-catching.

Zhang Chao nodded confidently and said to everyone, "I communicated with them more than a month ago, and they both agreed to join the delegation to Japan this time, but their time may not be synchronized with others.

Han Han is in the middle of the racing season, so he can take about five days to go to Tokyo, just in time to attend the discussion in Shibuya. Xiao Si is running a company now, so he is also very busy, but he also agreed to participate in at least two or three trips. "

Zou Guangming said: "I don't quite understand why we have to bring these two along? The others, plus you, are representative enough." After that, the others also looked at Zhang Chao curiously.

Zhang Chao asked with a smile: "If I am not in this era, and there is still such a delegation, but without these two people, will it be representative? Will it still be a "delegation"? "

Everyone fell silent after hearing this. Zhang Chao’s reason was really... too convincing.

Zhang Chao put the documents on the table and said to everyone, "Okay, I'm going back now. I still have to put out the fire... It's giving me a headache..."

(End of this chapter)