1978 Synthetic Writers

Chapter 290 Fortunately it is not "White Deer Plain"

After the two old gentlemen left, Jiang Xian was alone in the room, quietly reading the new novel he had composed in his mind.

If you are talking about China's "root-seeking literature", you absolutely cannot miss this novel.

If "One Hundred Years of Solitude" is a magical fusion of Latin America's century-long history into the novel, this novel is also a magical fusion of Chinese folk life. Every person and every scene contains profound philosophy.

The two novels have many similarities.

For example, in One Hundred Years of Solitude, the yellow flower is a symbol of decadence and death, and also a symbol of all disasters. When Colquiades drowned, his teeth were covered with tiny yellow flowers, and when José Arcadio Buendía died, the whole town was in an uproar, and everyone was drowned by the yellow flowers, and everyone was trapped outside.

Marquez uses this "yellow" color extensively in his novels.

In a similar way, the novel in Jiang Xian’s mind also uses the color “red”.

Why are they so similar?

In fact, to put it bluntly, the novel in his mind is essentially an imitation of "One Hundred Years of Solitude", but the imitation is quite exquisite.

This is also the truth of "root-seeking literature".

The so-called "root-seeking literature" actually means that domestic writers were deeply shocked and inspired after reading "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and they slapped their thighs.

"Fuck! Novels can be written like this!"

As a result, a group of writers began to imitate Marquez and his works of "One Hundred Years of Solitude".

This is the true appearance of "root-seeking literature" after it takes off its outer shell.

Jiang Xian was the first person in the world to propose the term "root-seeking literature", and he certainly understood what "root-seeking literature" was better than anyone else of this era.

They say it is "tracing their roots", but in fact they are still imitating the methods used in the West.

However, before imitating, it first uses a national packaging to more subtly express the emerging modern consciousness.

After all, ideology is sensitive at this moment.

Just say that we are learning from the West.

That's a joke on capitalism!

If you step on this kind of minefield, Lei Jun will drive Xiaomi su7 to kill you in a moment.

Therefore, "root-seeking literature" is not a return to traditional culture, but a search for a more favorable acceptance field for Western modern culture.

However, it is undeniable that this literary trend, like "scar literature" and "reflective literature", has limitations, but it is undeniable that it has promoted the development of Chinese literature and led to the birth of a large number of classic works.

Having said that, the novel "One Hundred Years of Solitude" is indeed great.

Even if it is imitated, it is enough to imitate some extremely excellent works.

This is the same reason why a large number of online novels were able to imitate "Fights Break Sphere" decades later.

Well, let’s just understand it this way for now.

Therefore, even though the novel in Jiang Xian's mind applies the models of Latin American literature, family narrative and magical realism, its extremely high artistic value and literary status cannot be denied.

This is a very popular novel not only in China but also around the world.

After returning, Xu Zhongyu showed Jiang Xian's article again to several colleagues. It can be said that it caused a huge uproar.

"Great! What a great root-seeking literature!"

"Wonderful! Wonderful!"

"You are so young, but you have such a unique understanding!"

"We are all just talkers, we can't compare to him who practices it!"

Xu Zhongyu still did not give up, and went to find Jiang Xian again, wanting him to join the Theoretical Research Society, but was rejected by Jiang Xian again.

Even Xu Zhongyu had some doubts about life.

Is our Theoretical Research Society such a despicable organization?

How come it's harder to invite someone like you, Jiang Xian, than to invite Zhuge Liang?

Having said that, the manuscript cannot be written in vain. Although the remuneration offered by "Literary Theory Research" is not much, Jiang Xian believes that he must get it.

"We will definitely calculate your remuneration according to the famous writer's standard of 10 yuan per thousand words, but your article does not have many words, so it will only be more than 20 yuan," said Xu Zhongyu.

Jiang Xian felt a little disgusted.

Just over 20 yuan is only half a month's salary for others.

Too little!
It’s not enough for him to have a meal at Quanjude.

However, when I think about it, if his article "Return to National Tradition, Return to Real Language" can be published in "Literary Theory Research", then there will be another figure like him in the field of literary theory in the future.

Apart from anything else, the fact that he "proposed root-seeking literature" is enough to be included in Baidu Encyclopedia.

"How about it, do you have any ideas for a new novel?" Xu Zhongyu asked with a smile.

