Shen Hongfei · Laughing at the Performance

Author: Shen Hongfei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-04-01
Features: Shen Hongfei is one of the emerging columnists currently active in China's newspapers and magazines. The culinary and literary style he advocates has become a prominent feature in the media landscape today. Critics have remarked, "Shen Hongfei himself, along with his skillfully provocative column writing, as well as his fusion of food, fashion, and popular discourse, has created a new approach." This book is Shen Hongfei's latest collection of essays and prose. It not only focuses on 'food' but also extends its pen to 'men and women,' blending subtlety, elegance, and a cool, witty humor.
As for how others read Shen Hongfei, I don’t know. For me, I read it as serious literature, gaining something from every piece. While scholars may offer critiques filled with bitterness and acidity, they often resemble second-rate jokes—chewing on them for a long time without fully understanding or laughing. Comrade Xiaobao said Shen Hongfei doesn’t write about grand events but about love and romance, and that’s only half right.
When Lu Xun spoke of Dream of the Red Chamber, he said, "Philosophers read it as obscenity, revolutionaries see it as an anti-Manchu uprising." When I read Shen Hongfei, I focus on how he weaves (wind and clouds) from his pen, yet turns them into discussions of (love and romance), managing to remain composed and undisturbed.
One piece, titled Fear of Hometown, offers a sharp critique of the so-called 'patriotism' jargon, with precise and profound meaning. Such examples of conveying great ideas in subtle words are abundant in his recent essays.