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

Chapter 570 Liu Yimin's Five Forces Theory of Writing

The University of Buenos Aires, as one of the most renowned universities in Latin America, not only excels in science and engineering but also boasts a strong reputation in the humanities and social sciences.

Liu Yimin sat on a circular platform with the words "China-Latin America Writers Exchange Meeting - Exhibition of Chinese Writers' Literary Works" written on the backdrop. Below the large characters was "Yimin Liu, Chinese Writer and Professor at Yenching University". In addition, the literary awards that Liu Yimin had received were displayed one by one.

Below the circular platform stood many students from the University of Buenos Aires, as well as liberal arts professors, visiting writers, and art enthusiasts.

Liu Yimin sat in a chair and shared his insights on literary creation and the achievements of Chinese literature with the audience.

"Professor Liu, how do you discover clues to literary creation in everyday life?" a student from the University of Buenos Aires asked, raising the microphone.

"Creative clues? That's a rather interesting topic. As we all know, the content of all writers' writing doesn't come from nothing; it's something they've thought about and something they've created. Writers need to find writing clues in their lives, work, and even travels."

China is famous for its realist literature, which requires writers to immerse themselves in everyday life. Most people don't understand China. China is a diverse country with varied terrain and ethnic groups, encompassing plains, plateaus, deserts, and parts of rainforest. Novels like *The Kite Runner*, *High Mountains and Long Rivers*, *Red River Valley*, and *Dust Settles* are all set in the Tibetan plateau region, where I spent nearly two months researching.

Without field research, a work cannot achieve authenticity. In our country, there are writers who spend three or four months researching in coal mines before they can write a novel.

Seeing the severity of racial discrimination in the United States, and feeling the pain of racial oppression and the suffering of Black people, he wrote "Beloved" and "Slave" as a form of redemption.

I think after I finish speaking, everyone will know how to find writing clues. Writing requires five abilities: eyesight, mental strength, brainpower, writing skills, and physical strength.

One must have the eyes to observe clues, the heart to perceive changes in the environment, the mind to think, the pen to express, and the feet to travel to various regions to gather materials.

The Five Forces of Writing were first proposed by Liu Yimin. Upon hearing this, the students and professors from the School of Literature quickly took notes on the content of the writing theory and competed to ask questions about it.

"Professor Liu, do you believe that an excellent writer should possess these five abilities?" the Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Buenos Aires asked with a smile.

Liu Yimin looked at the dean of the School of Literature and answered confidently, "Generally speaking, one can become a writer by possessing three abilities, and the more abilities one possesses, the more outstanding one is."

"Liu, do you think that training literature majors according to your writer training theory can cultivate outstanding writers?" the dean of the School of Literature asked immediately. The others stared intently at Liu Yimin, wanting to hear his answer.

Liu Yimin calmly shook his head: "I'm sorry, of course not!"

Buzz! As Liu Yimin finished speaking, the audience erupted in an uproar. Some people smirked, while others looked puzzled.

"Professor Liu, since you have proposed standards for cultivating writers, why do you believe that writers cannot be cultivated? Does this prove that your so-called theory is just empty words and has no effect?" A student from the University of Buenos Aires immediately asked loudly.

"Of course not. Excellent writers cannot be cultivated through literature academies; this is a consensus in Chinese university literature education. Through literature education, the goal is more to cultivate students' literary literacy. The five writing abilities of writers are simply targeted training for students, encouraging them to actively pursue the improvement of these five abilities."

Writers and excellent journalists can be cultivated, but truly top-tier writers and journalists are not cultivated, but rather rely on innate sensitivity and life experience. Take Gabriel García Márquez, for example. He grew up listening to ghost stories, and his mind was a world where fantasy and reality intertwined; this had a more significant impact on him than any university education.

After Liu Yimin finished speaking, he paused for a moment, scanned the entire room, and then said again: "If I told you today that using my theories could cultivate writers like Mr. Márquez, or writers like myself, I'm afraid none of you would believe it, and you would just grab brooms and kick me out!"

Liu Yimin's humorous remarks drew laughter from the entire audience, and the dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Buenos Aires even stood up and applauded: "Professor Liu, it would be great if you were a professor at the University of Buenos Aires."

