Generation Z Artists

Chapter 125 Overseas Publication?

The General Administration of Press and Publication held its second meeting because of Fang Xinghe.

Of the seven members, two had their heads down, two were looking at the sky, and the remaining three were repeating the same old thing over and over.

This is just so incredibly frustrating.

According to China's "Regulations on Publishing Administration" and other laws and regulations, some content is explicitly prohibited from publication, such as content that endangers national security, undermines social stability, or disseminates obscene information. In such cases, not only should it be banned domestically, but the authors should also be held accountable if it is published overseas.

However, "Cang Ye Xue" doesn't fit any of the criteria, so it was already a bit of a stretch when it was banned. Now, so many overseas publishers are coming to us, and many of them are national-level publishers. What are we going to do?

I agree. It feels like I'm contradicting myself; it's embarrassing.

If I disagree, the pressure is just too great.

"How about... we talk to Xiao Fang again?"

Someone came up with a bad idea, which was immediately questioned.

"What should we talk to him about? Who should do the talking? What if we can't get through to him?"

"What if we don't want to talk? Should we just unblock them?"

"Nonsense! How can a collective decision be treated so lightly?"

"Then just tell those publishers that 'Cang Ye Xue' doesn't meet the requirements for overseas publication. It's that simple!"

"Then wait for comrades from the cultural and diplomatic departments to come and inquire about the situation?"

"We have our own work standards."

"Good, good, good. You have principles. When the leaders of the General Administration come to you with a copy of 'Azure Night Snow' and politely ask you where you violated the rules, I hope you can tell them with great principle: It's baseless!"

The deputy directors ranked lower were arguing fiercely, while the director remained silent.

Several people who initially strongly supported banning "Cang Ye Xue" still disagree with opening up overseas publication.

They felt bad seeing Fang Xinghe become famous.

So nothing was accomplished at the meeting that day, except for one resolution—to ask Sister Yi to have a talk with him.

Teacher Yi Ning called Fang Xinghe.

"Xiao Fang, what is your attitude towards 'Cang Ye Xue'? The General Administration is in a difficult position."

“It’s nothing. I support the General Administration’s decision, so no matter which publisher comes to me, I will say the same thing—Cang Ye Xue does not meet the conditions for overseas publication at the moment.”

"You little rascal!" Teacher Yi said with a laugh, "What I'm asking you now is your own attitude."

"Well... to be honest, I didn't really want 'Azure Night Snow' to be published overseas. I've said that myself. But the publishers in Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan talked to me about many things, which made me hesitate..."

"Oh? What did you guys talk about? Would you mind telling me?"

"There's nothing I can't say to others, so there's nothing inconvenient about it."

Fang Xinghe then explained the general process to her.

The representative from Thailand was initially shocked, meaning: Our place is a million times darker than yours, and many things are out in the open, but no one is particularly talented enough to write about this overwhelming beauty of despair.

Mr. Fang, why do you have such concerns?

Publishers in Southeast Asia generally did not understand Fang Xinghe's idea, thinking it was making a mountain out of a molehill.

"really."

Teacher Yi smiled and said, "If you've ever been there to gather material, you'll know that they have many big problems there, such as warlord conflicts, smuggling, regime change, and serious crimes. The corruption and darkness of their bureaucratic system is much more severe than ours. They won't consider the country a breeding ground for chaos just because of what you've written."

On the contrary, they might think it's too trivial, or even that the worst aspects of our country are like paradise.

Therefore, I judge that your book may not have much impact on the local population—I mean the vast rural towns and border areas outside of cities in Southeast Asia.

This is a book suitable for urban youth; only teenagers living in the stable environment of the city can truly empathize with that kind of pain.

Fang Xinghe felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this.

Teacher Yi spoke lightly, but it actually contained extremely profound cruelty.

In warlord-controlled areas, teenagers at the age of 15 may have already carried guns for seven or eight years, personally executed enemies, and had their relatives beheaded by the enemy.

In the Golden Triangle region, some people may have been reduced to a pile of rotten flesh by drugs, while others may have hosted thousands of guests, or they may be starving and waiting for a bountiful harvest of poppies to bring them a reward of seven or eight hundred yuan.

In "Cang Ye Xue," a mere case involving strong alkali caused by a rich second-generation heir, which he went through so much trouble to the point of life and death, might be seen by them as a kind of "fragility" that is worth laughing at.

"What about Mr. Kadokawa? He's a very good persuader. How did he talk to you?"

Kadokawa Tsutohiko held Fang Xinghe in extremely high esteem and respect.

Yes, respectful, the word was not misused.

In this era, Japan absolutely looks down on China, with a much larger economy, a more developed society, advanced technology, and is also a major exporter of culture.

However, Kadokawa Tsutohiko demonstrated a respect that went beyond the norm.

