2006 China Xuanhuan Novel Annual Selection

Author: Huang Xiaoyang (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-01
Features: Currently, academia has yet to provide a definition for fantasy novels. Their connotations are constantly evolving, and it is an ongoing process. More and more novel elements are being incorporated into them by authors who believe "the bolder a person is, the more productive the land becomes." Metaphysics, mythology, martial arts, science fiction, fairy tales, romance, mystery, suspense, and horror are all being stir-fried, braised, stewed, simmered, and braised in the pot of fantasy. They are "highly addictive to read," "fully inspire readers' imagination," "possess a strong gaming spirit," and "disdain reality." Therefore, since 2003, fantasy novels have surged online in a frenzy. Many works have click rates ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions, even billions, and their prosperity has left the entire literary world in awe. It cannot be denied that over 99% of the works are extremely poor, especially the lengthy, million-word fantasy epics that are currently in vogue. Except for a few exceptions, their literary value is almost zero. However, due to the needs of this plasticized era; the needs of readers' voyeuristic desires; and the needs of publishers who have become economic animals, they swept the entire year of 2005. I won't name any specific works for critique here. I just want to say that even the work I personally admire and consider the pinnacle of Chinese fantasy, Dragon Raja of the Great Tang Dynasty, has numerous flaws. For example, Kou Zhong abandons his ambitions and gives up the world to follow Li Shimin as a mere errand boy after a single conversation with Xu Ziling. This abrupt ending not only contradicts the character's personality but also defies the grand scheme of the world and the logic of the text. Another example is the details: tobacco was introduced to China in the mid-Ming Dynasty, so how could it exist during the Sui and Tang periods? The Korean alphabet was born after the Tang Dynasty, so why would Jin Zhengzong's sails be inscribed with Korean characters? Can Shi Zhixuan fluently quote the sayings of Wang Yangming from the Ming Dynasty? Shi Qingxuan's medical skills are sometimes attributed to Shi Zhixuan and sometimes to her mother Bi Xiuxin.
Therefore, allow me to express my respect for Huacheng Publishing House. It remains clear-eyed about the false prosperity of fantasy novels, does not get swept up in the trend, and does not turn a deaf ear or pretend the phenomenon does not exist. Instead, it has decided to publish The 2006 Chinese Fantasy Novel Annual Selection, aiming to start with the short and medium fantasy works with the highest literary and artistic value, uncover the hidden gems beneath the bubble, and provide literary recognition for authors who may become fantasy masters but are currently unknown. It also aims to create a future platform for the emergence of true fantasy classics.