I wonder if you know Jorge Luis Borges; he passed away last year, a great loss to our Faculty of Arts.

“I know Mr. Borges. His works have had a profound influence on Latin American writers. It is a pity that we have lost the opportunity to meet Mr. Borges.”

Upon hearing Borges's name, the faculty, students, and audience of the University of Buenos Aires all showed expressions of sadness. Borges's passing is a great loss to both the University of Buenos Aires and the Argentine literary world.

"Professor Liu, I am Ernesto Sabato. It is an honor to meet you at the University of Buenos Aires. I have studied your works. Your works are diverse, but there is one category in which you produce a great deal: political works. Such as 'The Great Roar of the East' and 'Deng Jiaxian,' which praise collective or individual heroes. Your works always mention something called 'Chinese spirit.' I would like to ask you, how do you explain the Chinese spirit?"

Ernesto Sabato is a famous Argentine writer. Most importantly, this guy worked in nuclear physics research before turning to literary creation. He is the second Argentine writer to win the Cervantes Prize, the highest literary achievement in Spanish.

"Mr. Sabato, I know you about the spirit of the Chinese people. It's a coincidence that I've written more than just these two books, but works like 'The Great Roar of the East' (the groundbreaking translation) and 'Deng Jiaxian' are related to your former profession."

You've studied nuclear physics, so you should understand the difficulty of developing nuclear weapons. Especially in a poor and backward China, without the spirit of the Chinese people, we couldn't have achieved it. The Chinese spirit in scientific research manifests as—fearlessness of sacrifice, the ability to endure hardship, and the will to fight; only in this way can we overcome all difficulties and achieve victory!

Sabato shook his head and said regretfully, "But nuclear weapons are terrible weapons; they can cause fatal damage to the Earth. I have studied nuclear weapons, and I know how terrible they are."

Sabato's words made Liu Yimin laugh in anger. Who do you think you are? You are a small country that is on the verge of collapse. What right do you have to talk about the dangers of nuclear weapons here?

"Mr. Sabato, I am very pleased that you take the issue of the dangers of nuclear weapons seriously, because your thoughts are the same as those of countless Chinese people. We all oppose the misuse of nuclear weapons. When our country detonated its first atomic bomb, we first proposed not to use nuclear weapons; not to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states; and suggested that all countries jointly destroy nuclear weapons."

Unfortunately, the US and the Soviet Union disagreed, and we were extremely disappointed with their approach.

Sabato continued, "Why doesn't China destroy its nuclear weapons first and set an example?" "Because we need to safeguard our own national defense," Liu Yimin replied. "Back then, the Americans were always threatening to drop nuclear bombs on China. I wonder if Mr. Sabato objected back then? Only after we have nuclear weapons can we safeguard our own security. For example, if Argentina had nuclear weapons in 1982, or even warships and aircraft capable of confronting Britain, the Falklands should be in Argentine hands now, not still flying the British flag." Liu Yimin's voice grew increasingly displeased; this Sabato was simply a bookworm.

When the Argentinians in the audience heard about the Falklands War, their faces showed expressions of humiliation. Some were indifferent, and some even believed that it was the defeat in the Falklands War that brought an end to the dictatorial military government.

"Professor Liu, I think you are humiliating Argentina!" a student in the audience said indignantly.

Liu Yimin smiled slightly and said calmly, "I absolutely did not mean to humiliate Argentina. I just wanted everyone to know that dignity lies only on the edge of a sword, and truth lies within the range of cannons. When I set foot on South American soil, more than one person asked me how China could completely get rid of colonial influence. My answer was that countless martyrs stained China red with their blood and drove out the lingering poison of colonialism."

I share the same stance as everyone else: I oppose hegemonism and colonial wars. I hope that one day the Argentine people can live happily on the South American continent, but all of this requires countless Argentinians to fight for it.

My heart is with you all, my heart stands with those who oppose hegemony! Third World countries must unite; only by uniting can we defeat hegemonism.

As soon as Liu Yimin finished speaking, Márquez, who had arrived at some point, excitedly led the applause and kept giving Liu Yimin a thumbs up.

