History of Contemporary Chinese Literary Theory and Criticism: Mainland China, 1949-1989

Author: Gu Yuanqing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-12-01
Features: Writing about contemporary Chinese history is difficult, and writing the history of contemporary Chinese literature is even harder. The history of contemporary Chinese literary theory and criticism is the hardest of all, the hardest to write. Mr. Gu Yuanqing seems to have deliberately taken on a challenge against history. He has stubbornly chosen to do something the hardest to accomplish. The massive book presented before me now is the result of his determination and over a decade of relentless effort.
Contemporary Chinese history is turbulent and ever-changing, making it hard to grasp. What makes it even more challenging is that the subjects of discussion are all still alive, and no matter how one presents them, they are bound to attract controversy. As for contemporary literature, its situation is even more difficult and subtle, primarily because politics has tied it too tightly. To study the history of contemporary literature, one must extensively engage with politics and ideology. If one discusses literature without addressing politics, the discussion becomes unclear. Some people like to talk about "pure literature," but they actually don't understand the historical realities of contemporary Chinese literature. In our context, literature has never been "pure." Before studying literature, we must first clarify the political landscape, then understand the relationship between politics and literature, and only then can we focus on literature itself. You can imagine how troublesome it is to write such a literary history!
The book includes chapters such as: Alienation of Literary Debates under Political Suppression, A Flourishing Aesthetic Field, Emergence Amidst Deinstitutionalization, Novel Criticism Based on Realism, Poetry Criticism Enveloped in Odes and Battle Songs, Moving Beyond Confusion, Continuous Expansion and Choice, and a Diverse World of Novel Theory and Criticism.