Writer 1978: I Need to Give the Literary World a Lesson

Chapter 463 Has Liu Lang run out of talent? Master and disciple join forces to attack.
The National Day holiday in 1985 was a golden holiday for readers of "Legend of the Past and Present" and "Huo Yuanjia".

"Legends of the Past and Present" has shaken up the literary world's understanding of writing like a giant wave. The editorial department even made a bold statement in the newspaper, aiming to sell three million copies.

The sales volume of three million copies was something that Harvest and People's Literature magazines dared to achieve when they published Liu Yimin's novels such as "Triumphant at Midnight" and "Acacia Tree in the Minefield".

The reason why the editorial department of "Legends of Today and Yesterday" is so high-profile is partly for the sake of the magazine's sales, and partly because they are full of resentment. In this era that despises popular literature, their sales are getting better and better, but the criticism they are receiving is also increasing day by day.

What do you mean by undermining literature? You call your stuff literature? Bah!
After spitting, you throw it on the ground and then stomp on it.

Liu Yimin's submission to "Legend of Today and Yesterday" has made them straighten up after years of bending over backwards. They can't wait to tell everyone that Liu Yimin has submitted to "Legend of Today and Yesterday," which is a sign of the literary world's acceptance and recognition of popular literature.

When many people in the literary world read Liu Yimin's "Huo Yuanjia", most of them were puzzled and wondered why Liu Yimin would write such a thing, as it was simply beneath his status!

Some people are die-hards who insist on traditional literature, while others outwardly disdain it but inwardly are extremely jealous, gritting their teeth and shouting when no one is around, "Why write? Why write? If you write, why does it sell so well? Why can't I write anything like that?"

In the study, Liu Yimin looked at the newspaper and felt a little bored, so he casually put the newspaper aside.

Liu Yimin received a number of letters one after another. Some friends asked him about the reasons for writing "Huo Yuanjia". Even Xu Chi, who was grieving for his deceased wife, sent him a letter.

In his letter, Liu Yimin responded to each of the reasons and reiterated his views: literature cannot always imagine itself as something superior, like art, and engage in self-righteous things; it should write literary works that the general public can understand.

The controversy not only affected Liu Yimin, but also Zhu Lin, who was filming in Zhejiang Province.

Since the publication of "Legends of the Past and Present," discussions about "Huo Yuanjia" among the production team have never ceased. However, for these actors, "Huo Yuanjia" is more about enjoyment; the novel provides them with a relaxing and entertaining opportunity during their busy filming schedules.

Zhu Lin was eating a boxed lunch when Yang Jie sat down next to her and asked her about her purpose in writing the novel "Huo Yuanjia".

"Director Yang, this is just a casual piece by Teacher Liu. The Beijing Film Studio wanted to make some kung fu and martial arts films, but they didn't have any scripts, so they invited Teacher Liu to write one, and he agreed. Originally, he only wrote a script, but after the old leader read it, he wanted to read the novel, so he spent a few days writing and publishing the novel." Zhu Lin said with a smile while eating.

Zhu Lin spoke casually, but Yang Jie's eyelids twitched. What did he mean by "a casual work" and "the old leader was delighted after reading it"? Were these words acceptable to her?
Yang Jie felt that Zhu Lin was showing off, but seeing her normal expression, she couldn't find any evidence.

However, upon hearing that the Beijing Film Studio was going to film it, Yang Jie became curious and asked, "Who's going to direct it?"

"It's not finalized yet. Beijing Film Studio is worried about not making a good film, so they've been looking for people. I don't know if it's finalized yet. Director Yang, do you think anyone will watch 'Fearless'?" Zhu Lin was afraid that Liu Yimin's slogan of developing kung fu movies would backfire.

"If you remove the 'ma' from your film, many people will definitely watch it. Wouldn't this be better than Beijing Film Studio's 'The Mysterious Buddha'? Even if it's poorly made, people will still watch it. Our country lacks this kind of film; it's a weakness. Comrade Liu Yimin is going to fill this gap in our domestic film industry."

After discussing Liu Yimin's matter, Zhu Lin hesitated for a moment before asking Yang Jie how her performance was.

Yang Jie said, "Xiao Zhu, don't feel guilty. You acted very well. Every smile and frown conveyed a sense of elegance and tenderness. You could truly say that one smile could topple a city, and another could topple a nation!"