"Mr. Fang, we've admired each other for a long time, and I'm a loyal fan of yours!"

Fang Xinghe found the first sentence outrageous.

So he asked directly, "I've only been famous for less than a year. When did you first learn about me?"

Kadokawa's answer surprised him greatly: "In the educational discussions after 'New Concept English,' several friends in China talked to me about your reflections on education. Because we also have similar reflections, we can empathize with you. That was the first time I heard Fang Sang's name."

Fang Xinghe went a step further: "So, are you aware that I am a staunch revengeist and an anti-Japanese element?"

"Yes I know."

What Kadokawa said next surprised Fang Xinghe even more.

"But this is not an obstacle to us becoming friends. I am just a cultural businessman and have absolutely no interest in political issues. Your stance does not determine my attitude towards you. The only thing that can determine this is your ability and personal charm."

In fact, I greatly admire your toughness and domineering presence, which is precisely what our generation of young Japanese people lacks most.

Furthermore, I love your writing so much—it's so concise, so beautiful, and so penetrating…

Kadokawa spoke at length, but it was all flattery.

However, the fact that he was actually emitting a green light, indicating that he was a mid-level fan, shocked Fang Xinghe more than anything else.

Is this little idiot's obsequious worship of the strong truly ingrained in his bones?
However, through his narration, Fang Xinghe realized something—

My own language system, which has a certain modern internet style, seems to be particularly able to hit the G-spot of Japanese people.

"Yes."

Kadokawa replied, "Even if it is written in the original Chinese text without translation, it is not difficult to read, and one can feel a kind of beauty that touches the soul through its simplicity."

understood.

The concise and fluent writing style that uses only common characters, the organic combination of long and short sentences, the restraint in not using rhetoric indiscriminately, and the imaginative and sarcastic witty remarks are all favorites of the Japanese, who are only half-baked users of Chinese characters.

What a coincidence!
It can be said that even disregarding the content, Fang Xinghe is the most suitable Chinese writer for today's neon society, judging solely by his writing style.

If, 30 years from now, Japan's literary market has been long influenced by the otaku culture and internet slang of light novels, it will lose the freshness and impact it has now.

And if we consider the content... then it becomes even more outrageous.

"Fang-san, I'm certain that 'Azure Night Snow' will create a sales miracle in Japan!" Kadokawa's attitude was extremely enthusiastic, and his eyes were truly shining.

But Fang Xinghe remained calm and unmoved, asking in return, "Reason?"

"Everything, everything!"

Kadokawa, unusually, started waving his arms.

"The deathly still snow, the graceful dance, the grand performance and farewell, the wildly handsome male protagonist with his outward beauty and deep-seated vulnerability, the heavy sorrow of extreme madness and utter helplessness..."

"Fang-san, you'll cause a sensation throughout Japanese society! You definitely will!"

"And then?" Fang Xinghe asked dismissively. "Where can't I earn that kind of money?"

"Then you will have a group of absolutely loyal fans!"

Kadokawa's next few words completely moved Fang Xinghe.

"Fang-san, I know you very well, and I know the Yamato people even better."

Our national characteristic is an absolute worship of true strength, a kind of fanatical worship that runs deep in our bones.

And you are undoubtedly a true powerhouse. You just haven't been discovered by Japanese society yet. Once you debut in Japan in any way, you will cause a sensation!
Many people will hate you; they despise and fear your anti-Japanese sentiments. But many more will love you and see you as a worthy lord to whom they can serve!
You don't care about the royalties, but don't you dream of building an empire in the cultural sphere? Not in your own country, but in Japan!
As a leader of a cultural resistance strategy, wouldn't it be a meaningful and positive thing if you could conquer a large territory in Japan and guide your Japanese fans to reflect on the mistakes of the past?
Believe me, Fang-san, you have everything you need to become a sensation in Japan. All you need now is an operator. I can't fully manage your management affairs, but in the field of literature and animation, I will be your best partner..."

Fang Xinghe replied, "I need to think about it some more. 'Cang Ye Xue' is a banned book in China, and publishing it overseas is a very serious matter."

"I understand."

Kadokawa gave a knowing smile that was rather annoying, then happily took his leave: "I'll put pressure on your country's publishing houses."

Fang Xinghe disliked him for this very reason—he was too much of a China expert.

In the international internet world of later generations, Japanese people have a terrifyingly synchronized characteristic—more than 90% of them are extremely knowledgeable about China, regardless of whether they admire or hate China.

Other countries often misunderstand or even misjudge us. They never dare to speak on a certain matter without having thoroughly researched the relevant information.

What kind of mentality does this reflect?
When we are powerful, they admire us, worship us, and study us with fervor.

When we decline, this worship immediately turns into covetousness, from politeness one second to bloodthirsty craving the next.

Fang Xinghe wasn't afraid of being constantly thought about by such a neighbor, but he did feel very uncomfortable.

