Devil training

Author: Xi Hong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-03-01
Features: Xi Hong, in my impression, is a gentle and refined intellectual, completely unrelated to the image of a large wolf with a long tongue and a satisfied expression. Yet, it is he who named himself "Happy Wolf" and used it as the brand name for his collected works. The stark contrast greatly piqued my interest in his collection. A man who dares to poke fun at himself—what wouldn’t he dare to satirize in his works filled with dark humor! Indeed, the three-volume collection left me thoroughly delighted. In the 1990s, Xi Hong, unlike his reserved and heavy-handed style in the 1980s when he wrote Beyond Class and The Wisdom of the Third Party, used his sharp thinking, broad knowledge, and profound insights to casually mock society, life, politics, and history. In The Ills of the Gentleman and Escaping the Restraining Clothes, Xi Hong satirizes human nature; in The New White-Haired Girl and the "Border Series," he mocks history; in the long works Absolute Seizure and The Desire Mask, Xi Hong's satire grows bolder, creating several international jokes. Topics like triangular debts, game theory, anti-fraud heroes, and shareholding systems—all trendy subjects—become his targets for satire. He never misses a chance to poke fun at things, yet Xi Hong is not passively negating everything. Through his works, we can feel the depth of his humanistic spirit beneath the Chinese-style humor and absurdity, which not only carries a strong critical force but also reflects a profound humanistic spirit. No matter how his style changes, Xi Hong remains as dedicated and actively engaged in social and life issues as ever. His fierce critique of the rigid formats imposed by society is a central theme in his works. In his writing, the unspoken illnesses of the upright and noble unexpectedly fuel the thriving industry of manipulation, while the liberation movement of innocent girls leads to radical reforms in repressive institutions. The blind worship of the powerful by ordinary people pleases certain spiritual mentors, and the humanization of dogs turns them into wolves. This style makes Xi Hong’s works not only powerful in political critique but also deeply rooted in humanistic spirit.