Xia Zhiqing Preface and Postscript

Author: Wang Jiaju
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: Xia Zhicheng, born on February 2, 1921, in Wu County, Jiangsu Province. Before going to the United States in 1947, he studied at Peking University. He then pursued his studies in English at Yale University and obtained his Ph.D. in 1951. From 1952 to 1954, he conducted research at Yale, where he began his work on the history of modern Chinese literature. He has taught at Peking University, Michigan State University, State University of New York, and the University of Pittsburgh. Since 1969, he has been a professor of Chinese at the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at Columbia University. He retired in 1991 and was appointed an honorary professor. With two English works, Xia Zhicheng has secured an irreplaceable position in Western Sinology. These two books are "A History of Modern Chinese Fiction," which first gave literary status to figures such as Qian Zhongshu, Eileen Chang, and Shen Congwen, and "Studies in Chinese Classical Fiction," which examines the tradition of vernacular Chinese fiction with a unique perspective. Xia Zhicheng is known for his straightforward speaking style. It is said that when he got married at one of New York's finest hotels, he excitedly told his friends how wonderful the place was and then blurted out, "I have to come back here for my next wedding." Wang Dong, who married him that day, nearly fainted. Fortunately, she is still Xia's wife today. Xia Zhicheng dedicated his life to the study of literary history but opposed instilling literary criticism and history into primary and secondary school students. Instead, he advocated letting children read the recognized masterpieces of both Eastern and Western literature out of interest. Young people have their own ideas, and those authorities and experts are adults. If you allow your imagination and judgment to be constrained by the opinions of these adults, you will fail to cultivate a genuine love for literature. Some of Xia Zhicheng's arguments have had a significant impact in China.