2005 Essays

Author: Han Zhongliang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Expert perspective, folk stance, authoritative selection, serving as an archive for the literature of the century. The earliest available annual essay anthology, published in Taiwan, edited by figures like Yu Guangzhong. In those days when access to Taiwanese literary journals was extremely difficult, these anthologies became my window to understanding the context of Taiwanese essays. Over time, connecting these anthologies in chronological order would form a history of the development of Taiwanese essays. This was my initial understanding of the significance of annual anthologies. Now, editing an annual essay anthology has become my annual task, and my understanding has shifted. The vast volume of published essays has made this work, akin to searching for a needle in the ocean, increasingly ( is a Chinese word, so it remains unchanged). It is precisely this that deconstructs the "historical value" of the anthology. Currently, there are at least ten annual essay anthologies in China. These ten anthologies, all claiming the title of " Best," feature different selections. Just as different people may arrive at different answers when faced with the same teaching question, the diverse answers leave us confused, unable to confirm which is "correct." The so-called " Best " does not actually exist, as it requires corroboration, much like a math problem—regardless of who performs the calculation, the outcome should be consistent. Beyond the hidden commercial motives, these vastly different anthologies reveal the essence of contemporary essays—mediocrity, triviality, the fragmentation of individuality, and a detachment from sensationalism.