Lin Jianfa | Zhang Xuexin
One
"Around 1998, the writer Su Tong recommended two of Zhang Xuexin's review articles to me. At that time, the manuscript was useless, I wrote a letter to Zhang Xuexin, the specific content I can't remember clearly, but it is nothing more than emphasizing that Su Tong is a contemporary 'short story master' after Wang Zengqi, and I hope that Zhang Xuexin will make more efforts in this regard. There was no news. It was not until 2003 that Zhang Xuexin made his first appearance in this journal. In 2004, his dissertation for Contemporary Writers Review was "The Aesthetic Narrative: Su Tong's Short Story Theory", which was published in the third issue. Later, "The Aesthetic" Narrative became the starting point for his doctoral dissertation. From 2003 to 2013, he published 38 papers in this journal, and in 2008 he won the "Contemporary Chinese Literary Critics Award". This is a text released a few years ago by the 12th series of "Lin Jianfa Studio". The content of the Jianfa teacher's regret is like gold, but it records the most important growth stage and key process since I began literary criticism, and I know very well that this is undoubtedly the real beginning of my entry into a good state of literary criticism and research.
Just in terms of my personal academic development and growth, More than 20 years of Lin Jianfa's ear-to-ear life, careful guidance, supervision and criticism have become an indispensable and progressive driving force in my life. How a person can smoothly enter the professional state, what kind of life path should be embarked on, and even the development and even maturity of a person's career and life depend on different winds and rains. Among them, it is not only personal talent and diligence that can be obtained, but also unexpected fatalistic "help", which often makes people welcome unimaginable surprises and inspirations. Here, careful friends who know Jianfa teacher very well may notice the sentence "I hope Zhang Xuexin will make a little more effort in this area." Later, I didn't hear anything", but I am afraid that the "subtext" in this sentence can only be figured out and tasted by myself. In fact, the meaning of the words here has clearly expressed the "anger" of the Teacher of Jianfa. In this sentence of "no news", there are great expectations for me. However, during that period, because of many senseless hectic disturbances, I was so "dull" and "arrogant" that I did not attach great importance to the letter from the teacher of Jianfa. That is to say, in 1998, I should have begun to pay attention to Su Tong's short story research and entered a better state of criticism, while I was writing some words that I did not know what it was. It wasn't until four years later, in the summer of 2002, when Teacher Jianfa called again, that we had a "historic" meeting in Dalian. It was precisely because of this time, and since then, the close and in-depth exchanges with Jianfa teachers that I have gradually realized and more fully realized the overall pattern of contemporary Chinese literature and its rapid changes in recent decades and the present. Since then, I have become familiar with the "topographic map" of contemporary Chinese literary creation and criticism, the basic appearance of literary development, including the depth of narrative of writers and critics, different contexts and situations, real literary symptoms and weather, and gradually become clear what qualities literary criticism should have, as well as the problems that are most close to themselves and bother themselves, such as "what is a critic". In the following twenty years, I and the Jianfa teacher became a spiritual "mo rebellion" because of literature and literary criticism. The friendship and affection between us, "teachers, friends and brothers", became the most beautiful and strongest existence in my life. Anecdotally "jokingly called" him the "big man" of contemporary literary criticism, and in my heart, his deep awe of literature is enough to "cover" any praise for him. At that time, I also gradually accepted and appreciated more and more the actual role and significance of "circle culture" and "circle literature" for literary production and literary development. We all know that in our time, it is already an extremely luxurious cultural situation for literati to warm up together and talk about literature, philosophy and social life together. The transmission of ideas and ideas, the collision of passion and passion, and the embrace of talents and talents can be realized in the spiritual gaze and soul ferry of scholars. After all, this is also the premise and foundation for the establishment of a new contemporary academic community.
