My era, 1979!

Chapter 138: Commentary on "Renri" and its Bestseller Status
On September 30, the Fourth Middle School successfully concluded its academic year.

The conference further affirmed the reform direction of the household responsibility system, promoted rural economic development, and demonstrated the determination of the central and local governments to promote rural system reform.

Its essence is a key policy focus on the "three rural issues" in the early stage of reform and opening up, which provides an important policy context and creative space for rural-themed literature to break through the constraints and return to realistic concerns.

Some works on the theme of rural reform benefited from the first wave of policy dividends.

The book "The Barn," which had already been used as an internal reference, became the first literary work to take the plunge, and it was full of savory stories.

On October 1, the People's Daily published a commentary entitled "Literature Should Illuminate the Times: The Spiritual Precursor of Rural Reform as Seen from 'The Granary'", affirming the status of "The Granary" in rural reform literature.

"At this crucial moment when the whole country is deeply studying and implementing the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee and striving to promote the modernization of agriculture, a literary work rooted in the rural areas of Anhui, 'The Granary,' has attracted widespread attention for its keen capture of the pulse of rural reform and its profound insight into the demands of farmers. This work, created by Xu Chengjun, a former educated youth from Fengyang, not only records the real scene on the eve of rural transformation with vivid literary strokes, but also echoes the core spirit of 'respecting farmers' wishes, protecting farmers' interests, and stimulating rural vitality' in the Fourth Plenary Session's 'Decision' with its foresight that transcends the times, becoming a vivid example of literature resonating with the times."

The value of *The Granary* lies in its departure from the narrative conventions of previous rural-themed literature, focusing instead on the most basic survival needs and aspirations for development on the Loess Plateau. In the work, Xu Laoshuan, the granary keeper, clutches a copper key engraved with "1958," having guarded the collective granary for twenty years, yet his walls are covered with tally marks indicating the amount of wheat that leaked out. Xu Chunsheng, a returned educated youth, brings news of land redistribution in Xiaogang Village, attempting to plant wheat that leaked from the granary on barren land. The struggle between "conservatism" and "seeking change" between father and son is a microcosm of the sentiments of millions of farmers on the eve of rural reform. These details are not fictional literary imaginings, but rather a true distillation of the author's experience and observation of rural production in Fengyang. When the Fourth Middle School clearly proposed...
The power of literature lies in its ability to penetrate the surface of an era and capture the inevitability of history. The value of *The Granary* lies not only in its record of the true face of rural life in 1979, but also in its conscious response to the ideological line of [the Party/government]. The work depicts Xu Chunsheng's experimental planting using scientific methods and Xu Laoshuan's transformation from granary guard to land redistribution.
This kind of creation, which closely links individual fate with the changes of the times, makes literature no longer an "ivory tower product" detached from reality, but a "spiritual bridge" that reflects and serves the times. Just as the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee emphasized, "we must go deep into the countryside and listen to the voices of farmers." "The Granary" is precisely a literary work that conveys the voices of farmers to the spotlight of the times.

Currently, the spring breeze of rural reform is sweeping across the land, from the Jianghuai Plain to the fertile fields of North China, where hundreds of millions of farmers are writing new hopes on the land, guided by this spirit. The creative practice of *The Granary* inspires us: excellent literary works should be rooted in reality, listen to the voice of the people, and become not only "recorders" of the times but also "pioneers" of reform. Let us use *The Granary* as a mirror to deeply understand the strategic significance of the Fourth Plenary Session's efforts to accelerate agricultural development, respect farmers' innovations, stimulate rural vitality, and ensure that literature resonates with reform and moves forward with the times, jointly contributing to the realization of agricultural modernization and the construction of a new socialist countryside!

Once the article was published, the many controversies surrounding "The Barn" in literary circles vanished.

In particular, the controversy surrounding the sensitive subject matter of "pig brains" that almost caused a stir in the literary world has disappeared.

What started as a apparent rejection of collectivization has now become a response to reform explorations.

A lecturer at Wuhan University suddenly felt dizzy.

A professor at Nanjing University vomited blood late at night.

The policy tone of the Fourth Plenary Session directly legitimized the subject matter of "The Granary".

The peasants' pursuit of autonomy in production in the work is not a denial of the collective, but a reasonable breakthrough of the rigid production model; Xu Laoshuan's setting up of the account book and trial planting are a literary portrayal of the pioneering spirit of peasants encouraged by the plenary session.

The People's Daily published an article further reinforcing this understanding, stating that "The Granary" speaks through the weight of wheat grains, demonstrating that the relations of production must adapt to the productive forces, and characterizing the work as a true record of the early stages of reform.

In short, it means the state is endorsing Xu Chengjun.

This literary work is good, I agree, who disagrees?
Who dares to object?