Hmm, I really want to slap him.

So, should we agree to the Japanese publication of "Azure Night Snow" and then translate "My Young Self" into Japanese after it becomes a hit?

It contains the article "Culture War," which is the speech about the 366-day massacre in Tokyo, as well as other scattered texts that are extremely unfriendly to Japan.

The former gains fans, the latter makes enemies. My Japanese fans, you can tremble under the weight of societal pressure...

The bad seed found it extremely interesting and couldn't help but tell Teacher Yi about it.

"Hahaha!"

The aunt laughed uncontrollably, repeatedly saying, "You, you!"

"So you're starting to waver now regarding the overseas publication of 'Azure Night Snow'?"

"Yes, that's right." Fang Xinghe admitted frankly, "My initial considerations were not comprehensive. Mainly, I didn't understand the situation in Southeast Asia and East Asia, and I completely confused them with the Western world, which I was afraid would have a negative impact on the country."

"She has a particularly good heart."

After affirming her point, Teacher Yi offered some constructive advice: "But you are indeed overthinking it."

Even if it is published in the Western world, it is not a big deal. The dark side of human nature is common in all countries, and political corruption in some regions is not a phenomenon unique to China.

Where are there no wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice?
The West dares to write and film, so there's no reason why we have to sing their praises.

Praise is necessary, but so is criticism. The higher-ups are quite open-minded about this. As long as the stance is correct and the bias is not skewed, even if the writing is dark and profound, its positive value outweighs the negative.

As for Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia... Actually, from the perspective of our senior management at Guangdong University of Technology, we would be very happy to see a young literary idol like you try to break into their markets.

Of course, there are dissenting voices, but they are not the mainstream.

The achievements of those in the cultural sector should ultimately be reported from the perspective of cultural self-reliance. If they can achieve more than just self-reliance, but also expand overseas, then they will have even greater significance and value for united front work...

Especially now, we are in a honeymoon period with the whole world. Such a good opportunity has only come a few times in the past few decades, and it would be a pity to waste it.

I've gone into a bit more depth; I don't know if you can understand it.

"oh, I understand now."

Fang Xinghe wasn't just going through the motions; he had genuinely figured it out.

"Publishing 'Cang Ye Xue' in the Western world is still unnecessary and of little value; I estimate its influence will not be significant."

But Japan and South Korea are different. They might genuinely like it, and it would be too naive not to seize such enormous influence right in front of them.

Now let's see what the General Administration says.

"Okay!" Teacher Yi said with a smile of relief, "I'll go and pass on your message right away."

The General Administration of Customs ultimately hesitated to release two sets.

"Sister Yi, could you please reiterate our stance? The violation of 'Cang Ye Xue' is not serious. Its overseas publication is his own business, and he should be the one to make the decision..."

"I have no say in your affairs. Moving you here is already more than enough; you can discuss the rest yourselves."

"Ugh!"

The leaders of the General Administration sighed and started the meeting again.

Ultimately, no resolution was reached. Instead, Fang Xinghe was given an assurance through an intermediary: "You can publish overseas as you please. We certainly won't pursue the matter. Let's just keep it to ourselves."

Seeing that they were backing down, Gou Fang immediately pressed on, saying, "That won't do. What if they come after us later?"

The leader, pinching his nose, replied, "When the General Administration conducts its year-end summary and commendations at the end of this year, you'll definitely get a share!"

"Okay, all set!"

Fang Xinghe nodded happily and went to handle overseas publishing matters.

Currently, "Cang Ye Xue" remains a banned book in China, but it is largely ignored within the cultural publishing and promotion system.

They never mentioned the book itself, and any praise or criticism they gave was directed at Fang Xinghe himself, as if he had never written the book at all.

Those whistleblowers, especially the hard-to-guard reporters, actually asked the State Administration of Press and Publication what was going on.

The spokesperson appeared to be in a state of amnesia—What? What snow? Snow in the sky? Does our country even have this book?
A world where everyone is happy, but those who are vulnerable to being disgusted by the world's stench, is thus formed.

Starting in late May, both "The Snow in the Night" and "My Youth" were included in the publishing plans of all Southeast Asian countries and Japan and South Korea, mobilizing the most elite translators from many countries, with publishers in Japan and South Korea paying the most attention.

When did the South Korean publishers arrive?
Fang Xinghe didn't know either.

He didn't even personally receive them. No matter what kind of crappy chaebol's subordinate publishing institution you are, it doesn't matter to me.

That's why capitalist society is known for producing dogs who will turn a blind eye to insults.
The other party didn't utter a single word, and remained smiling throughout, showing no arrogance whatsoever.

The reason is simple—your brother Fang is now a top-tier celebrity poised for explosive popularity in South Korea.

　You can probably guess why it's getting later every day; just get through the spring and autumn seasons in Northeast China.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)