Bao Huolao Essays · Autumn Volume 2004 (2004)

Author: Han Zhongliang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: The 1990s brought us a great gift in the form of daily life. This dispersed the topic of essays. Experience becomes increasingly difficult to repeat, thus reducing the coverage of essays. No single writer can encompass all experiences, and as narratives grow more localized and detailed, the so-called truth grows farther from us. Essays fulfill the function of a microscope rather than a telescope, meaning that the more refined and accurate the writing technique, the more ambiguous and blurred the image of the world becomes. However, this is a blessing rather than a curse for essays. Exquisite and delicate perceptions are connected to inner truth, thereby reducing the risk of narrative techniques. Facts that may not resonate with others can exist authentically in the writer’s mind. Meanwhile, truths intended for everyone may face stubborn resistance. There is indeed a mutual refinement and selection between writing and reading. Therefore, good essays sometimes resemble secret codes between kindred spirits—confusing to outsiders but understood by those who share the same values, finding their "organization."