Now, more than twenty years have passed, and those countless and endless "past events" have all become my unforgettable memories, which always haunt me and inspire me, making me especially grateful for the promotion and "pulling" that Brother Jianfa has been promoting and "pulling" me for more than twenty years while meeting with literature. Of course, I have also become more and more aware that on the road of literary research and criticism, no matter how clever, it is difficult to grasp the true pulse of literature and the frequency of internal changes more soberly, which must be guided by forerunners and enlightened people. One day, the critic Professor Wang Kan called me to inquire about the recent recovery of Teacher Jianfa, and we talked about how we grew up under the encouragement and encouragement of Mr. Jianfa. He even remembers what I said to him ten years ago: "Old Kan, there are many people engaged in literary criticism now, and there are many people who write well, and we are really lucky that we can enter the 'eyes of the Fa' teacher of Jianfa with each other." There is no reason why we should not treat criticism with sincerity, with literature with devotion! "Now, my review with Brother Wang Kan has also passed for several years, but the feelings and honesty of Teacher Jianfa have always touched and inspired how we should be pious and compose. Although, in the small series launched by each issue of the "Lin Jianfa Studio" public account, The Jianfa teacher "lightly" mentions his interaction with each writer or critic and promotes their creative status and academic achievements. In fact, behind these works, there is a lot of hard work and unlimited expectations. I feel that this expectation is his affectionate expectation and deep awe of contemporary Chinese literature. For him, these are more condensed with a kind of indulgent, selfless responsibility or responsibility, which is also his eternal "heart". Contemporary literature, contemporary literary criticism, and every writer and critic who has entered his "eyes", then, has been "historically" closely associated with his Contemporary Writers Review. Undoubtedly, this is the blessing of the life of any writer and scholar who loves literature. We see how many young critics are now old and not confused, some of them know their destiny, but whether it is their growth and development, or the acquisition and publicity of their influence and criticism energy later, they all gather the enthusiasm and painstaking efforts of the teachers of Jianfa. His sternness, his kindness, his zeal will make you feel awe.
Lin Jianfa
Two
When I first wrote this short article, I wanted to choose the topic of "Lin Jianfa and Contemporary Chinese Literature", but I was still a little hesitant and took some thought. As an editor, what is lin Jianfa's weight in "contemporary Chinese literature", and what is his personal value and significance? What should be said about it? It can be said that he regards literary work as a career rather than a profession, and can be described as fully involved in contemporary literature and literary criticism.
Perhaps, few people can imagine how much influence an editor will have on the literature and literary criticism of an era or period, which cannot be ignored. I think that an editor who has personally experienced the history and current situation of literary criticism for more than thirty years can constantly jump out of history, walk into the literary scene, look at the "old traces" of the literary world, and look forward to "new voices", which is extremely valuable. Therefore, in the field of contemporary Chinese literary criticism and periodicals, Lin Jianfa is indisputably the most outstanding editor. In the early and mid-1980s, Lin Jianfa worked as an editor of the Fujian review magazine "Exploration of Contemporary Literature and Art", and in 1987 he came to Northeast China and was transferred to the editorial department of the Liaoning Writers Association's "Contemporary Writers Review". During this period, he also served as the executive editor of Western Chinese Literature, Journal of Bohai University, Soochow Academic and Xuexue. He has also curated and edited numerous series of books, "Writers' Library", "Critics' Library" and Annual Selected Works for several publishing houses. He was obsessed with editing and saw it as life. Among them, he has been doing the magazine "Contemporary Writers Review" with all his heart and soul, and he has been doing it for more than thirty years, so to speak, he has devoted his life to "a piece of ice in a jade pot". He was able to live calmly and elegantly in the northeast and work happily, often maintaining a high degree of self-consciousness, self-consciousness and a happy state of life, and he could not see the slightest violation in him, which was enviable and amazing.
