Essence of a Hundred Years of Chinese Fiction

Author: Liu Xuyuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: This book selects a total of thirty-six works. Compared to a grand topic like "A Hundred Years of Fiction," this can only be considered a medium-sized or small anthology. Given this, why did some writers choose two or even three works, yet still fail to make space for more writers? The author believes that this selection method better reflects the highest level of fiction creation in the past century; we are not merely showcasing the ranks of writers. Only one writer, Lu Xun, is included with three works. In fact, apart from these three, his other works like "Kong Yiji," "Fengzhuang," "At the Tavern," "Shangshi," "Divorce," and "Brothers" are all rare gems of fiction from this century. The three selected represent his unique writing styles: "The True Story of Ah Q" with its almost abstract, profound irony, and "The Solitary" with its cold, melancholic sentimentality, both differing yet reflecting different aspects of Lu Xun as a whole person. "The Forged Sword" is his most outstanding historical fiction. Additionally, two works each are included from Shen Congwen, Lao She, Eileen Chang, Sun Li, Lu Wenfu, Bai Xianyong, and Wang Zengqi. The weight of these writers in modern and contemporary Chinese fiction is undeniable, and they also perfectly embody the unique charm of "Chinese fiction." Originally, Lin Jinlan and Gao Xiaosheng were planned for two works each, but due to space constraints, Lin Jinlan's "Shengxin" from the 1960s and Gao Xiaosheng's "The Owner of the Sieve" from his early comeback period were removed from the proofs. Now, the author still feels some regret about it.