Eternal Sorrow: An Essay Collection

Author: Shao Yanxiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-01-01
Features: This book is one of the numerous anthologies of Chinese prose over the past fifty years, and no single anthology can claim to be definitive. The selection of anthologies ultimately belongs to the readers. As texts, anthologies are also a form of criticism, so the selection criteria may vary among different compilers, sometimes even appearing vastly different. This is not surprising. When evaluating works, our standards are: first, they must be literary, artistic, and aesthetic; second, only then should we consider their ideological tendencies and cultural connotations within specific forms. How one perceives and approaches freedom determines the fundamental quality of thought. Therefore, hegemonic and servile ideologies are the enemies of prose. As an anthology, it generally should possess a certain representativeness; however, readers may notice that many "masterpieces" included in textbooks are absent from this book. Regarding this, it is likely due to one of two reasons: either it violates the principle of historical authenticity or the principles of human rights and humanity. With the declassification of archives and the re-examination of history, those eulogistic works written during authoritarian, dark, and absurd eras, especially those by the "noble" ones, have every reason to be questioned first.