FREEDOM　AND　THE　WRITER

I　am　not　a　theoretician，either　of　literature　or　of　revolution.I　shall　speak　frankly，drawing　on　my　own　experience—just　calling　a　spade　a　spade，so　to　speak.

I　was　born　in　1898，a　year　marked，as　everyone　knows，by　a　coup　d′　etat，part　of　the　political　reform　movement.During　the　time　from　that　coup　to　the　1911　Revolution，to　the　May　the　Fourth　Movement　and　right　on　to　the　eve　of　the　founding　of　the　People′s　Republic，I　saw　with　my　own　eyes　how，all　through　that　half　century，Chinese　writers　stood　together　with　the　Chinese　people　as　a　whole，fighting　for　national　freedom　and　freedom　of　writing.In　this　protracted　struggle　a　number　of　writers　nobly　laid　down　their　lives.I　saw　all　this，and　I　know　what　freedom　means　to　writers.That　explains　why　Chinese　writers　were　so　overjoyed　when　liberation　came.Freedom，their　long-cherished　freedom，had　come　into　its　own—freedom　for　them　and　for　the　Chinese　people　as　a　whole.

Cheerful　Things

It　is　always　a　pleasure　to　tell　friends　about　cheerful　things.In　the　years　since　liberation　Chinese　writers　have　enjoyed　more　facilities　for　writing　than　ever　before.For　instance，writers　can　now　go　on　tour　or　visit　any　place　in　the　country　to　gather　material，the　Union　of　Chinese　Writers　paying　all　or　part　of　their　travelling　expenses.Writers　pay　frequent　visits　to　factories　or　mines　and，if　they　like，live　there　for　a　long　time　and　make　a　profound　study　of　life　at　first　hand.Much　of　our　literary　work　has　been　born　of　such　a　study　of　life.

Facilities　for　these　tours　and　visits　are　extended　not　only　to　Chinese　writers　but　also　to　foreign　writers　who　visit　China.If　there　is　any　difference，it　is　simply　that　the　latter　get　even　warmer　hospitality　and　a　still　more　enthusiastic　welcome.

There　are　a　lot　more　cheerful　things　I　could　tell　our　friends.The　fact　that　forty-six　writers　were　elected　to　the　National　People′s　Congress　is　one　of　them.But　too　much　harping　on　the　bright　side　of　things　will　make　people　think　we　are　boasting，so　let　me　tell　some　of　our　difficulties　and　misdoings.

Great　Enthusiasm

There　is　no　denying　that，since　the　liberation，the　political　enthusiasm　of　Chinese　writers　is　one　of　the　things　that　impels　them　to　write.People　everywhere　in　China　are　living　better；writers　have　better　facilities　and　a　place　in　political　life.How　can　they　remain　unmoved　and　silent？Look　at　me，for　instance.I　write　more　now　than　I　did　before　liberation.I　write　every　day　and　don′t　let　up　even　on　holidays.Political　enthusiasm　prompts　me　to　write　about　my　inner　joy，about　new　people，new　things　and　the　achievements　of　our　new　society.I　think　any　writer　in　China　feels　the　same　way.It　makes　no　difference　what　party　he　belongs　to：the　Communist　Party，the　Democratic　League，some　other　party，or　no　party　at　all.You　know　I′m　non-party　myself.One　thing　is　common　to　all　of　us：we　want　to　write　hard　and　serve　the　people.

But　just　because　of　this　very　diversity　in　political　affiliation，in　experience　of　life　and　religious　belief，we　do　not　always　make　a　good　job　of　it，no　matter　how　great　our　political　enthusiasm，when　we　come　to　write　about　new　people　and　new　things　in　the　revolutionary　struggles.I　know　this　well　enough.The　enthusiasm　is　there，the　impulse　to　go　ahead　with　giant　strides；but　the　very　limitations　of　my　political　understanding　and　experience　of　life　stand　in　my　way　when　I　try　to　turn　the　facts　of　revolutionary　struggle　into　full-blooded　works　of　art.My　writing　tends　to　be　empty　and　thin—for　I　am　writing　about　things　I　am　not　very　familiar　with.Quite　a　number　of　established　writers　suffer　from　this.Needless　to　say，that　affects　our　work　adversely.

On　the　other　hand，we　have　young　people　who　have　grown　up　in　the　revolution，who　have　taken　part　in　actual　struggles，and　who　have　the　courage　to　write.Their　problem　is　different.Because　they　have　grown　up　while　the　revolution　was　going　on，their　cultural　attainments　and　literary　training　are，generally　speaking，poor.That　handicaps　them　when　they　try　to　turn　out　sound，well-polished　work.If　the　trouble　with　veteran　writers　is　that　they　are　good　housewives　who　have　to　cook　a　meal　without　rice，then　the　young　writers　are　housewives　with　plenty　of　rice　and　no　skill　to　cook　it.