Xu Chengjun's literary status is rising further, and the seeds he planted upon arriving in Xujiatun are flourishing in this era.

Stepping to the beat of the times, every step resounds.

Without a doubt, "The Barn" became Xu Chengjun's representative work.

On October 2, Guangming Daily published a commentary stating that "Xu Chengjun's rural narratives, which accurately grasp the pulse of reform, fill the thematic gap in the transition from scar literature to reform literature."

On October 3, the Liberation Daily, which had previously published Xu Chengjun's essays, went a step further by publishing a commentary that, in a single sentence, elevated Xu Chengjun's future literary achievements to a new level.

"Later, when mentioning the early practice of reform literature in 1979, 'The Granary' and Jiang Zilong's 'The Appointment of Director Qiao' formed a pair of masterpieces of industrial reform, and Xu Chengjun has become a pioneer of reform literature."
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The closing of the plenary session and the fervor surrounding the "golden image" of "Granary" published by "People's Daily" acted like a strong east wind, instantly giving "Red Silk," which had just been published in the inaugural issue of "Qingming," a leap in dissemination momentum and value endorsement.

Its impact extends from market response to its literary standing, exhibiting a popularity curve that is completely different from that of ordinary new works!

We're taking advantage of the east wind!

This is similar to how a popular author's new work generates a lot of traffic. "Red Silk" already had both strength and popularity, and it also benefited from the momentum of "The Granary".

It became an instant hit across the country!

In the market.

"Red Silk" directly inherited the reader dividend brought by "The Granary" and the reading enthusiasm of an era of literary hunger.

The inaugural issue of "Qingming" had already attracted attention due to the conflicting preface, and then Xu Chengjun was hailed by "Liberation Daily" and Jiang Zilong as "pioneers of reform literature".

Newspapers from various regions joined in reprinting the article.

In the past few days, Qingming magazine has received several requests to reprint Hongchou magazine.

What's even more exciting is...

In Shanghai, Beijing, and other cities, the publications sold out as soon as they were released, forcing the editorial department to reprint them several times. There were even scenes of readers queuing up to buy them at newsstands on the street.

Many readers read "Red Silk" with the intention of "understanding another work by the author of 'The Barn'".

Extending the appreciation of rural reform narratives to the reading of war-themed works has unexpectedly garnered this novel, which originally focused on individual fates, far exceeding the attention given to similar works.

Dongfeng Middle School.

Xu Zhiguo was teaching a class when Sister Wu from the Education Bureau hurriedly pulled him outside: "It's terrible! Old Xu! Your son is furious!"

"Really?" Xu Zhiguo looked puzzled. "Let him be famous, what does it have to do with me?"

"Your son's artwork has been criticized by name in the People's Daily!"

Xu Zhiguo: "What the heck? Wasn't it already trending? Why is it being criticized now!"

Sister Wu slapped her mouth: "Look at my mouth! Too much criticism is no criticism at all! And when I get praised, I make quite a fuss! Now everyone's talking about your son's 'Red Silk' and 'The Granary,' he's really something!"

"What does that have to do with me? The class isn't over yet!"

Xu Zhiguo looked completely bewildered.

but!

He said it was okay, but the corners of his mouth were already slightly upturned.

Goodness, I can have a few drinks with Lao Liang tonight, and tell him the story of "The Barn" and "The Red Silk" as well.

"That's alright! The Evening News wants to interview you! They'll ask how you, as a principal and a parent, have nurtured such artistic talents for our country!"

"Hurry! Hurry! The reporters are waiting!"

"Hey, it's no big deal, I just need to use the restroom!"

Old Xu didn't go to the toilet. He hurriedly returned to his office, found a lard jar to rub his hair, and then rummaged through the cabinet to find his ironed Zhongshan suit.

When was the Zhongshan suit ironed?
Can Lao Xu tell you that he's always ready?

A series of changes in the literary world left Xu Chengjun dazzled.

Previously, some voices questioned whether "Red Silk" "emphasized human nature and was alienated from the mainstream of the times."

However, because it has only been published for a short time, it has not yet gained widespread attention across the country.

After "The Granary" was characterized as a "prelude to reform," critics quickly adjusted their perspective, viewing the two works as complementary aspects of Xu Chengjun's creative lineage.

The Guangming Daily commentary further interpreted that the entanglement of fate between Huang Siyuan and Chunyan in "Red Silk" is actually "a literary footnote to individual dignity in a great era," and together with the writing on collective change in "The Granary," it constitutes "a spiritual map of the early days of reform."

University researchers and seasoned commentators who had initially adopted a wait-and-see attitude began to write articles.

Their attitude was incredibly meticulous.

The editors of the Literary Gazette were quite amazed; they received hundreds of literary reviews of "Red Silk" in a single day.

Newbie?

Do not!
This is what you call a standard-bearer of reform!

