Membrane and Suspicion — The Century-Long Dispute Between Hu Feng and Yao Xueyin

Author: Wu Yongping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: This book begins with the circumstances, confusion, and struggles of literary theorist Hu Feng during the preparation of the Second Literary Congress in 1949, leading to the historical "case" of novelist Yao Xueyin being labeled a "Nationalist spy" on the eve of liberation. It then narrates the decades-long open and hidden rivalry between Hu and Yao from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. The author, using extensive materials, outlines the intertwined, entangled, and clashing fates of these two "arrowhead" figures in the literary world, fully disclosing the "purge" movement led by Hu Feng and others during the rectification campaign in the occupied areas during the later stages of the War of Resistance, and its unintended harm to some progressive writers.
This book starts with the circumstances, confusion, and struggles of literary theorist Hu Feng during the preparation of the Second Literary Congress in 1949, leading to the historical "case" of novelist Yao Xueyin being labeled a "Nationalist spy" on the eve of liberation. It then narrates the decades-long open and hidden rivalry between Hu and Yao from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. The author, using extensive materials, outlines the intertwined, entangled, and clashing fates of these two "arrowhead" figures in the literary world, fully disclosing the "purge" movement led by Hu Feng and others during the rectification campaign in the occupied areas during the later stages of the War of Resistance, and its unintended harm to some progressive writers.
Some chapters of this book were previously published in various newspapers and magazines and gained widespread attention due to their little-known materials and the new conclusions drawn from them. For example, after Li Shenzhi's death, Li Pu once mentioned in a commemorative article that the two of them discussed one of Yongping's articles: "I don't remember which newspaper (it was probably Yanhua Chunqiu) recently disclosed that during the War of Resistance, Hu Feng, in Chongqing, led his group of friends to criticize Yao Xueyin. I also read that article. Shenzhi said that disclosing this matter was important, as it would help us better understand Hu Feng. I said that it seems Hu Feng was quite 'left-wing' and had a strong sense of sectarianism. He agreed." (Commemorating Shenzhi) Of course, there are also views that differ from Yongping's. This is perfectly normal. If a debate were to be sparked by this, it could help the academic community reach a new level of understanding of this period of history. I haven't dedicated much effort to the field Yongping has explored, so I have little to say about specific issues. Here, I would like to discuss Yongping's research methods and characteristics.