Zhu Lin was a little embarrassed by Yang Jie's praise. She had thoroughly understood the role before coming and got to work very quickly.

Yang Jie continued to praise, "You have both directing and acting experience, making our previous shoots go much smoother."

After finishing their meal, the two threw their boxed lunches into the trash can and rested for a while before starting the afternoon's filming.

"Xiao Zhu, in the future, if Comrade Liu Yimin has any TV scripts, he can just give them to CCTV. After all, film studios are not experts in making TV dramas, so we need to find professional TV directors," Yang Jie said casually.

Zhu Lin, who was standing next to him, turned around and said, "Director Yang, I'll go back and talk to Teacher Liu. But the Beijing Film Studio and the August First Film Studio are very proactive, and the Shanghai Film Studio is also in frequent contact. Sometimes it puts Teacher Liu in a difficult position."

“I understand. Good screenwriters never have to worry about their scripts not selling. Foreign directors are vying for them, let alone domestic ones,” Yang Jie said.

Zhu Lin walked over to the makeup and styling team and began touching up her makeup. After putting on a gorgeous outfit, the crew felt that the Queen of the Women's Kingdom should look just like Zhu Lin.

Pigsy put on two ears, Monkey King stuck monkey hair on, and Sandy felt uncomfortable with the carrying pole and was trying to figure out where the problem was.
As soon as Yang Jie gave the order to film, the crew immediately got busy and quickly got into filming mode.

"I think Tang Sanzang should develop feelings for the Queen of the Women's Kingdom, but he should express it very subtly." Yang Jie's words immediately sparked a buzz of discussion throughout the entire crew.

Moved by emotions? Moved by emotions, isn't he still the same Tang Sanzang who went to the Western Paradise to obtain Buddhist scriptures?

Yang Jie continued to explain, "At this point, Tang Sanzang is also a mortal, not a cicada in a tree. But we can't show too much of that. Tang Sanzang, you should get a feel for it. Let's go through the act."

Yang Jie's explanation failed to convince the actors in the crew, but as the director, Yang Jie held supreme authority within the crew.

What Monkey King? You are only the Monkey King if the director says so! What Havoc in Heaven? You can only cause trouble if the director tells you to!

Liu Xiao Ling Tong stood to the side, brandishing a stick, seemingly unconcerned.

Zhu Lin was thinking about the moves, and when she was thinking about the moves, Liu Yimin was always on her mind.
Inside the Institute of Literature and Art, after the National Day holiday, Liu Yimin was giving a lecture to Dai Jianye, Yi Zhongtian, and others.

During the three-day National Day holiday, they thoroughly explored Beijing, witnessing firsthand what it meant to be the capital city, a place of unparalleled prestige. The monthly stipend of over fifty yuan from the Institute of Literature and Art made them incredibly wealthy.

Their salaries from their respective schools were used to support their families, but the subsidies from the Institute of Literature and Art suddenly made their tight budgets much easier.

The key point is that it's not just subsidies; the Institute of Literature also provides research funding for participating in various research projects. The Institute of Literature's research funding is among the best in Yenching University. Liu Yimin is not the exploitative mentor of later generations who always tries to pocket the funds and treat his students like free mules.

During the three-day holiday, we ate the food we had never eaten before and went to the places we had never been before. If we couldn't afford the food, we could still get together with seven or eight people to try it.

Looking at the eight humanities research institute trainees in front of him, Liu Yimin saw that they all had smiles on their faces to varying degrees, clearly not yet back to their normal lives after the holiday.

Most of these people had just become teachers. Dai Jianye had been a teacher for only half a year, while Yi Zhongtian had been a teacher the longest, even longer than Liu Yimin, having become a teacher right after graduating in 81.

"Get back to work, haven't you had enough fun yet?" Liu Yimin asked with a smile.

Upon hearing Liu Yimin's words, the eight students, who had just managed to composed themselves, burst into laughter again, filling the classroom.

"Teacher Liu, this is what we often say to our students," Li Liangrong chuckled.

During class, the trainees addressed Liu Yimin as "teacher," while they usually called him "director." That single "teacher" deepened the bond between them.

Liu Yimin had forgotten who first made that sound and how it inspired others to follow suit.

Dai Jianye said in his unique Macheng Mandarin from Hubei Province, "Teacher Liu, why did you write 'Huo Yuanjia'? There have been quite a few more malicious comments in the newspapers lately."