Commentators explored its value from perspectives such as "the human warmth in historical narratives" and "the modern transformation of traditional metaphorical techniques."

This allowed "Red Silk" to quickly move beyond the evaluation category of "new author and new work" and directly enter the discussion sequence of "important practices in literature in the new era".

Upon seeing this, Xu Chengjun couldn't help but purse his lips; this analytical perspective still hadn't escaped the shackles of classical literature analysis.

I have so many designs and literary techniques!
The Japanese saw it, but you all can't see it, right? Pretend to be deaf and dumb!

However, the allocation of resources from the government and the publishing industry made the dissemination of "Red Silk" smoother.

The China Writers Association included it in the key sections of the "Reform Literature Symposium" and invited researchers to provide in-depth interpretations.

Top literary journals such as Harvest and October proactively contacted Xu Chengjun, offering to serialize the sequel to Red Silk or publish related creative discussions, breaking the previous evaluation cycle for new writers' works.

Qingming wanted to strike while the iron was hot and start editing the separate edition of Red Silk, including the preface of Mao Dun and the People's Daily's commentary on the granary, to strengthen its "imprint of the times" attribute.

Chairman Chen wasn't blinded by passion to some extent; given the current trend, a standalone book is bound to be released!
But you're releasing a standalone volume after only a week of release?

The current resource aggregation effect has enabled "Red Silk" to transform from a "journal work" to a "cultural phenomenon" within just half a month of its publication.

I'm furious!

In 1979, the average number of literary journals per person was less than 0.5 per year.

The inaugural issue of "Qingming" has already attracted attention due to the contradictions in the preface, and coupled with Xu Chengjun's reputation as a "twin pillars of workers and peasants," it has created a "phenomenal new work" effect.

In Shanghai, Beijing, and Hefei, Xinhua bookstores saw queues forming in the early hours of the morning to buy magazines, with some even experiencing shortages and widespread photocopying and circulation.

Chen Dengke couldn't stop smiling when he saw the sales figures for "Qingming"!
The number "130000 copies" on the report was circled three times in red pen, and there were still crumbs of steamed bun that he hadn't wiped clean that morning stuck to the corners.

The first print run of "Qingming" was 50,000 copies, with three additional print runs and an emergency order of 80,000 copies, covering Xinhua bookstores in 28 provinces and cities across the country.

Unprecedented in scale!

It has already far exceeded the expected 10 copies.

He suddenly slammed his hand on the table, and the report flew up with a "whoosh," only to be caught by Yan Zhen next to him.

The slap made the enamel mug on the table jump, spilling a few drops of the bulk liquor inside, which landed on the tablecloth, leaving a small wet stain.

"13! That's fucking 13!"

Chen Dengke's voice was louder than the kettle on the coal stove. "I told the printing factory before that 'I'd be so happy if it sold 100,000 copies,' but now, even printing three more copies isn't enough! The Shanghai Xinhua Bookstore just called and said that the readers queuing up this morning almost pushed the door panels down, and they need us to expedite the delivery of another 2,000 copies!"

Yan Zhen spread the report on the table, picked up an enamel mug and filled it with wine for Chen Dengke. The wine swayed and foamed: "Old Chen, don't forget, back then some people said, 'Xu Chengjun is too young, and 'Red Silk' can't live up to the inaugural issue.' But look at us now."
In Anhui alone, 2 copies were sold. In Fengyang, the supply and marketing cooperative even emptied its warehouse of sample copies, with locals wanting their children to benefit from Fengyang's "Wenquxing" (a type of ancient Chinese dictionary)!

Wang Yingqi, clutching the newly opened sample magazine, grinned from ear to ear. She pulled a bag of fruit candies she'd bought from the supply and marketing cooperative from her canvas bag and scattered them on the table: "The old man at the gatehouse downstairs just said..."
An elderly writer from the capital took the train to Hefei for a meeting. He queued for two hours just to get a copy of the inaugural issue with the preface by Mao Dun, saying, "Go back and tell my students that this is what makes a good thing in the new era!"
And our comrades from the Anhui Writers Association just delivered a banner, saying that our magazine *Qingming* "has brought honor to Anhui's literary scene!"

Everyone in the editorial department looked at Chen Dengke.

Chen Dengke coughed awkwardly and waved his hand.

Don't they know the relationship between the Writers' Association and the Federation of Literary and Art Circles?

So, you old bastard's pulling this stunt, huh?
As they were talking, the young people from the editorial department carried in an aluminum lunchbox containing braised pork that they had just brought back from the cafeteria, with oil still condensing on the inside of the lid.

"Editor-in-Chief Chen! Teacher Yan! Let's celebrate! This meat was an extra portion given by the cafeteria chef, who said, 'Let's benefit from the fame of 'Qingming' magazine!'"

