Writer 1978: I Need to Give the Literary World a Lesson

Chapter 306 Magical Realism Officially Enters China
After receiving the news in Hubei Province, Xu Chi happily took out his English draft and shared it with Yao Xueyin, and also sent a congratulatory telegram to Liu Yimin.

The vast readership was eager to know what "The Green Book" was about, and People's Literature timely revealed in the newspaper that they were about to publish the novel, immediately securing the November sales.

Various newspapers wanted to interview Liu Yimin, but he refused all of them except for the China Youth Daily.

Liu Fuqing, who was far away in Maiji Brigade, also learned through the newspaper that Liu Yimin had won a literary award in the United States.

After rural land was contracted out to individuals, the enthusiasm of brigade and team cadres for reading newspapers has declined significantly.

People are no longer interested in reading newspapers for new political ideas or movements; instead, they are focused on making a living from their own land.

The older generation no longer reads newspapers, but Li Lanyong, as a member of the new generation, has taken up the newspaper again, enjoying reading for the latest policies.

Li Lanyong saw the news in the newspaper, ran to the Liu family, and happily told Liu Fuqing.

Liu Fuqing puffed on his pipe and grinned, "These American devils do have some discerning eyes. They know Yimin writes well. I thought all the American devils were blind!"

“Uncle Fuqing, we’re not called American devils anymore. Our two countries have made peace,” Li Lanyong said.

"Hey, the Japanese are the Japanese, how could they turn good? I've never seen a tiger that doesn't eat people. Even if it doesn't eat, it'll still be staring at you with its eyes open. But, as the old folks say, these imperialists are just paper tigers, not scary at all!"

Liu Fuqing held up his pipe, exuding an air of authority.

Although Liu Fuqing's words were extremely vulgar, Li Lanyong listened carefully and found them to be very reasonable.

We used to have such a good relationship with an ingrate, and yet we still got bitten by him. How much more so with an American.

"Uncle, you're quite the politician!" Li Lanyong squatted down and praised him with a smile.

Liu Fuqing was pleased by the praise, took a puff of his cigarette, and continued, "You guys are just too young. We may not know many words, but we've experienced a lot. Even two friends have good times and bad times, let alone a country. People like your father and I, who have been friends since childhood and never fallen out, are extremely rare!"

"Yimin and I are good brothers!"

"You two brothers, keep up the good work. One of you is in the village, and the other is out there. Don't worry, I support you. Yimin told me that what you're doing is good for the brigade!"

When Liu Fuqing talked about his second son, Yimin, he couldn't hide his joy.

Li Lanyong said, "Thank you!"

“Simply supporting you won’t do any good. You still need to join the brigade’s two committees. If you’re not a brigade leader, no one will listen to you. I have to talk to your dad and at least get you into the brigade, either as an accountant or to take over his concurrent position as a squad leader!”

At Yenching University, Liu Yimin was sitting in his office drinking tea when Yan Jiayan walked in, placed a newspaper in front of him, and asked with a half-smile, "Why don't you thank Yenching University?"

"Oh dear, let me see, Professor Yan, the reporter must have omitted something," Liu Yimin quickly said.

Yan Jiayan was clearly a little skeptical: "Really?"

"Definitely is!"

Yan Jiayan didn't want to say too much about this matter, after all, Liu Yimin winning a foreign literary award was something to be happy about.

"I'll have the school newspaper publish a press release, and you can say a few words in response."

Seeing Liu Yimin nod, Yan Jiayan happily pulled up a stool and sat down next to Liu Yimin: "Tell me, what exactly is written?"

Upon hearing this, several professors immediately gathered around, with Professor Wang Yao even picking up her notebook to take notes.

Liu Yimin smiled and began to explain to everyone. He had explained it more than once, and the students had asked about it during class.

After finishing his explanation, Yan Jiayan asked, "Didn't they say when they would go to collect the award?"

"The judging committee sent a telegram, preparing to hold the awards ceremony on December 20th."

“Okay, I’ll give you a vacation then, go and bring back a foreign award for the Chinese department. Would you like to visit some American schools while you’re at it? I’m sure American universities will be very curious about you!” Yan Jiayan said.

"Let nature take its course!" Liu Yimin said.