"What is popular literature, and what is traditional literature? How do we draw this line? Does 'Journey to the West' count as popular literature? What about 'Water Margin' and 'Dream of the Red Chamber'? These haven't affected our readers' enjoyment or scholars' research. We need to study why popular literature seems to be more popular than traditional literature now, and what is the psychology behind readers' reading of popular literature?"
You're a worker, exhausted after a long day's work. When you get home and pick up a martial arts novel, don't you feel incredibly relaxed? And if you imagine yourself as Huo Yuanjia, dominating the battlefield, wouldn't you feel even happier?

Starting from the function of literary works, Liu Yimin analyzes the psychology of readers one by one. The most important function of popular novels is entertainment, and if the entertainment is done well, it will gradually become the subject of study for future generations.

Leaving aside Jin Yong himself, his martial arts novels were initially scorned by the academic community, but later they gained acceptance and became the subject of scholarly research. Yan Jiayan of Yenching University was the first person to bring Jin Yong's novels into the university.

"Are the readers of traditional literature and popular literature the same? I think they are not, but there is definitely some overlap. Our readers are not all the same; they have different experiences, knowledge, cultural backgrounds, and even class status. A literary work that can win the hearts of readers must have touched the hearts of a certain group of readers."

The terms "elite literature," "traditional literature," and "popular literature" refer not only to the content and form of literary works but also to the readers of these works. The eight students, plus Yan Zhen who was auditing the class, were taking notes faster and faster. The October sun shone into the classroom, and fine beads of sweat appeared on everyone's foreheads.

Liu Yimin told them that writers can have their own principles, but as scholars, they must analyze the reasons behind the popularity of various literary works with a neutral attitude.

"Why? Because you are teachers. You not only bear the heavy responsibility of educating students, but also the heavy responsibility of conveying your views to the whole society. Every word you say must be rigorous, otherwise you will make a fool of yourself."

If someone keeps making sensational statements and spouting baseless nonsense to erase my time at the Institute of Literature, I can't afford to lose face like that.

After the lesson, Dai Jianye turned to Liu Yimin and said, "Teacher Liu, what if those people in the newspapers don't approve of you?"

"Debate with them!"

What if they won't listen?

"Scold them!"

What if they still won't listen?

"Shut them up with insults." Liu Yimin saw Yi Zhongtian purse his lips and asked with a smile, "What? You want to take action against the new China?"

"Teacher Liu, I...I didn't say that." Yi Zhongtian shrank back.

Li Liangrong said, "I've noticed that the comments in the newspapers have become increasingly heated recently, with some even saying..."

"So you're saying Liu Lang has run out of talent, huh?" Liu Yimin said calmly.

The initial discussion about "Huo Yuanjia" was about why Liu Yimin wrote such a novel. As the discussion escalated, it gradually came to the conclusion that Liu Yimin couldn't write any other novels and could only write some low-quality popular literature.

Liu Yimin asked Yan Zhen to go to his office and bring him his bag. He took out several manuscripts and handed them to them, telling them to learn how to refute others.

Dai Jianye glanced at the title, his breathing quickened, and his eyes darted down. Before he could finish reading, he looked up and said with a wry smile, "Teacher Liu, didn't you say we should debate first? Why did you start by cursing, and so...powerfully at that?"

After thinking for a long time, Dai Jianye finally came up with a tactful way of saying it.

"Because these people are no longer ordinary opponents, we must strike hard and shut them up." Liu Yimin slammed his fist on the table: "Let me show you how your teacher can debate with a group of scholars!"

Many of the people who are criticizing Liu Yimin are those he offended when he published "The Stage" last time, and this time they have found the right opportunity to take revenge.

At first, they were hesitant and timid, but seeing that Liu Yimin didn't react much, they stopped pretending and started using their real names. Zhang Xianliang from Northwest China was one of the main figures among them. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Liu Yimin's play "The Stage" was criticizing him, criticizing him for openly living with a married woman through his work.

In particular, Liu Yimin's rebuttal made him the subject of gossip and criticism at work.

Why Write Popular Literature? To Rehabilitate the Reputation of Popular Literature!

Writers who constantly talk about literature haven't necessarily written many works of pure literature!

