WHAT　HAVE　WE　WRITTEN？

Here　I　want　to　say　two　things　only．

First，what　has　been　the　main　subject　of　Chinsese　novels，stories，plays　and　poems　during　the　last　ten　years？I　believe　I　am　not　too　far　out　when　I　say　that，apart　from　some　reminiscences　about　the　past　episodes　in　the　revolution，we　have　been　writing　about　the　new　relationships　between　men．Yes，these　ten　years　have　seen　stupendous　changes　in　human　relationships．Actions　based　on　seldish　motives　are　criticized．To　satisfy　his　personal　greed，a　man　may　take　advantage　of　others　and　grab　at　their　ricebowls．Of　course　he　deserves　to　be　criticized．To　our　minds，the　tireless“fight”to　get　rich　is　not　the　noblest　way　of　living．On　the　contrary，only　those　things　which　benefit　all　are　worth　doing．Sometimes　to　help　others　we　should　even　sacrifice　ourselves．So　our　literature　upholds　public-spiritedness　and　altruism　and　comes　down　hard　on　selfishness．

Back　in　the　years　of　the　May　the　Fourth　Movement　we　showed　that　we　were　against　feudal　ideas：this　is　even　more　true　today．We　praise　freedom　and　equality．The　women，once　cooped　up　at　home，can　now　go　out　if　they　wish，to　do　work　suited　to　their　capacities．You　have　only　to　look　round　to　see　women　engaged　in　public　work　everywhere．There　are　women　ministers，factory　managers，school　principals；women　take　part　in　all　kinds　of　construction　work，receiving　the　same　treatment　as　men．No　longer　weak　creatures　with　bound　feet，they　have　become　independent．Human　relationships　are　certainly　changing　now　that　men　and　women　are　equal．We　praise　freedom　and　equality，we　praise　progress，we　condemn　conservatism　and　backwardness．

Secondly，our　literature　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　cold　war　or　the　hot　war，but　speaks　with　passion　of　construction．We　can　build　only　in　a　peaceful　environment．We　want　to　build，to　change　our　country　which　was　so　poor　into　a　happy　land　of　plenty．For　this　we　need　peace．We　are　not　against　the　people　of　any　country；we　have　never　spoken　harshly　about　the　American　people；we　know　the　difference　between　the　American　people　and　the　ruling　class．We　have　always　had　great　respect　for　the　wisdom　of　the　American　people　and　want　to　be　their　friends　for　good．We　are　sure，no　matter　how　viciously　America's　rulers　may　attack　and　slander　us，the　American　people　will　see　the　truth　for　themselves．Since　the　United　States'　government　does　not　permit　Americans　to　come　to　China，an　exchange　of　literature　at　least　should　be　useful．Our　works　may　not　be　well　written，but　through　them　you　can　see　clearly　our　fervent　longing　to　rebuild　our　country，our　peaceful　aspirations　and　work　for　peace．