"Haha, our Chinese department is planning to send some young teachers to study in the United States. Do you want to go?" Yan Jiayan asked again.

These were all retired professors who didn't need to study abroad, so Yan Jiayan spoke directly in his office.

"I don't want to go, Professor Yan. I just got married, and you're going to make us live apart?" Liu Yimin chuckled and joked. Teachers usually go abroad as visiting scholars; the duration of their studies varies, but they don't receive a degree.

"Everyone else wants to go, but you don't?" Wu Zuxiang asked with a smile.

"I don't want to be an outsider in mainstream society!"

"Hahaha!"

Wang Yao teased from the side, "Xiao Yan, aren't you afraid that Yimin will go out and never come back?"

"Yi Min won't do it; he can't bring himself to give up everything in the country!"

After Yan Jiayan finished speaking, he stopped talking about the matter with Liu Yimin.

Because Liu Yimin won the foreign literature prize, research on foreign literature prizes in China has begun to increase.

In late October, news once again swept through the Chinese literary world: the Nobel Prize in Literature had been announced, and this year's winner was Latin American writer Gabriel García Márquez for his novel *One Hundred Years of Solitude*.

For a time, people with access to foreign news channels wanted to study the book and see what it contained.

As a result, magical realism, represented by "One Hundred Years of Solitude," began to enter China, and the country began to conduct extensive research on what magical realism is.

The Chinese Department at Peking University was buzzing with excitement, because professors led by Yan Jiayan and Yang Hui had already begun studying magical realism in "One Hundred Years of Solitude."

Liu Yimin had already taught magical realism to everyone in class.

Professors from the Chinese Department of Peking University began frequently publishing articles on magical realism in major newspapers and magazines. For a time, discussions on magical realism by the Chinese Department of Yenching University became the mainstream academic discussion.

Other universities and literary circles can only follow Yenching University's Chinese Department in discussions about magical realism.

The professors of the Chinese Department at Yenching University were all beaming with pride. This was what it meant to be the best department in the world.

The school newspaper also published a news article titled "Ducks Know First When the Spring River Warms," ​​which introduced Yenching University as the first university to offer a course on modern foreign literary thought, taught by Associate Professor Liu Yimin.

Associate Professor Liu Yimin proposed the literary creation concept of magical realism as early as last year.
Jiang Zilong, Lu Yao, Xu Chi, and others also wrote letters to inquire about how to interpret magical realism.

I don't know which newspaper published an article specifically titled "A Comparison of the O. Henry Short Story Prize and the Nobel Prize in Literature: How Far is Liu Yimin from the Nobel Prize in Literature?"

Liu Yimin threw the newspaper away after seeing the name, but Zhu Lin picked it up and read it with great interest, laughing heartily from time to time.

Judging from the current momentum of the discussion in China, the pirated version of "One Hundred Years of Solitude" that made Márquez furious will soon become popular all over the country.

China has entered an era where everyone talks about magical realism.

"Teacher Liu, what do you think of America?"

"What? Want to come to America with me?"

Zhu Lin lay on the sofa, swinging his legs, and said, "Let me think about it. There are actually many things to do at the Beijing People's Art Theatre!"

Because of the award, Cao Yu saw the potential of adapting "Green Book" into a stage play and asked Liu Yimin to adapt the script.

Cao Yu's reasoning was that the biting satire and criticism could give people insight into the real America.

Let everyone know that America is not "beautiful," or at least not that "beautiful."

Liu Yimin thought about it and felt that Cao Yu's words made a lot of sense, and it was necessary to let everyone know. The current social trend is to go abroad, and people have a very positive view of America.

It is estimated that the publication of "The Green Book" in "People's Literature" will shatter many people's expectations.

Nowadays, in Yenching University classrooms, when teachers and professors tell students about the various shortcomings of the United States, some students even refute them on the spot, believing that the teachers are old-fashioned and prejudiced, and that this is a kind of political propaganda.

There wasn't much Liu Yimin could do, but after Cao Yu brought it up, Liu Yimin agreed.

On November 1st, People's Literature was officially released. Readers lined up outside the bookstore early in the morning, eager to see why the Green Book had won an award from foreigners.

This issue of "People's Literature and Art" had an initial print run of 800,000 copies, and they are still printing, planning to print up to one million copies to see how the market reacts.

(End of this chapter)