"Should it be a view of mass literature or a semi-elitist view of literature?" Compared with elitist literature, those who insist on traditional literature can be considered semi-elitist.

"So-called writers, are your readers in China or the West, in cities or in the countryside?"

Popular literature is beneath public standards? Are you the only ones worthy of being considered respectable?

The manuscripts made the nine people in the classroom feel a surge of excitement. As Liu Yimin collected the manuscripts and left the classroom, Liang Yong'an eagerly suggested, "Shouldn't we have a debate practice session?"

"That wouldn't be good. It would be terrible if we embarrassed ourselves." Yi Zhongtian's hands were itching to try, but he felt he wasn't skilled enough and would only make things worse.

Dai Jianye chuckled: "Just use a pen name, who would know it's us!"

Dai Jianye was lean and wiry. His smile immediately made the people around him unconsciously keep their distance. This kid was a bit sly!

"Then let's each rely on our own abilities and not embarrass our Institute of Literature. In the future, there will be more and more students in the Institute of Literature, and we will all be senior students. It would be embarrassing for others to mention us."

Li Liangrong said helplessly, "I majored in journalism, and I'm not very good at writing this kind of literary criticism and literary thought articles."

“You’re good at journalism. I’ve collected some names from the newspapers, and they’re all bad people, like this Zhang Xianliang.” Yan Zhen placed the newspapers she had collected in advance on the table. Most of these newspapers were local newspapers.

The criticism of "Huo Yuanjia" in the newspapers was increasing, but it was always one-sided. With the publication of the first article in the Yanjing Daily, Liu Yimin finally launched a full-scale counterattack.

Everyone was in the heat of the moment, thinking that Liu Yimin had been hit where it hurt and wouldn't dare to speak up. Who would have thought that the counterattack would be so swift and powerful?

Previously, there were only a few scattered dissenting voices, such as Jiang Zilong. Jiang Zilong had expressed this attitude during the debate between veteran and new poets in the literary world: don't always look down on veteran writers. Every veteran writer has a reason for becoming famous—those who have climbed the mountain should not laugh at those who have descended.

Jiang Zilong meticulously reviewed Liu Yimin's works, analyzing each one in turn, and then pointed out two foreign literary awards to refute them.

Of course, Jiang Zilong was also a little upset. He was upset because he hadn't thought of it. Huo Yuanjia's hometown wasn't far from his own!
Sales of "Legends of the Past and Present" continued to climb, reaching over 1.4 million copies by mid-month. Among the so-called "Four Beauties of Literature," apart from "Harvest," none could rival it.

Early in the morning, Zhang Xianliang leisurely walked into the gate of his workplace, but his friend immediately stopped him.

Zhang Xianliang spoke first: "Old Ji, what's wrong? The other party hasn't said anything yet? I couldn't sleep last night. I was thinking, have we gone too far? Comrade Liu Yimin used to be so illustrious, but now he's reduced to writing popular literature. I'm sure he's feeling pretty bad about it."

"He's not feeling well? Old Zhang, take a look at these newspapers. They've launched a full-scale counterattack, and the insults they're using are absolutely nasty."

After his initial shock, Zhang Xianliang hurriedly picked up the newspaper to read it. His face turned grim after reading it; some of the words in it were like daggers piercing his heart!

The key point is that these newspapers are all major publications, with far greater influence than local newspapers. Even the China Youth Daily has joined in the fun.

Newspapers like the China Youth Daily cannot publish articles with overly strong language; instead, they published Liu Yimin's discussion of literary views—"Should it be a mass-oriented literary view or a semi-elitist literary view?"

"This is using his status in the literary world to intimidate people. So what if he has a big mouth? We may have small mouths, but there's strength in numbers," Old Ji shouted angrily.

If Liu Yimin were here, he'd probably laugh himself to death. If I don't refute you, you'll say I have nothing to say; if I do refute you, you'll say I'm using my position to bully others.

The editorial department of "Legends of Today and Yesterday" felt very pleased after reading these articles and decided to put them at the back of the next issue.

"We must support Comrade Liu Yimin. This is a great opportunity for our popular literature. If we win the debate, we can stand tall; if we lose, we will have to keep bending over!"

"Editor-in-chief, is there anything we can do?"

"Let's just do our own thing and not cause trouble for Comrade Liu Yimin. Also, let's continue to report our sales figures in the newspaper!"

(End of this chapter)