Rivalries and Turmoil: A Glimpse into Modern Literary Feuds

Author: Tang Fuxiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: Although Zhou Yang's remarks were criticized by Ding Ling, who cited examples of cooperation between the "Lu Art Institute" and the "Cultural Resistance," in reality, the rivalry between Zhou Yang and Ding Ling had always existed. However, the unified ideology in Yan'an obscured these tensions. Additionally, the publication of Mao Zedong's "Talk at the Yan'an Forum on Literature and Art" and the large-scale Rectification Campaign further mitigated factional struggles in the literary world, either by suppressing them or by overshadowing them with mainstream sentiments. As a result, Zhou Yang and Ding Ling maintained a relatively friendly relationship during the Yan'an period, without any obvious or "irreconcilable" factional conflicts.
Firstly, from Zhou Yang's attitude toward Ding Ling personally, as well as his perspective on the "Cultural Association" and the "Cultural Resistance" she led, there were no direct conflicts between them. Zhou Yang did not deny or harshly criticize Ding Ling's work. In 1938, after Ding Ling and Shu Qun returned to Yan'an from the front lines to establish the monthly magazine Battlefield, they invited Zhou Yang to contribute. Zhou Yang generously complied, and his article "What I Hope for (Battlefield)" was published in the inaugural issue on March 20, 1938. He expressed great hope for the magazine: "I am filled with inexpressible hopes for its publication."
Another example is from 1940, when Zhou Yang wrote to Lao She. He largely affirmed the work of the "Cultural Association," stating: "Without flattery, I should say: in the past year and a half, the Cultural Association has achieved considerable success. In uniting national writers, advancing wartime literature, particularly the movement for popular literature, and in expanding international publicity." At the time, although Zhou Yang himself was also a leader of the "Cultural Association," Ding Ling had already taken charge of it when Zhou Yang wrote to Lao She.
Regarding the "Lu Art Institute," Ding Ling was not hostile toward it. She had lectured there and used the stage to inspire students to go to the front lines, to the masses, and to the new anti-Japanese struggle. The writer Kang Zhu, for instance, was further strengthened in his literary path under her encouragement. When Ding Ling was in charge of the literary supplement of The People's Daily, she claimed to have welcomed renowned writers from the "Lu Art Institute," showing no petty biases. She also welcomed Zhou Yang's articles, most of which were published in The People's Daily.
She treated young writers equally as well. "In my summary of the first hundred issues, I mentioned discovering over thirty young writers, and more than half of them may have been students of the Lu Art Institute." "The editorial team of the literary column or I personally had no small circles, no favoritism toward certain works or discrimination against others." Zhou Yang clearly trusted Ding Ling in her role as editor of the literary supplement of The People's Daily. He often submitted his own articles to her and sometimes even gave her the works of his students personally. For example, the article "The Factory Manager Chases Pigs Away" by Zhou Yang's student, published in The People's Daily on October 13, 1941, was personally handed over by Zhou Yang to Ding Ling.
In private interactions, their relationship seemed quite amicable. Ding Ling mentioned that Zhou Yang was one of the two elderly figures she had known since her arrival in Yan'an during the "Left League" era—the other was Zhou Wen. According to Chen Ming's recollection, their relationship remained cordial during the Yan'an period. Once, while the three of them were strolling by the lake, Zhou Yang accidentally fell into the water. Ding Ling and Chen Ming rescued him, and everyone laughed heartily, the sound of laughter filling the air.