When Sabato saw Márquez approaching, he stood up and extended his hand to greet him. Márquez patted Sabato's hand meaningfully: "Sabato, your novel is very well written, but your military and political views are somewhat naive."

“Mr. Marquez, Liu is indeed eloquent, but I am a physicist and I am not good at verbal arguments.”

Liu Yimin had to admire Sabato's stubbornness.

Sabato then asked Márquez what he really thought about the establishment of a new international literary organization. Márquez gave him a brief explanation, which was basically consistent with what was published in the newspapers.

Without Sabato's interference, Liu Yimin returned to the topic of literature, telling the audience about Chinese literature. In addition to his own works, he also recommended other well-known Chinese literary works.

"Literary works form the thread of the development of Chinese literature. I know there are also students majoring in Oriental literature here. Whether you are a student, a teacher, or a writer, you must put in a lot of effort to understand Chinese literature."

"Professor Liu, do you think that the realism upheld by Chinese literature is incompatible with the mainstream of international literature?"

"No, international literature without Chinese literature can never be considered mainstream. With Chinese literature, international literature will not be incomplete. As for non-integration? No, realist literature is the mainstream of international literature. The magical realism, surrealism, and structural realism that are prevalent in Latin America are all based on realism. Without realism, there would be no prosperity of Latin American literature."

After 11 a.m., both the audience and Liu Yimin began to tire, and their interactions became much more amicable. Liu Yimin would intersperse his speech with anecdotes, and the audience would occasionally burst into lighthearted laughter.

At 12 o'clock, Liu Yimin stepped down from the stage, officially concluding the first morning's exhibition of Chinese writers' literary works.

Qian Zhongshu and Cao Yu were also busy, chatting with many well-known Latin American writers in the exhibition hall and recommending Chinese literary works to them. They talked all afternoon and were physically tired, but their energy remained undiminished.

The exhibition of Chinese writers' works is conducive to the promotion of Chinese literary works in Latin America, which is more rewarding for them than the popularity of their own works.

In the afternoon, during the two-hour autograph session, Liu Yimin signed the most autographs among all members of the Chinese delegation.

In the evening, the group attended a dinner hosted by the University of Buenos Aires. At the dinner, the dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Buenos Aires frequently interacted with the Chinese representatives, particularly enjoying conversations with Liu Yimin and Qian Zhongshu.

Liu Yimin is a professor at Yenching University, and Qian Zhongshu is a professor at Tsinghua University and works at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Buenos Aires expressed a desire to establish cooperative relationships with Yenching University and Tsinghua University.

Currently, Chinese universities have established more cooperation with universities in the United States and the West, but have very little contact with Latin American universities.

Qian Zhongshu told the dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Buenos Aires that he was very optimistic about the cooperation between the two sides in the field of humanities and social sciences, and that he would actively promote the matter after returning.

During the dinner, students from the University of Buenos Aires Drama Club performed "Thunderstorm" to show their respect for Cao Yu, the master of Eastern drama.

As Márquez watched, he whispered to Cao Yu, "Dean Wan, your 'Thunderstorm' is realistic, but it's also full of magical elements. If it were a novel, it would definitely win many international awards."

Cao Yu hadn't expected Márquez to tell him that his play *Thunderstorm* was also a work of magical realism. After thinking about it carefully, Cao Yu realized which passages Márquez was referring to.

The magical elements in "Thunderstorm" are probably Zhou Ping's affair with his stepmother Fanyi and his love affair with Sifeng, the daughter of Shiping. However, Sifeng and Zhou Ping are half-siblings, forming a complicated blood relationship that is more tangled than the electrical wires on the streets of India.

In addition, there are environmental descriptions with supernatural metaphors such as thunder and lightning.

"Mr. Márquez, thank you for your compliment. There is a magical element, but in reality, it is not as strong as that of Latin American works."

Marquez said with a smile, "Dean Wan, there's no need to be modest. No matter what, 'Thunderstorm' is a shining pearl in the history of Eastern drama."

P.S.: The next chapter will be around 1:30 AM. I haven't been sleeping well lately, and I've been trying to adjust my biological clock like I'm training a hawk, but I just can't seem to get it right. Once my biological clock is adjusted, my updates will become more regular.

(End of this chapter)