For contemporary literary creation, especially literary criticism, although it is not possible to talk about how to summarize and how to lead the direction of the development of literature in an era, how to adhere to aesthetic values and the ethical, spiritual and value bottom line of invaluable writing are all crucial issues in the development of literature of an era. Then, to solemnly and permanently embody and implement this literary ideal in a theoretical journal, and to continuously spread it out through this authoritative platform, it requires not only a kind of ability, but also great courage and boldness. For a long time, Jianfa and many contemporary "first-line writers and critics" have both surprising aesthetic consensus and different narrative concepts in terms of literary concepts. Moreover, he also has more communication with many emerging writers and critics who are in the "rising period". All of this became the driving force for him to run a journal with vigor. As a result, The Contemporary Writers Review has become a very inclusive and tolerant magazine. Brother Jianfa's judgment of writers and their texts is also unique, and forms a complementary tacit understanding with the literary concepts of many writers. Twenty years ago, in the preface to the literary treatise "The Face of Contemporary Chinese Writers- Searching for the Soul of Literature" edited by Lin Jianfa, Mo Yan frankly expressed his literary writing ethics while frankly expressing the writer's due mission and responsibility for history and reality; the literary position expressed by Jia Pingwo in "A Letter to Lin Jianfa" is similar to the aesthetic orientation advocated by Jianfa. A few years ago, at a large literary lecture site, Yu Hua also said frankly that Lin Jianfa said that which novel is good, you must believe him and go to read it. In fact, it is extremely difficult for a literary theory and review journal to be universally recognized and highly concerned by writers. A veteran old critic teased him humorously: "Jianfa, tell me how exactly you did it?" ”
The Face of Contemporary Chinese Writers: Searching for the Soul of Literature
Lin Jianfa and Xu Lianyuan are the editors-in-chief
Chunfeng Literature and Art Publishing House, 2003
Seven years ago, Teacher Jianfa fell ill. Watching his condition worsen little by little, everyone couldn't help but feel sad. However, every time he went to visit him, he had no intention of his illness, still did not forget the "original intention of literature", and his mind was still full of idealistic literary speculations. He is still as before, tenaciously conveying and exchanging literary messages in the way he can express them. After New Year's Day last year, he could no longer express his thoughts smoothly and clearly in words, and he could not type smoothly. His fingers on the keyboard were obviously not listening to the call, and his fingertips kept sliding on the keyboard, but he still worked hard again and again, tenaciously controlling his index finger, and intermittently typed the names of more than a dozen writers on the screen, such as Mo Yan, Jia Pingwo, Su Tong, Yu Hua, Ah Lai, Chi Zijian, Ge Fei, Mai Jia, Li Er, and Dong. It is hard to imagine that in such a state, he is still "arranging" and "instructing" me to carefully and re-do a "comprehensive" study of these contemporary classic writers. At this time, the people present almost invariably said: "Old Lin Tou, you really broke your heart for Chinese literature!" "Every time we meet, I always want to win his "golden laugh" by creating a "gimmick" or a funny "prank". Sure enough, it always works, and when he can't close his mouth, the hearts of his friends may be a little relieved. That time, Lian Ke, Lin Bai, Wang Yao, and several friends from Beijing and Suzhou came to Shenyang to visit Jianfa, and Tsinghua tried to make a joke like me to make Jianfa happy, but he did not succeed. For this reason, I was very proud of Professor Tsinghua once.
From the beginning of the previous summer to December last year, I accompanied the writer Jiang Zilong, the writer Su Su, the poet Ren Bai, Li Hao, Wang Xuesen and other friends to visit Brother Jianfa in Shenyang. At that time, although he could not speak, he could still sit in a wheelchair and could "communicate" or look at us for an hour or two. In Jianfa's study, there was always laughter and laughter. Today, such a scene will not be repeated, and it has become an unforgettable memory that we cherish. Shortly thereafter, the situation in Renko's affectionate, melancholy reading text emerged:
In June, I finally went to Shenyang with Zhang Xuexin, and at this time I could no longer go to their house to shake hands with Lin Jianfa and ask him what he wrote the answer on paper with a pen or pointed his finger out the glyph on the computer. He had been lying in the hospital for half a year without leaving that bed. That bed was his whole family, literature, and the world. The hospital was in the suburb of Shenyang, more than a dozen miles away from their home, and when he arrived at the hospital, he was lying on a bed under the window, his face was dry and thin but rosy, because he also had a very even breathing sound when he fell asleep. Xuexin and I stood by the bed, surrounded by the silence of the room. Lin Yuan told us that last night he told his father that we would come to see him today, and he would not sleep all night, and he would look at the door of the sick house all night with his eyes open, but at eight o'clock in the morning, he still fell asleep before he could wait for us. [1]
This description of Lankao is exactly what I experienced. We all believe that at this time, the construction method of not clearly expressing "heart matters" cannot be put down, and what cannot be put down is still the care of literature.
