Rebirth 2004: A lone figure in the literary world

Chapter 88 (Third update) University Class

September 2004, 9, was the day when classes officially began at YNU and new graduate students of YNU reported for registration.

Zhang Chao's morning class was "Literary Principles" for sophomores, and the lecturer was Professor Dong Xuewen. Professor Dong was nearly 60 years old, with particularly long hair, which he combed horizontally over his forehead to cover the top of his head.

As soon as the class started, Professor Dong criticized: "I am not very satisfied with the book "Principles of Literature" in your hands. I think there are many contents in it that are not explained thoroughly enough. What I say in class may be different from what is in the book, so you should take good notes. The final exam will test your notes more than the book, so you should be careful..."

Zhang Chao thought that professors at Yanda University were different. They dared to deny the authority of the textbook right away. Then he looked down at the cover of "Principles of Literature" in his hand. Under the title of the book was Dong Xuewen.

Zhang Chao couldn't help but imagine: good universities are really different, the person teaching you might be the author of the textbook; then if I take the course "History of Chinese Literature", will Professor Yuan Xingpei be the one teaching the course himself?
Zhang Chao originally thought that a highly theoretical course like "Literary Theory" would be very boring, but he did not expect that Professor Dong's class would be so lively. He could use many examples to explain the profound impact behind a common literary phenomenon.

I was listening to the class and taking notes, and before I knew it, the get out of class was over.

Cheng Xin brought a few classmates who wanted to get to know Zhang Chao and invited Zhang Chao to go to the cafeteria for dinner together. Zhang Chao did not refuse and happily went with them.

The group went to Yanda's Shaoyuan Canteen. After entering the canteen, Zhang Chao was about to queue up at the self-service counter when a boy suggested, "If you come to Shaoyuan, of course you should go to the second floor to eat spicy hot pot!"

So they went to the second floor. But the university cafeteria is really cheap. It looks like a sumptuous meal, and the average cost per person is less than 10 yuan.

Zhang Chao had a great time chatting with his classmates. Yanda students still have their own knowledge and minds. Although everyone is curious about Zhang Chao, no one deliberately tests or curries favor with him. Zhang Chao feels that such a relationship with classmates is quite comfortable.

After dinner, a boy asked Zhang Chao which dormitory he lived in and asked if he could come over to visit him if it was convenient.

Zhang Chao couldn't lie about this because people would know it sooner or later, so he answered, "I don't live in the dormitory now. I go to school on the day. I live in the East Courtyard of North Street."

"Ah? Isn't that where the teachers and professors live? Did you rent it? As I remember, freshmen who are not from BJ are not allowed to rent a house for commuting."

"Well, I bought that house... I used the property ownership certificate to complete the procedures..."

"..."

Everyone suddenly felt that Zhang Chao was not so "approachable"...

Cheng Xin asked again: "Have you chosen 'Contemporary Literature and Cultural Criticism' in our class this afternoon?"

Zhang Chao nodded and said, "Yes. But I have asked for leave for this afternoon's class, and I will report to Yanshi University soon."

Only then did everyone remember that he was still a student in the "Writer Graduate Class" of Yanshi University.

Looking at Zhang Chao's receding back, a boy sighed, followed by several other students. No one knew what they were thinking.

At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, Zhang Chao arrived at Yanshi University to register. Today was also the registration day for new undergraduate students at Yanshi University, so this time Zhang Chao could finally enjoy the full set of new student reception services.

Surprisingly, the class teacher Yu Hua was there. However, the admissions procedures were handled by the teaching assistants. Yu Hua was just standing there smiling and communicating with the students in the "Writers Graduate Class". He was like a magnet, and students and teachers would come over to greet and chat with him from time to time.

There were also reporters interviewing at the scene.

Yanshida University's "Writers Graduate Class" was restarted after more than a decade, and Yu Hua was hired as the lecturer and class teacher. With a large number of students, it naturally had a great news effect. Yanshida University was also happy to see this, so it allowed a few familiar reporters to enter. When Yu Hua saw Zhang Chao arrive, he waved and said, "I've been waiting for you."

