October Collection　Purple Volume　Prose

Author: Xie Mian, et al. (Editor-in-Chief)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not Available
Features: October was ahead of the intellectual liberation trend and the artistic liberation trend of its time. If October had only surpassed its era in intellectual insight without corresponding rich and innovative artistic expression, it would eventually lose its readers. Looking back now, among the works that garnered widespread attention, there were indeed flaws such as crude artistry or overly direct expression. "A work that lacks refinement will not endure." Those crudely crafted works, even if they caused a sensation for a time, would not last. The works published in October and praised by critics not only record the depth of thought achieved in an era but also the precision of its artistry. One or two works first sent an "absolute signal" of artistic reform in theater creation and performance, depicting the decline, hesitation, and pursuit of young people facing adversity, as well as the solitary traveler who set out on foot from the station. Another work pioneered innovative narrative techniques in fiction, where the protagonist's 30 years of rise and fall transformed into a butterfly's dream. But in the end, the author said, "No matter how high you fly, it comes from the earth and must return to it. Whether human or butterfly, both are children of the earth." These works document the path of literature in an era, condensing its entire hardship and glory. Perhaps all this explains the significance and value of publishing the October classic collection today. Chinese literary journals, at the dawn of the new century, are facing severe challenges. Film and television screens and leisure publications have claimed most of the spare time of people leading busy lives, making it difficult for pure literature to engage those with little leisure to savor refined artistic works. Moreover, market operations and media influence have driven away a significant number of readers. In terms of creation, economic factors, temptation, and the motivations of following the crowd have caused some writers to lose patience and perseverance. "To write for the times and for the world" is a value that has been met with indifference or even ridicule by some writers. The trend of literary fashion has spread like a rapidly growing contagion, and a considerable number of literary works are tragically. This is a severe test. Yet amid the difficulties, the banner of October still flies high, and its circulation remains among the top original literary journals in China. What allows October to persistently win such favor from readers? Where lies its secret of success? This is the motivation behind our idea of publishing a classic series. This series includes the finest works published by October from its founding in 1978 to the year 2000. Our goal is to remind people to cherish the efforts we have made. Reflecting on the hardships we once faced and the joy that came after overcoming them, our work has brought people shock—because these works reflect concern for social life and the human heart, and literature has become a symbol of hope and pursuit. Literature has its own tradition, built upon the accumulated experience and extension of creative labor by countless writers, poets, literary critics, and literary editors. This lineage will not be broken.