Yan Lianke
Three
Regarding the value of the magazine "Contemporary Writers Review" and its significance for the development of contemporary Chinese literature, many researchers have fully explained it as a research object. There are many doctoral students who also use it as a topic for their dissertations. As for the far-reaching influence of this theory and review magazine, it has long been obvious to all, from the early 1990s to the end of 2013, reaching its peak. In a certain sense, the Review of Contemporary Writers is undoubtedly a history of literary research, criticism and chronicle in the past forty years since the "new period" of contemporary Chinese literature. I dare not say to what extent Brother Jianfa has cultivated, shaped or led the growth and progress of many writers and critics, but his extremely insightful and penetrating literary ideas have indeed given many contemporary writers and critics extraordinary enlightening power.
It can be said that the extraordinary editorial thinking and rational path like Jianfa Brother are indeed unique in the editorial world. That is to say, no one must "dare to do this!" In this regard, Brother Jianfa can be described as "doing my own thing" and "obstinately going his own way." He is a writer's "research and review album", and he can publish more than a dozen articles in one issue, and the texts of different research perspectives, views and commentary styles are eclectic, gathered together, and reflect each other; and several articles of a critic can also be published at the same time in the same issue of the magazine, even if it is a wonderful long article of 90,000 words, he will not hesitate to publish it at once in dozens of pages. In the view of Jianfa Brother, for outstanding writers or critics, only by sparing no effort to help them, the contemporary literary world will continue to show vitality and vitality. Therefore, being a vigorous, energetic and backbone person and running a journal has always been the life creed, "narrative ethics" and code of conduct of Brother Jianfa. Whether it was when literature was very "lively" or in the period when literary research was relatively quiet, he continued to practice his literary concept and the concept of running a journal. No one can, in a name other than literature, power or money, wantonly shake his respect and love for this magazine.
Yes, if you think about it, apart from literature and this magazine, Brother Jianfa really doesn't seem to have any other "things to mind" than literature. For the magazine he loved and regarded as "eyes", he also "said to himself":
Since the 1990s, and especially since the 21st century, both literature and literary contexts have changed dramatically. This change is first and foremost the fact that literature is no longer at the center, the so-called marginalization. But this does not mean that literature disappears or even dies, on the contrary, literature has always grown in its own way, and excellent works have always been the basis for the development of a critical magazine. In such a context, how to deal with the new cultural order with a new way of running a journal is indeed a big problem. Another change is the rise and development of the market, and the impact of consumerist ideology on any magazine cannot be underestimated. I can't say I wasn't confused and hesitant, especially when disturbed by some human beings. However, I don't think I'm in a mess with my magazine colleagues. No matter how the personnel context has changed, the significance of literature, literary criticism, and the criticism magazine centered on it lies in transcending the troubles of reality, adhering to the ideal of literature, strictly criticizing the scale, and adhering to the position of reverence for words. If these aspects are controlled, the magazine will not go with the flow. It can be said that it is precisely in response to the new crisis that the Contemporary Writers Review has completed its historical transformation, inheriting the characteristics of the past and presenting more new styles, and my personal style of running a journal has gradually matured during this period. Just as there are many people who affirm me, there are inevitably others who disagree with my style of running a journal, and I don't think it matters. It is impossible for a magazine not to leave the personal imprint of its editor-in-chief, but more importantly, it has left traces of generations of observing and thinking about contemporary Chinese literature. [2]