He didn't have high expectations. After all, Jiang Xian's previous article, "Rock and Rock, Rock to Grandma's Bridge," was published not long ago. Writing is not like laying eggs, so it's impossible for a writer to write the next article so quickly.

"I have an idea and just wrote the beginning." Jiang Xian said.

"Well, think about it slowly and give yourself some time to organize your thoughts. Hmm? You have already written the beginning?" Xu Zhongyu looked at Jiang Xian in surprise.

"I just wrote a short paragraph, and I'm still thinking about it."

"What's it about?"

Xu Zhongyu asked him, "I am from Jiangsu. I have read your article "Grandma Bridge". I like the words you used. It is very interesting. I even doubt whether you are from Beijing. How can you write about Shanghai so realistically?"

"There are still many places that are relatively rough," Jiang Xian said modestly.

Xu Zhongyu didn't dwell on this question. "Will your next novel also be about Shanghai?"

"I won't write about the South this time. I'll write about the North this time."

Xu Zhongyu was surprised again after hearing this.

"You are still so young, how did you write about so many places? Some of these things can't be found in books."

"You can't read about it in the books, but I've been there before. I went to many places when I went to the countryside to work in the fields," Jiang Xian explained.

He was not afraid of Xu Zhongyu's suspicion because he had really been there.

In the early 70s, the original body and Mang Ke, also known as Jiang Shiwei, were sent to work in the Baiyangdian area. Unable to bear the loneliness, they hitchhiked on trains and traveled to many places together.

At that time, both of them had no money and could not even afford to eat. They were hungry every day, but when they saw a place, they would jump on the train and go there without any consideration for dowry money, mortgage, car loan and so on.

"Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles." Xu Zhongyu sighed, "Your experiences are the foundation of your writing. The height you have now did not come out of thin air."

"You're welcome."

"This is the truth."

Xu Zhongyu waved his hand, "Would you mind showing me the beginning of your work?"

“Can Literary Theory Research still publish novels?”

"We won't publish this." Xu Zhongyu smiled, "I'm just curious about how you will write this novel that follows the idea of ​​'root-seeking literature'."

Writing on a topic is difficult for anyone.

Writing requires wild imagination, but the propositional writing method of giving you a framework first and then asking you to write will limit this imagination.

Therefore, it is difficult for writers to write well on this topic.

This requires a strong textual background to burst out in a very small space.

However, this was not a difficult problem for Jiang Xian, and the system helped him solve this dilemma.

"I have unconsciously used the writing style of root-seeking literature before. Now that I am writing this, I don't have to grope my way around." Jiang Xian took out the manuscript of the novel that he had just written a few pages.

Xu Zhongyu leaned back on the sofa and concentrated on reading the beginning of Jiang Xian's novel.

Seeing this, Jiang Xian turned his head and went back to cook.

If there is one more mouth to feed at home, one more food coupon will be needed. However, Jiang Xian has stored a lot of food coupons. He had exchanged them for overseas remittance coupons and was given more than 3 tons of food coupons, which he has not used up yet.

Fortunately, the bank opened a green channel for him and allowed him to fill in the date himself, otherwise it would just be a pile of waste paper, with only some collection value left.

However, ordinary grain stamps have low collection value, most of them are only worth a few cents, and basically no one wants them. The more valuable ones are sample stamps, which will have two red Chinese characters written on the face of the stamp - "sample stamp", and paper packaging. Unless there is a big shot willing to show it on the treasure appraisal live broadcast, ordinary people will never see this kind of thing in their lifetime.

The rice was basically ready, and Jiang Xian simply cleaned it up and mixed it with mustard, which only took two or three minutes.

After finishing, he went over and called Xu Zhongyu.

"Teacher Xu, Teacher Xu, it's time to eat!"

Xu Zhongyu focused all his energy on the manuscript in front of him, completely immersed in the world of this novel. Jiang Xian had to call him several times before he came back to his senses.

He sat on the sofa in a daze, as if he had just woken up, and was indifferent to everything around him for a few seconds before his eyes became focused again.

"Good! Very good! Every word in your novel is very meaningful. This novel is really good."

"I've only written the beginning." Jiang Xian said with a chuckle.

"I know, but the life of this novel has already been revealed in these few pages."

When Xu Zhongyu said this, the expression on his face was excited but also solemn and determined, fully demonstrating his approval of the beginning of the novel.

