Lin Chaoyang knew very well that Lu Yao's so-called "mountain that is difficult to read" should be the last book he left to the world, "The Ordinary World", which is a million words long and can be regarded as a masterpiece.

Lin Chaoyang knew better that writing this novel with Lu Yao's talent was not a problem. What Lu Yao needed now was more encouragement.

He smiled and said: "The mountain is right there. If you go there, you can climb over it."

Lu Yao was slightly startled when he heard this, and then he looked thoughtful. After a moment, he nodded heavily, "You are right, the mountain is right there."

Although Lin Chaoyang's words were simple, they contained the determination and courage of "Even if there are thousands of people, I will go there." Lu Yao couldn't help but feel confident in his heart that he would give up on others.

"Chaoyang, I will definitely write this book."

Lin Chaoyang patted him on the shoulder, "Come on!"

The next morning, the National Rural Theme Novel Creation Symposium was officially held in the banquet hall of Taoyuan Hotel. The layout of the venue was no different from a normal symposium, except that the scale was a bit larger.

This symposium brought together dozens of young writers from all over the country, as well as some editors and critics.

Zhang Guangnian, the leader of the Literary and Art Association, presided over the meeting. He first gave a high-sounding speech, and then invited the participating writers to speak.

Most of the writers who came this time were young and middle-aged, and Wang Meng was considered to be the older one among them. At the same time, he also served as the editor-in-chief of "People's Literature". Zhang Guangnian invited him to be the first to speak.

Wang Meng has always been tactful in his words and deeds. When he talked about his knowledge and understanding of "rural theme" novels, his words were all dialectical and flawless.

Listening to his speech, some young writers present looked disdainful.

In this era, the cultural circles advocated emancipation of the mind and direct expression of one's opinions. In their view, Wang Meng's speech was undoubtedly an attempt to have both sides.

After Wang Meng finished his speech, it was Tang Yin's turn to speak. The topics he talked about were both political and literary, and many writers from other provinces didn't feel too cold about it.

This is also a normal situation when Yanjing writers communicate with writers from other provinces in this era. Perhaps because they are in the capital, Yanjing writers will always put themselves under political propositions intentionally or unintentionally, swinging "left and right"

, occasionally mixed with some insider information on current affairs, but not enough.

In this way, the communication between the two parties seems to be separated by a layer of barrier, making it difficult to have a heart-to-heart relationship.

Perhaps he sensed the boredom of some writers from other provinces. Zhang Guangnian did not speak immediately after Tang Yin finished his speech. Instead, his eyes roamed around the nearby writers and finally landed on a figure fishing in troubled waters.

"There has been a very hot topic in our literary circles recently, which is Comrade Chaoyang's new work. He happens to be here today, so why not let him share his creative experience with everyone."

Lin Chaoyang was wandering in the sky when he suddenly heard Zhang Guangnian call his name. He couldn't help but give Zhang Guangnian a look: We agreed that we would only have a meeting and not talk.

Zhang Guangnian gave him an encouraging look in return.

When his name was called, Lin Chaoyang had no choice but to bite the bullet and organize his words.

"Just now, Comrade Wang Meng and Comrade Tang Yin explained their knowledge and understanding of rural-themed novels from their respective perspectives, and they spoke relatively objectively.

Comrade Guangnian asked me to share my experience in this area. I am ashamed to say that I was unprepared.

But since it is a sharing, there is no need to demand completeness and perfection. I will just share some of my experiences during the creative process for your reference."

Lin Chaoyang's attitude was very humble, but no one present would despise his speech.

In the eyes of these peers, Lin Chaoyang's skills have always been at the leading level in the Chinese literary world. While maintaining high-quality output, he has also ensured very high efficiency.

It has only been a few years since his debut, but his masterpieces are already more than the entire creations of some of the people here.

"Today we are talking about the creation of novels with rural themes. I was born in the countryside. I stayed in the countryside until I was twenty years old before moving to the city.

I dare to say that I am a rural person, but I dare not say that I understand the countryside.

Why?

On the one hand, it is because of my own age and experience limitations; on the other hand, a more important question before me is: What is rural areas?"

Lin Chaoyang suddenly asked a question, which caught everyone present off guard.

What is rural area?

It seems like you know what you are asking, but when people start to think about it seriously, they cannot simply summarize it in a few sentences.

“In a narrow sense, the places I grew up in and saw are called rural areas. This should be the ‘rural area’ in what our literary circles have called ‘rural-themed novels’ since the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Starting from the 1950s, agricultural cooperatization, the Great Communist Party, the people's commune movement, the two roads... to the distribution of farmland to households and rural reform since the late 1970s.

Our countryside seems to be compressed into a piece of paper. It is so flat and boring, as if it only has a history of 30 to 50 years, with only the stories of landlords and long-term workers.

But sometimes I also wonder, what was this "rural area" like before? What was the "rural area" like in other parts of our country?

I was chatting with friends in the literary world, and one person told me that he used to join a queue by the Miluo River. Less than 20 kilometers away from him was the Quzi Temple. When he listened to the local dialect, he could still connect it with the words in the Songs of Chu. stand up.

I remember Comrade Zhongzhong told me that his hometown is called Baqiao Village, which is the same "Baqiao" as "Baqiao breaks willows".

During the Spring and Autumn Period, Qin Mu Gong built Baqiao, and it was recorded in "Yong Lu": This place is the most strategic point of Chang'an, and anyone who enters or exits Qiao and Tong Pass from the west and east must pass through it.

