According to the China Writers Network, the famous writer Zhang Jie died of illness in the United States on January 21, 2022.
Originally from Fushun, Liaoning Province, Zhang Jie was born in Beijing in 1937 and graduated from Chinese University.
In 1978, she began to publish literary works, and the short story "The Child from the Forest" was included in various anthologies as soon as it came out, winning the 1978 National Award for Outstanding Short Story.
The short story "Love, Cannot Be Forgotten" published in 1979 penetrated into the hearts of contemporary intellectual women and caused a wide impact in society.
In 1980, Zhang Jie was transferred to Beijing Film Studio as a screenwriter, and the following year he was transferred to the Beijing Municipal Federation of Literature and Literature and became a professional writer.
In 1985, Zhang Jie's novel "Heavy Wings", which reflected the reform of the industrial economy, won the second Mao Dun Literature Award.
In 2005, she won the 6th Mao Dun Literature Award for her 12-year-long creation of "No Words" with more than 800,000 words, becoming the first writer to win the award twice.
Zhang Jie at the 6th Mao Dun Literature Award Ceremony
In addition to a number of famous novels, Zhang Jie has also written essays, essays, biographies and other works, among which the long essay "The Man Who Hurt Me In the World The Most" has been adapted into a film of the same name, starring Si Qinggaowa and Huang Suying, and won the Outstanding Chinese Feature Film Award at the 6th China Changchun Film Festival and the 9th China Film Huabiao Award for Outstanding Feature Film.
Zhang Jie is a representative writer of Chinese new era literature, and also a figure who cannot avoid the writing of contemporary Chinese women, and has won the Mao Dun Literature Award twice, and has won the National Excellent Novella Award and the National Excellent Short Story Award for many times. Some of his works have been translated into many languages and have won the Order of the Italian Knights and the German, Austrian, Dutch and other multi-national literary awards.
In 2006, Zhang Jie, who was a rare age, began to study painting. In October 2014, she held her first solo oil painting exhibition at the Museum of Modern Chinese Literature in Beijing, and unexpectedly made a "farewell speech" at the opening ceremony. She said: "I now know that 'forever' does not exist..." In front of many literary friends, Zhang Jie announced her will: no obituary after death, no farewell to the body, no memorial service, and please ask friends to "not publish commemorative articles."
Tie Ning, chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and chairman of the China Writers Association, and Zhang Hongsen, secretary of the party leading group and vice chairman of the China Writers Association, respectively expressed deep condolences for Zhang Jie's death and expressed deep condolences to Zhang Jie's relatives. In its condolence telegram, the Chinese Writers Association expressed its high respect for Zhang Jie's outstanding contributions to contemporary Chinese literature.
Say goodbye
Wen | Zhang Jie
More than 30 years ago, Mr. Bing Xin said to me, she said: "Between our old friends, it is now one side to see one side less." ”
And now, it's my turn to say that.
In our texts, we often use the word "forever", but it is always impossible... "Flowers blossom and fall sometimes", "the back wave of the Yangtze River pushes the front wave"... It is the right thing to retreat at the right time. I had been looking forward to a formal occasion for me to say these words solemnly, but this opportunity was really hard to come by.
Of course, behind the Museum of Modern Literature is actually the Chinese Writers Association, as well as my "mother's home" Beijing Writers Association, which organized this exhibition for me and gave me this rare opportunity to show my heart. Saying that it is a painting exhibition is indeed a farewell performance for me.
In addition to thanking the Chinese Writers Association, the Museum of Modern Chinese Literature, and my "mother's family" Beijing Writers Association for their support, I am also very, very ashamed. Why? Because since I was a child, my mother told me that all giving should be reciprocated, and I tried to do the same. But some giving is really unrequited.
In fact, I would like to discuss this with my mother: Do you think that all giving can be reciprocated, and some giving is actually not reciprocated. That's why I'm often so ashamed when confronted with giving that I can't reciprocate.
So these unrequited givings became my heart debt, making my heart restless. This spring, I wrote these mental debts into a manuscript, but it was rejected, and this is the second time in my life that I have been rejected. I also know that it is really difficult to publish because it involves many historical figures and historical backgrounds at that time. But it doesn't matter, these things are recorded in my diary, and I think that before I leave this world, it will definitely get a chance to publish.
All my life, I have been crawling and stumbling around with a rolling belt. Since I was a teenager, when I was just able to lift half a bucket of water, I had to be a man, and at the same time I had to be a woman, and when I grew up, I had to take on the burden of "being a person", which was really exhausting. But this time the exhibition, which may also be the last big thing I did, the organizer did not let me spend a little effort, did not let me worry about it, did not let me move a finger... How does a person who has been tired and exhausted all his life feel when he encounters this situation for the first time? That's a thousand words out of the question.
In addition, I would like to thank two specific people who do things. One is Xing'an, to be honest, Xing'an this guy is not very reliable, but the album he made for this exhibition is quite beautiful, in addition to running back and forth for the exhibition. The other is my neighbor, Ms. Ren Yuehua, during my absence from Beijing, many details, including the list of albums and the handover, were resolved by her and the director of the Museum of Modern Literature. Many people think that I am a very diverse and difficult person to get along with, but our neighbor has never had a single conflict for more than 20 years.
I'm happy if you like my paintings; if you don't like them, I don't care. My current state is cloudy and light.
Many years ago, I wrote a short article in which I said that when I left this world, I wish I would only remember the good ones and forget the bad ones.
That's easy to say, but it's not easy to do. Just seven or eight years ago, when I slept until midnight, I would sit up, yell at the darkness, and then lie down again, but now I have really let go.
I never believed in any religion, but I believed in some strange things. I would often sit on a long chair under a tree, and the wind in that corner was not directed, and I felt that the wind blowing from different directions gradually blew away bad memories of hurt, insult, rumor-mongering, slander, etc., leaving only memories of my friends' love, warmth, concern, help, and so on. At the same time, I also met a puppy named Lucy, whose eyes were extremely clean, and who often tilted his small head and stared at me for a long time. When it looked at me with such clean eyes, I felt like it was washing my soul. I am also very grateful to Fate for giving me this great gift at the end of my life, so that I can only remember the good and forget the bad memories.
Finally, I would like to say that I left a will at a very good law firm: after I died, first, I did not issue an obituary. Second, say goodbye without remaining. Third, there will be no memorial service. Please also, friends, don't write articles in my memory. As long as you remember in your heart, it is enough to have such a friend as Zhang Jie. As for those who have never stopped cursing me, please continue to scold, if I can play a role in dispelling some of your psychology, it is also my contribution.
Thank you again to all the guests, Zhang Jie said goodbye.
(This article is Zhang Jie's speech at the "Zhang Jie Oil Painting Exhibition")