Zhang Chao looked and saw that the other eight students who had passed the exam for the Luyuan Advanced Research Class were indeed there. He said quickly, "I'm so sorry. If I had known, I would have come here this morning."

Classmate Xu Yan said, "It's okay, it's okay. Lei Pingyang and I just got here a while ago."

Immediately, a reporter began to interview Zhang Chao and asked, "Excuse me, what did you say at the Shanghai Book Fair..."

Zhang Chao immediately interrupted his question and said, "I am here today to register as an ordinary freshman. The Shanghai Book Fair is over, and it is not convenient for me to answer any related questions here."

The reporter was quite clever and immediately changed the question, asking, "You are the most special student in the 'Writers Graduate Class' and the youngest. What are your expectations for joining this class?"

Zhang Chao smiled and said, "Since you know I'm the youngest, you should ask my older brothers and sisters about this question first, or you can also interview our head teacher, Ms. Yu Hua. I came here just to study hard and make progress every day. That's all."

Zhang Chao is now very skilled in dealing with reporters, but when it comes to shutting up, he is absolutely the type that refuses to listen.

Yu Hua also came over to help, asked the reporters to take a group photo with everyone, then answered some high-sounding questions and took everyone to the teaching building.

After finding the special classroom for the Writers Graduate Class and sitting down, Yu Hua stood on the podium and said to everyone: "Although the class will not officially start until two days later, I would like to communicate with you in advance. This class is called the 'Writers Graduate Class'. The first class was held in 1988, and I was a student of that class. However, we had many students in that class, with 48 regular students and 2 auditors, a total of 50 students, and it was very lively.

At that time, our class tutors were Professor Tong Qingbing of Yanshi University and Mr. He Zhenbang of Luyuan. I remember Professor Tong told us in the first class that from the perspective of literary creation, every student is already a writer who has achieved certain results or is even very mature, so the focus of learning is not on "writers" but on "research".

This "research" does not mean that everyone should engage in literary theory or literary criticism, but rather that they can look at their own creations from a higher and newer perspective.

During our graduate class, Liu Zhenyun published "A Pile of Feathers", "Unit", and "Hometown Yellow Flowers"; Chi Zijian published "North Pole Village Fairy Tales"; Mo Yan wrote "Thirteen Steps" and "Thirteen Chapters of Joy"... I was the only one who didn't do my job properly. I played ball every day and even learned to play Go. "

Everyone laughed.

Zhang Chao was thinking, if he remembered correctly, Yu Hua's novel "Crying in the Rain" was first drafted in the graduate class.

Yu Hua said: "In this class, I will not measure everyone's level by the number of published works, but I believe that every student who can enter the writer's class is very ambitious, and you will use stricter standards than me to measure yourselves."

Zhang Chao had to admit that although the PUA technique of "Sloppy Puppy" was not natural enough, it still aroused the competitive spirit of the students. I believe that in the next few years, the students in the graduate class will have a "dragon-tiger fight".

Yu Hua then introduced the course content of the graduate class. In addition to the regular classes taught by himself and some professors from Yanshi University, he also invited Moyan, Su Tong, Xichuan, Ouyang Jianghe... to give lectures from time to time.

I'm afraid no other university in China can match this kind of teaching lineup, except Yanda. I heard that Yanda's creative writing graduate class also invited many big names to help out. But Zhang Chao was not in that class, so I don't know the details.

By the time this special first class was over, the sun was already setting. Zhang Chao did not rush back home, but strolled around the famously small and exquisite Yanshi University campus, feeling the slightly cooler weather.

In another month, it will be the "Autumn in the Ancient Capital"...

The phone suddenly rang at an inopportune time. Zhang Chao picked it up and heard He Jiping's gentle voice: "Xiao Zhang, how is your script going?"

(End of this chapter)