Wandering Through the Wilderness: An Account of Observing Chinese Literature in the 1990s

Author: Li Xinyu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: There is an old Chinese saying: "Illness comes like a mountain collapsing, but leaves like drawing silk." In the 20th century, humanity fell ill, and the body of civilization grew a malignant tumor. Even after the tumor was removed, it could not guarantee a swift recovery. As we welcome a new century, the sky of human civilization has not turned blue due to the so-called end of history; instead, various dark clouds of evil continue to swirl, making us feel fear. While we celebrate the farewell from the old century, its ghost lingers closely upon our backs.
This book is a collection of the author's observations and reflections on the literary world, a personal record of the Chinese literary scene at the turn of the century. It covers a series of literary events, phenomena, creative trends, aesthetic currents, as well as representative writers and works from the 1990s. In the face of these phenomena, the author conducts in-depth macro or micro examinations, records the facts of the time, and writes down his own feelings and insights. Thus, it not only provides a glimpse of literary life during that era but also allows readers to see a marginal scholar contemplating the literary world from the perspective of an observer.
As a notebook, this book avoids abstract theories and logical arguments. Its writing is straightforward, its viewpoints clear, and its language concise. It is suitable for literary researchers as a reference and also for young students and general readers.