"I can see that the writing style of this novel is very different from that of Grandma's Bridge. Your style has changed so quickly, which shows that you have a deep understanding of writing!"

As a professor of Chinese, Xu Zhongyu praised Jiang Xian's writing skills.

At this moment, he was even a little impatient and curious about the contents of the novel. After reading only a few pages, he was already immersed in the surging vitality.

The content revealed in the first few pages of Jiang Xian's novel made him feel as if he had caught a glimpse of a corner of an extremely magnificent imaginary world.

This feeling is somewhat similar to reading Mao Gong's novel "Midnight".

"Eat first, eat first."

The two men had a simple dinner together at Jiang Xian's home.

Spring in the capital is a good time to eat Chinese toon. Jiang Xian simply mixed it with tofu and has eaten it for several meals.

There is no need to worry about the food going bad, after all, they have a refrigerator at home which can keep the food fresh.

Xu Zhongyu ate absent-mindedly and kept chatting with Jiang Xian about the content of his novel.

After they had eaten their fill, he took out a few food coupons from his pocket and gave them to him. "Jiang Xian, I've had several meals at your house during this period. Keep these food coupons."

"Teacher Xu, what are you doing?"

Jiang Xian declined, "There's no need to add another pair of chopsticks."

"Take it."

Xu Zhongyu insisted, "Maybe I'll come back someday and take another look at your manuscript."

"."

Hearing Xu Zhongyu say this, Jiang Xian quickly put the food coupons into his pocket, wondering whether he should wait until Xu Zhongyu came before cooking for the next few days.

"How long do you plan to write this novel?" Xu Zhongyu asked.

"In my conception, it's at least a novella."

Hearing Jiang Xian's words, Xu Zhongyu sighed, "I will be returning to Shanghai in a few days, so I probably won't be able to see the finished manuscript of your novel."

As he spoke, he changed the subject.

"But I have a feeling that if your novel is published, it will be another masterpiece that will shock the entire literary world."

Xu Zhongyu has been engaged in literary work for so many years, and his professional qualities are no less than that of an old editor of a literary journal. In the past, when facing the author, he seldom spoke so confidently and praised a work to the utmost. What's more, Jiang Xian's novel has just had a beginning. It has only a phoenix head but a pig belly and a leopard tail. At best, Jiang Xian's novel has only a phoenix head.

But for Xu Zhongyu, on the one hand, the writing style displayed by Jiang Xian in "Grandma's Bridge" made him completely trust Jiang Xian, and on the other hand, he could hardly suppress his appreciation and admiration for this beginning.

When it comes to the subject of "root-seeking literature", Jiang Xian is like a skilled doctor, who controls the scalpel very precisely.

The beginning of this novel is similar to that of "One Hundred Years of Solitude", which combines fantasy and reality. However, while inheriting Marquez's ideas, Jiang Xian also made his own creations.

In the next few days, Jiang Xian continued to copy the representative work of "root-seeking literature" in his mind, a masterpiece of magical realism.

In fact, there is another novel that meets Jiang Xian’s requirements.

When he entered the command into the system, he was quite worried that the system would send this novel to him.
——"White Deer Plain"

Chen Zhongshi spent six years working hard, quit his job and stayed at home, unable to even pay for his children's tuition. He lived alone in a run-down courtyard and devoted himself to creating this masterpiece.

This novel completely drained Chen Zhongshi.

The beginning borrows the typical example from Marquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude": "Bai Jiaxuan later was proud of having married seven women in his life."

In the trend of "root-seeking literature", many Chinese writers imitated "One Hundred Years of Solitude", but in the end they only learned the famous beginning.

The writing style of "White Deer Plain" has truly penetrated into the bones and taken root in the traditional and historical soil of China.

However, Chen Zhongshi claimed that compared to "One Hundred Years of Solitude", he was more deeply influenced by another "roots-seeking" Latin American novel, "The Kingdom".

On this day, Jiang Xian was preparing his manuscript as usual when Ge You came to his house.

"Why are you here?"

"Something happened! Something big happened!" Ge You was in a panic, holding a magazine in his arms.

"What's the matter?" Jiang Xian was surprised.

Ge Yu didn't answer, but took out a magazine from his pocket and handed it to him.

"Brother Jiang, take a look at this."

"what?"

Jiang Xian looked puzzled and took a look:
Reader's Digest!

(End of this chapter)