Wang Changling wrote "Baqiao Fu" and said: "Only in Ba, only in Ba at the source, at the opening of the Qin Dynasty, to tie up the running shaft of Dongqu, dragging Yan Jian to the side, if the Changhong has not turned over."

From their words, we can vaguely get a glimpse of how today's rural areas were once a place where outstanding people gathered and where things gathered thousands of years ago.

There are many examples like this. For example, when I read Shen Congwen’s article, I paid more attention to Xiangxi. According to historical records:

Before the third century AD, the Miao people had been working and living near Dongting Lake. This is also near the "East China Sea" legendary in Miao songs, and it was the ancient Chu land.

Later, they were forced by natural and man-made disasters to move up the Five Rivers and migrate to the southwest.

This is the legendary story of Chi You being defeated by the Yellow Emperor and Chi You's descendants retreating to the mountains.

The Miao migration history song "Climbing Mountains and Wading Rivers" also vaguely reflects this tragic history of westward migration.

With so many examples in front of me, I have to think about a question.

That is, over the past few decades, has our definition of “rural” been too narrow?

Or let me put it another way, are our literary works too one-sided about the "rural areas"?

I would go further and say that we deliberately separate the concept of 'rural' from our culture, more to serve politics, but ignore the roots of our national culture."

When Lin Chaoyang's speeches were often impassioned, he always spoke eloquently and unhurriedly, and he continued to do so in his speech today.

But as everyone present listened, the expressions on their faces became more and more serious, and some people couldn't help but become more formal when sitting.

Because everyone found that Lin Chaoyang seemed to be proposing a very bold concept - "the root of national culture".

You must know that in recent decades, the domestic cultural and literary circles have been extremely sensitive to the term "national culture" because this concept is somewhat incompatible with the ideology emphasized above.

Everyone chewed on the concept proposed by Lin Chaoyang and looked thoughtful.

Writers from other provinces who had originally had little interest in the previous speeches now showed excitement on their faces. It was obvious that Lin Chaoyang's speech had stimulated their inner interest.

Lin Chaoyang did not look at the reactions of everyone present, but continued to talk to himself:

"I personally believe that culture is rooted in the national subject, and literature is a concrete reflection of culture.

If we easily cut off tradition and lose its vitality, our literature will inevitably become water without a source and a tree without roots, and it will be difficult for it to have new vitality and vitality.

Since the May Fourth Movement, our literary world has been accustomed to looking westward, eager to break through restricted areas, introducing, imitating, and borrowing creative ideas and techniques from foreign literary works in large quantities.

I cannot say that this approach is wrong, because I myself have been nourished by Western modernist literature.

But we should understand that foreign literature reflects foreign culture and foreign history. It is not a good choice to apply it to China rashly and rigidly.

Our writers should focus their attention on the land beneath our feet, not only focusing on politics and the present, but also looking back on our nation’s yesterday and looking forward to our country’s future.

Some people may think that my idea is out of nostalgia, local concepts or the restoration of some backward culture, but what I want to say is:

The re-understanding of national culture and history and the awakening of national aesthetic consciousness are related to whether our Chinese nation will be firm in its steps toward great rejuvenation in the future.

If we blindly view literary creation from a political perspective, or blindly pursue the expressions of other nations, then these two behaviors will be harmful to the iterative development of our national culture and our upward pursuit.

Danner believed in "Philosophy of Art": Human characteristics have many levels. What floats on the surface are some living habits, thoughts and feelings that have lasted for three or four years, and they will all be replaced within a few years.

The slightly more solid characteristics of the lower layer can last twenty, thirty or forty years, and these thoughts and feelings will not disappear until after that generation has passed.

The characteristics of the third level below can exist in a complete historical period and remain firm despite severe friction and destruction. For example, the customs of the French in the classical era. This characteristic is accompanied by or extends to a lot of isms and doctrines.

Thoughts and feelings.

But no matter how stubborn it is, it still needs to be eliminated.

What is more difficult to eradicate than these concepts and customs are certain instincts and talents of the nation, such as certain philosophical and social tendencies, certain views on morality, understanding of nature, and certain ways of expressing thoughts.

.

To change the characteristics of this level, sometimes it is necessary to rely on the invasion of foreign races, complete conquest, racial hybridization, at least to change the geographical environment, move to other places, and be slowly infected by new water and soil. In short, the spiritual temperament and physical structure must be changed together.

Just fine.

Danner is a "geographical environmental determinist", and we do not need to fully agree with some of his views on culture, but he at least helps us understand the so-called cultural level from one aspect.

If even we ourselves don’t value our nation’s culture, and treat everything as dross, ban it and burn it, have you ever thought about what the consequences will be in the long run?

——The destruction of national culture and the decline of national self-confidence.”

When Lin Chaoyang said this, his voice was low and heartbroken.

His voice has always been low, but everyone heard it getting heavier and heavier.

Everyone has studied history. Before the founding of New China, China experienced a century of humiliation. Until now, domestic national self-confidence is still hovering at a low level.

The reasons for this are very complicated if you look into it carefully, but the destruction of national culture, either actively or passively, is indeed an extremely important factor.

Lin Chaoyang's reasoning was very thorough, and many people present could not help but nod their heads in approval.

“A nation’s own past is easy to forget, but also not so easy to forget.
To be continued...