Chen Dengke grabbed a piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth, oil dripping down his chin, but he didn't wipe it away. Pointing to the numbers on the report, he said to everyone, "You wait! We'll start printing the standalone edition of 'Red Silk' right away. With the current popularity, we won't have to worry about selling 20 copies! Then we'll invite Xu Chengjun to Hefei for a reader meet-and-greet, and let those people who say our 'small publication can't make a big splash' see what we're made of!"

Yan Zhen took a sip of his drink, then suddenly remembered something and pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his drawer: "By the way, a Japanese man named Fujii Shozo just called from Shanghai."
They said the University of Tokyo wanted to order 500 copies of the inaugural issue, and even mentioned wanting to translate a Japanese version of "Red Silk"—our publication is already being sold overseas?

The office fell silent instantly.

Everyone stared at each other, wide-eyed.

What the hell?
What are you going to do!
In 1979, the mainland was still in a relatively closed-off state.

In the 80s, if someone's work could travel overseas, it would be just like the Chinese national football team qualifying for the World Cup!

These words immediately caused an uproar in the office.

Everyone kept discussing the possibility of going to sea. Yan Zhen also looked very emotional. A young man who was not yet 21 years old had achieved the result of half a lifetime of hard work for his generation.

The future life is terrible!

The younger generation is terrifying!
Wang Yingqi was busy returning calls to bookstores in various places, while the young people gathered around the reports counting numbers. The kettle on the coal stove was steaming, making everyone's faces flush red.

Chen Dengke leaned back in his chair, watching the lively scene before him, clutching the glass of wine in his hand, and suddenly felt his eyes welling up with tears.

From the anxiety of preparing for the inaugural issue to the jubilation of its booming sales, everything has been even more exciting than he had anticipated.

"Jingle Bell--"

The phone on the table rang again. Wang Yingqi answered it and immediately exclaimed with a smile, "Editor-in-Chief Chen! It's a colleague from People's Literature in the capital calling. They want to arrange a discussion about the creation of 'Red Silk' and also want to reprint Mao Dun's preface!"

Chen Dengke jumped up, forgetting even to drink his wine: "Answer it! Answer it right away! Tell them that we'll have Xu Chengjun write the creative discussion properly, and we guarantee they'll be satisfied!"

After saying that, he realized something was wrong, "Take it slow! We're in a position of strength right now!"

So it goes like this.

The prospect of a standalone edition of "Red Silk" has given Chen Dengke even more confidence.

He picked up his pen and wrote a letter to Xu Chengjun about sales, standalone books, and translations.

On October 7, Xu Chengjun received a special reader's letter.

From the NJ Military Region.

The NJ Military Region serves as the forefront of military culture development in East China.

There is an urgent need for outstanding works that conform to the "two-for" direction to enrich the spiritual life of the troops.

The appearance of "Red Silk" perfectly fills this gap.

It is important to know that the NJ Military Region covers the core areas where "Red Silk" and "Granary" were disseminated, including Anhui, Shanghai, and Jiangsu. Its newspaper distribution network is closely linked with the local cultural system, enabling it to capture public opinion hotspots such as "the twin pillars of workers and peasants" and "pioneers of reform literature" in a timely manner.

Most importantly, many soldiers from the NJ Military Region also participated in the Laoshan Campaign.

Xu Chengjun opened the envelope brought by postman Lao Wang early in the morning.

To be honest, he's still not used to this way of communicating; it's really inefficient.

However, telephones only began to become widespread in China in the 1990s.

Prior to this, China's telephone penetration rate was extremely low; in 1978, it was only 0.38 telephones per 100 people.

In November 1982, China's first 11-line program-controlled telephone exchange system was launched in Fuzhou. In 1984, Shanghai Bell Telephone Equipment Manufacturing Co., Ltd. was established, which promoted the development of the telephone industry.

In the 90s, with social progress and economic development, landline telephones began to truly enter ordinary households and gradually become widespread.

Upon opening the envelope, the familiar red star came into view.

"(79) Zhengwen Letter No. 18"

Comrade Xu Chengjun:
Hello! Recently, the reviews and reports on your works "The Granary" and "Red Silk" published in newspapers such as *People's Daily* and *Liberation Daily* have generated a warm response among officers and soldiers in our military region. As a rising writer rooted in rural Anhui, with experiences as both a sent-down youth and a writer, you have captured the nascent pulse of rural reform in "The Granary" and depicted the brilliance of human nature in the interdependence between the military and civilians during wartime in "Red Silk"—this creative pursuit of "rooting in the land and reflecting on people's hearts" highly aligns with our army's fundamental principle of "serving the people" and provides a valuable model for the development of military literature and art in the new era.

Having scanned this far, Xu Chengjun roughly knew what the other party wanted to do.

But he undoubtedly had to agree.

Even if you don't get paid, you still have to do it.

(End of this chapter)