Then: Dongyue Library

Author: Han Shao Gong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-03-01
Features: Homeland signifies our dedication—it is not the same as one’s birthplace. Only those who have labored hard and made sacrifices can truly own their homeland and understand the sentiment of the ancient saying, "A traveler laments his homeland"—whether this homeland is marked in one place or multiple places, in the motherland or abroad. Mr. Han Shao Gong once wrote in a titled "Voices of the Soul" about novels: "Novels merely signify a spiritual freedom, providing and protecting various possibilities for the spirit for modern people. Including novels, literature can bring people closer to the divine. That is all." Those without a homeland have nothing behind them. Han Shao Gong’s world of novels begins with seeking roots, creating a textual space that is complex and fantastical in human nature. For example, in his early award-winning novel "Westward Gazing at the" (Maocai Grassland), the author attempts to depict the complexity of life and the multifaceted nature of characters. When Han Shao Gong consecutively releases such masterpieces as "Returning Home," "Dad Dad," and "Woman Woman Woman," a mature writer stands before the readers. "Dad Dad" is a fable narrating the failed history of a tribe, a call for the lost paternity and masculinity, and simultaneously a curse on the "maternal nature." Humor permeates a sense of desolation. "Woman Woman Woman" is a call for natural human nature and an exploration of female spirit, a hair-raising journey for readers, a dual performance of the beautiful "woman" and the strange "beard." Critic Wu Liang remarked: "Han Shao Gong’s novels during this period are unparalleled in contemporary times; their value does not need to wait for future recognition. At the turn of the two centuries, Han Shao Gong’s novels perfectly express the intellectual dilemmas of the times; it stands alone with no support. Literary theorist Liu Zaifu then stated: 'I believe the fame of Bing Zai (the protagonist of "Dad Dad") will continue to grow. People will realize that Han Shao Gong discovered Bing Zai, an important artistic discovery. Han Shao Gong helped us discover human nature, discover ourselves.'" In the 1990s, Han Shao Gong moved from Hunan to Hainan Island. After enduring a series of storms, he emerged quietly and released his "fantasy self-narrative" novels, such as "The Death of a Leader," "A Thoughtful Smile," "Prophecy at North Gate," "The Red Apple Exception," "Shoe Addiction," and "Something Really Going to Happen." These novels roughly contain three types of stories: 1. Autobiographical memoirs; 2. Chaotic urban experiences; 3. A magical reenactment of the Cultural Revolution years. In this kind of writing, Han Shao Gong seems to have shed some of the ideals from his "root-seeking" period, beginning to experience memories, life, and the past with a more secularized emotion. Yet in the midst of his supernatural narration, there remains an ongoing struggle of a wise rationality. The language of his novels is effortless and natural, interspersed with a touch of irony, as if there is a profound enlightenment about the world. In novels like "Nosebleed" and "Embers," Han Shao Gong re-cuts time and space with fantasy, breaking through various barriers, allowing the past, present, and future to coexist, and enabling the dark and the light to permeate and transform. This fantasy has reached a level of obsession—the everyday reality has sunk and lost its way, like Zhuangzi’s dream of being a butterfly. As literature becomes increasingly marginalized, Han Shao Gong, in addition to his novel writing, has published a large number of thought-provoking essays, which have garnered significant attention—perhaps essays allow the author to express his thoughts more directly.