Book collection

Author: Wang Xiaodong (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: The WenCong (Literary Anthology) edited by Jin Yi and Ba Jin faithfully records the true face of Chinese society before and during the War of Resistance, the living realities of the people, and the indomitable spirit of intellectuals striving forward. The words written amidst the flames, stained with blood and fire, continue to scorch and move the hearts of readers today, allowing you to feel the weight of life, the significance of freedom, and the power of hope in a great era. Ba Jin and Jin Yi were truly the best partners in the history of modern literary editing: Jin Yi was a natural-born editor, diligent, bold, capable, and took on the main editing responsibilities. Ba Jin, a renowned writer with greater literary prestige than Jin Yi, did not engage in specific editing tasks but actively participated with constructive opinions and dared to take responsibility at critical moments. Jin Yi always respected Ba Jin's opinions and never felt unbalanced due to doing more work while having less prestige than Ba Jin. From their editing styles, we can see that they neither followed market trends blindly nor indulged in the fervent calls of left-wing literature driven by righteous impulses. They raised only one banner—pure literary and humanistic forces. This is the tradition pioneered by the May Fourth New Culture Movement, and its influence can also be seen in the style of the literary heavyweight Harvest magazine in contemporary literary history. Building upon the past and opening the way forward, this is what I mean by the mainstream of literary creation represented by these three journals in the history of literature.