21st Century Chinese Literature Series - 2002 Online Writing

Author: Chen Sihe, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-04-01
Features: My interest in how the art of prose can break through has existed for several years. I believe that the concept of "prose" is somewhat similar to that of poetry—it is both a very difficult genre to define and a very difficult genre to standardize in rhetorical terms. For example, when we read some novels, poems, or even dramatic works that are not formally standardized in their artistic expression, we often refer to them as "prose-like," such as "prose-like novels" or "prose-like poems." This shows that prose has a very broad scope; it can permeate various genres and play a role in subverting rigidly established artistic forms. As a result, strict formal norms are revitalized through dilution, dissolution, and subversion, giving rise to new artistic vitality. So, is there a kind of prose that can be called "prose-like"?