"It is impossible for a magazine not to leave the personal imprint of the editor-in-chief, but more importantly, it has left the traces of generations of people observing and thinking about contemporary Chinese literature", this sentence indeed shows the most persistent belief and deeply respectful gesture in the heart of Brother Jianfa. In fact, in the long process of development of literary creation and literary criticism, how important and valuable is the "personal imprint". Most importantly, Brother Jianfa has always had his own literary philosophy and literary ethics that he has always adhered to. Although, in his adherence to his own literary ethics, he also encountered some unexpected difficulties, such as which writers and critics the Contemporary Writers Review chose as the focus of continuous attention, and which works only needed to make pertinent and encouraging evaluations. For some of the views discussed in the comments, when Brother Jianfa himself cannot agree, how to deal with them tolerantly? From a magazine perspective, which writer should organize an academic seminar? When writing and selecting novellas and short stories "annual selection" every year, how to weigh the characteristics and strengths of many texts? Also, how should some friends or even superior "supervisor leaders" recommend and arrange for publication that are not suitable for publication, how to deal with them euphemistically or "resolutely"? All of this is bound to inevitably offend and "hurt" some people and even very good friends to a large extent. I think that many of the "hearts" of the founding of the law are, in fact, in the process of chasing a literary dream, because of the confusion, thinking, entanglement, and hesitation encountered by the desire for perfection, in essence, it is also a question of how to adhere to it and how not to "compromise". Whether it is the flaws of a novel or the limitations of the criticism involved in an article, Jianfa will make a particularly prudent judgment. For he did not allow any immature or irrational ideas or ideas to emanate from this magazine. Of course, Jianfa has also lamented some "mistakes" or regrets about its own publications. I remember that on many occasions, he revealed more than once that he did not pay enough attention to some good writers, and did not make their albums in the magazine in time to discuss. He specifically mentioned writers like Zhu Wen, who said that he really could not forgive himself, and it was not until many years later that he realized the unique value of Zhu Wen's writing, which he said was a dereliction of duty as a literary editor. In fact, there are not many such "regrets about the lost pearls", and Jianfa's awe for the writing of all excellent writers is touching. Perhaps in the eyes of many people, there are so many good writers and good writers in contemporary times, even if you ignore one, what can you count? However, this kind of regret has become the heart of Brother Jianfa, and it will linger for such a long time. It can be said that, to a large extent, this also reflects the broad and broad literary aesthetic pattern of Jianfa Brother, the compatibility of ruggedness, ravines and differences in his chest, and his inner thoughts are subtle and turbulent. I know that what firmly supports Brother Jianfa's heart is the literary conscience he possesses.
Thoughts and Thoughts in the Age of Dialogue
Fudan University Press
2013
Four
For nearly a decade, I was commissioned by Brother Jianfa to serve as the deputy editor of the Contemporary Writers Review. In fact, I was always an extremely incompetent deputy editor. All along, except for sometimes when we plan columns and topics together in Shenyang or Dalian, Brother Jianfa rarely let me go to the printing plant with him - "go down to the factory" to proofread the manuscripts that are about to be completed. He said, "Just write your manuscript with all your heart." Only once, I went to a printing house with the writer Diao Dou and him, which allowed me to experience and feel the whole process of a magazine from planning and editing to finally being paid. For more than twenty years, between me and Brother Jianfa, one of the things that I remember most deeply and that made me "grumpy" was that the magazine had to do "Gefei Research Album" and "Li Er Research Album" that year. For these two writers who are good at "intellectual narratives", Brother Jianfa hopes that I can each write an article explaining their respective writing values and textual significance. Because these two articles were delivered at almost the same time, many details of the articles were expressed, and I wrote them a little frizzy and rough. After reading it, Brother Jianfa called from Shenyang and unceremoniously "reprimanded" me for half an hour, saying: "How do I feel that your two articles are full of alcohol?" Later, my sister-in-law told me that she listened to some content intermittently next to her and felt that it was too "fierce" to treat the other party, so she asked Brother Jianfa who he was talking to, and Brother Jianfa said fiercely: Zhang Xuexin. Now, looking back on this incident, I am always full of joy and happiness in my heart, because only those who really care, love and are responsible for you will treat you so sincerely and frankly.
