Critical Views on Literature: Sun Shaozhen's Perspective

Author: Sun Shaozhen
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-01-01
Features: From an impassioned poet to a profound and wise scholar, from the initial construction of a macro-system (such as "New Aesthetic Principles," "Variation Theory," "Displacement Theory," etc.) to today's meticulous refinement of micro-components (such as "Thus Spake," "Picking on the Literary World," etc.), every step of Sun Shaozhen has been one of creation. "Picking on the Literary World" is a micro-sculpture among the "miniature carvings" he has produced over the past decade in his dedication to building a theoretical edifice. The book is divided into two parts: "Picking on the Literary World" and "Exploring the Literary Garden." Whether "picking" or "exploring," it all reflects the author's deep understanding of the mysteries of art and his profound sympathy for artistic creativity. It is precisely this deep sympathy for artistic creativity that allows the author to challenge authority and pick on the literary world. For example, in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Lu Xun described Zhuge Liang as "brilliant yet almostlike." However, Sun Shaozhen did not limit himself to Lu Xun's assessment but instead provided a realistic analysis of Luo Guanzhong's reasons for portraying Zhuge Liang as "exceptionally intelligent": "In the military triangle, the author also arranged a psychological triangle. The importance of psychological victory was often placed above military victory, and sometimes even above life. Zhuge Liang's superhuman wisdom was a driving force in the plot and character development." This analysis is both profound and unique, defending Luo Guanzhong's artistic creativity. From Lu Xun to contemporary celebrated writers, and then back to ancient classics, he consistently voices his "doubts in the unquestioned." Here, there is no biting sarcasm, no condescending mockery, no pretense of being cool—only a deep sympathy for artistic creativity. For instance, in his critique of White Deer Plain, amidst the chorus of voices calling it an "epic" and a "masterpiece," Sun Shaozhen remained lucid in pointing out the "confusion between cultural value and artistic value" and noted Chen Zhongzai's "awkwardness" or even "mediocrity" in basic language skills. What is technique? What is art? What is non-art? In Sun Shaozhen's mind, these distinctions are very clear and not easily deceived. Because he has devoted his life to exploring the mysteries of art. The case that best exemplifies his "deep sympathy for artistic creativity" is his defense of Yu Qiu. After coldly observing one after another farce, after the heavyweight critics in Beijing and Shanghai repeatedly fell silent, and after carefully reading every essay by Yu Qiu, he wrote three articles in a row, highlighting Yu Qiu's groundbreaking contributions to the art of the essay. For Yu Qiu, and for contemporary Chinese prose, he spoke the sincere voice that a critic should. Especially at a time when "the masses can melt gold, and accumulated slander can destroy bones," such a voice is particularly precious. Without Sun Shaozhen's "self-revelation," it would take considerable effort to summarize, refine, and abstract his critical methods. Now, in the Preface to Picking on the Literary World, Sun Shaozhen "guides the needle," revealing the methods he used while refining these "miniature carvings." Compared to various "isms" and "theories," Sun Shaozhen's methods seem unglamorous and outdated. What is rare is his attitude toward these methods—he does not blindly copy, swallow whole, or play with abstract concepts. Instead, he combines them with China's classic literary works for interpretation and verification. For example, in The Poetry of Xu Zhimo and the Arranged Marriages of Modern Writers, he uses the combination of "proof and refutation" to argue the pros and cons of "free love" and "arranged marriages," concluding that "there is nothing perfect in the world; arranged marriages have long been painfully criticized by humanity, while free love, taken to extremes, may lead to freedom without love." What deserves praise is the "reduction method" with a distinct Sun Shaozhen flavor. Using this method, he provides profound analyses of Li Bai's Early Departure from Baidi Town, Bai Juyi's Song of Everlasting Sorrow, and Wu Jingzi's Fan Jin's Success in the Imperial Examination, arriving at fresh conclusions and proposing the basic requirements for appreciating art: to shift from passivity to activity, not only to skillfully extract scientific and rational feelings from the senses and logic of art but also to recognize the value of human emotions expressed through this logic and sensibility. It must be emphasized that the "picking" in "Picking on the Literary World" does not mean "nitpicking" but rather the author, with his solid theoretical background, deep artistic cultivation, and rich aesthetic experience, pointing out the "flaws" in works once regarded as "classics." The purpose is not to shock with sensational claims but to correct imperfect works as a true connoisseur of art. The fundamental motivation remains a deep sympathy for artistic creativity.
Looking back at our literary world and critical circles, what is lacking is "fairness," "tolerance," and "open-mindedness," and there are few genuine voices. At the slightest provocation, they resort to "harsh critiques," as if without being "harsh" a critique is not "profound." Some say the 20th century was the century of the "end of literary criticism." With such "critics" around, not only will literary criticism come to an end, but literary creation will too. Because as soon as a "tale of the horse" appears, a horde of "appreciators of the horse" will swarm to it, either "killing with praise" or "killing with blame." The soul of criticism is "passion"—with passion, the soul of criticism lives; without passion, it dies. Yet our literary world is nearly "zero-degree," and some critiques, no matter how "enthusiastic" they may appear, cannot hide their underlying coldness. When our critics truly understand and sympathize with artistic creation, when they deeply admire and respect artists, then our literary criticism will flourish.