Some opinions from Wang Meng
1. About the loss of humanism
I once questioned if we (the Chinese people) ever really possessed humanism. If we did, what was it? Did we possess it in the era of the planned economy? So how can we lose it if we never possessed it? From the 1950s to 1970s when popular literature was still in its infancy, did we embrace true humanism? I'm against a unitary concept of humanistic values.
2. About "elite" writings
Literary works are being tested by the market, which is very different from the past (thirty years ago). There are still many serious works earning success in the market, such as Han Shaogong's Dictionary of Maqiao and Zhang Chengzhi's novels. I don't think we have to criticize or attack popular arts and literature in order to clear a broader space for more serious or "elite" works. We must, however, regulate popular culture, especially the Internet. But we have to take the "non-elite" into account. "Elite works" bring fame and popular works win the market and fans. They are like the two sides of the same coin, like Pavarotti and Elvis Presley.
3. About the Nobel Prize in Literature
China is eager to be recognized by the world. That's why the Chinese people nursed a grudge over the fact that no Chinese writers won the Nobel Prize in Literature for decades.
The Prize is not a standard in literature. Instead of criticizing the evaluation standard, I would rather we focused on improving literary awards in China. I think we should have an official Chinese language literature award acknowledged by the world. That could become part of China's "soft power."
4. About writers' ethics
I don't think it's possible to have all writers sharing the same sense of social responsibility. We can't expect everyone to be Leo Tolstoy or Lu Xun. Moreover, every writer lives in his time. It's groundless to criticize the works of some writers born after the 1980s and 1990s as lacking social responsibility. I don't agree with the opinion that writers are the society's banner or moral tutor. Is Cao Xueqin the banner of literature in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)? What about Li Bai and the poetry of the Tang Dynasty (618-907)? There should be a great variety of literature in China, from both a "lofty" perspective and a common point of view.
5. About the Beijing Olympics
The successful holding of Beijing Olympics proved China was getting stronger. Our cultural anxiety is being replaced by confidence in our culture development and harmony. The welcome given to foreign guests and the tolerance towards Chinese athletes' failures both showed that China is becoming more mature. Doubtless, 30 years of reform and opening-up laid a solid basis for the Beijing Olympic Games. In the past three decades of China's modernization drive, one of the problems we faced was how to make the world understand China. I hoped the Games would be an opportunity to display the country to the world.
(China.org.cn by Huang Shan, December 11, 2008)