Over the years, every time I went to Shenyang to see him, I did not tell my sister-in-law in advance when I arrived in Shenyang, but always called my sister-in-law after getting off the high-speed train and getting in the car that Fu Cai brother picked me up. In fact, I want to give Brother Jianfa a surprise. But as soon as Brother Jianfa learned that I was already on my way to the house, when I entered the house, I would see him sitting in a wheelchair, waiting at the door. Before he was admitted to the hospital late last year, we could have a difficult communication with each other with gestures, my speculative statements, and my sister-in-law's "translation." But, for nearly a year, every time I watched him lying quietly on his sickbed, sometimes, our eyes were on each other, and I didn't know what to say. Most of the time he closed his eyes and was unable to open them, only his eyelids fluttered slightly. But I firmly believe that my brother, who has spoken so much to me over the years, is having a mysterious exchange with each other at that moment, and this exchange has been completed in our minds. In fact, this is what we usually call "divine encounters."
My dear brother Jianfa, I really know your heart.
This paper is a phased result of the National Social Science Foundation project "Research on Cultural Consciousness and the Occurrence of Chinese Literary Writing in the New Century" (project approval number: 19BZW154).
The Magician of the Novel: A Close Reading of Contemporary Short Story Texts
Zhang Xuexin
Peking University Publishing Company
2020
concentrate
release
[1] Yan Lianke, "Sister-in-law and Jianfa", Yangzijiang Literary Review, No. 1, 2022.
[2] Lin Jianfa, editor-in-chief: 30 Years of Contemporary Writers' Review: Preface, Liaoning People's Publishing House, 2014.
Yangzijiang Literary Review, No. 1, 2022| Catalogue
Famous Editor Vision Lin Jianfa
Mo Yan | Brother Jianfa is all right
Jia Ping | Say Lin Jianfa
Yan Lianke | Sister-in-law and construction law
Chen Zhonghui | The meaning of Mo Yan - a tribute to Mr. Lin Jianfa
Chen Sihe | Bile liver to take care of the real brother - Lin Jianfa and his editorial style
Wang Yao | A personal imprint of a magazine
Zhang Xuexin | Brother Jianfa's "Heart"
Xie Youshun | I often think of Teacher Lin Jianfa
Famous triangular prism Yemi
Ye Mi | Look up
Chi Zijian | Miya Yemi
Li Denan | Mental Traces and Psychology in the Transition Period - Ye Mi Theory
Writer wide angle
Zhang Qinghua | The Question of Drama and Lyricism: The Two Dimensions of Fictional Narration
New Horizons in Literary History
Zhang Fugui | The Historical Evolution and Classical Understanding of New Chinese Poetry
Jingwen Dong | Apocalypse from Dust Settled
Chen Jun | On the subject field of chinese contemporary drama acceptance
Young Critics Forum
Fang Wei | The "excess" of language and the "supergram" of transformation anxiety- Reappraisal of "The Happy Life of poor Zhang Damin" also discusses the secularization of the 1990s
Wang Dongdong | The concept of yuan poetry in modern Chinese poetics
Writer's Work Theory
Liu Jun | Darkness, Local History, Realism/Symbolism: On Li Zishu's "Flowing Place"
West crossing | Intellectual Imagination in Gomeck's Poetry - One of Gomeck's Poetic Methodologies
Zang Qing | The Legacy of the Pioneers and the Cultivation of Style: On Bi Feiyu's Novel Creation
Literary scene
Li Jingze, Ah Lai and other | Ecology: Methods as Literature - Selected Speeches of the Forum on Ecological Literature and Natural Poetry
List of "20 Books/Departments of Literature in the Twentieth Decade of the New Century"