A　work　of　literature　is　assuredly　a　weapon　of　political　propaganda.But　it　must　be　real　literature，with　power　and　grip.Literature　is　subject　to　its　own　laws.　Nobody　will　read　work　which　is　supposed　to　be　literature　but　which　is　chock-full　of　political　jargon.

Literature　and　Political　Ideas

The　study　of　politics　is　essential　to　writers　who　want　to　improve　themselves　and　turn　out　work　which　truly　reflects　the　age　they　live　in.Over　the　past　few　years　writers，both　old　and　new，have　striven　to　improve　themselves　ideologically，and　willingly　and　energetically　gone　in　for　study.But　political　ideas　cannot　be　separated　from　real　life.Government　policy　is　decided　in　the　light　of　what　people　really　want　and　need.If　writers　simply　lop-sidedly　stress　the　political　side　in　their　work　and　fail　to　see　the　importance　of　writing　from　experience　of　real　life，naturally　their　work　suffers：it　is　full　of　stereotyped　generalizations　and　built　round　cut-and-dried　formulas.In　the　past　few　years　there　has　been　a　disease　of　formulism，of　indulging　in　stereotyped　generalizations　in　the　field　of　literature.It　is　right　and　proper　for　writers　to　study　hard　and　improve　themselves　ideologically　so　as　to　serve　the　cause　of　socialism　in　a　better　way.But　they　are　going　about　it　in　quite　the　wrong　way　if，either　by　design　or　accident，they　pack　their　work　with　didactic　ideas，if　their　plots　are　non-existent　and　their　imagery　trite.

A　writer　who　is　always　scared　stiff　of　over-stepping　set　principles　or　doing　damage　to　the　revolution　is　certain　to　find　himself　bound　hand　and　foot　and　incapable　of　writing　boldly.Boldness　and　creative　work　are　inseparable.Without　creativeness　you　will　always　get　slavish　copying，which　is　a　sure　sign　of　degeneration　in　literature.

Are　we　as　writers　incapable　of　understanding　so　self-evident　a　fact？No，of　course　not.But　all　these　years　it　has　been　our　political　enthusiasm　that　has　kept　us　going.We　see　an　honest　government，the　like　of　which　China　has　never　seen　for　thousands　of　years.We　see　six　hundred　million　people　hand　in　hand　pushing　ahead　towards　socialism.We　are　inspirded.We　must　write.And　if　we　write　badly，we　have　only　ourselves　to　blame：we　have　let　our　political　understanding　of　these　things　lag　behind　our　desire　to　express　them.

The　People′s　Government　sets　great　store　by　literature　and　gives　it　all-round　support.But　some　government　officials，though　enthusiastic　enough，did　things　in　an　incorrect　manner，trying　to　get　creative　work　produced　to　order.It　seems　that　in　a　film　studio　everybody　has　the　right　to“correct”　a　scenario.As　often　as　not　the　argument　is　on　some　political　point.Repeated　corrections　may　make　the　political　ideas　a　bit　clearer，but　the　artistic　worth　of　the　film　suffers.Administrative　interference，no　matter　how　well-meant，will　always　stand　in　the　way　of　creating　real　art.

Let　Many　Flowers　Bloom

Now　about　the　question　of　criticism.In　a　democratic　country　everyone　has　the　right　to　criticize.Our　writing　is　not　only　a　target　for　literary　critics.Every　reader　wants　to　have　his　say　about　it.Theoretically　that　is　all　to　the　good.Criticism　will　only　encourage　better　writing.But　harsh　criticism　encourages　nobody.On　the　contrary，it　is　no　better　than　a　good　thrashing.Over　the　past　few　years　we　have　had　much　well-intentioned　criticism，but　also　unreasonable　thrashings.Thrashings　don′t　encourage　good　writing；they　destroy　it.

Here　we　see　why　we　put　forward　the　policy　of　letting　flowers　of　many　kinds　blossom，　letting　diverse　schools　of　thought　contend.　First　of　all，　everyone　should　write　about　what　he　or　she　is　most　familiar　with.　We　should　not　force　ourselves　to　write　of　things　we　know　very　little　about.It　is　good　to　write　about　present-day　society；but　it　is　equally　good　to　deal　with　historical　themes.It　is　true　that　New　China　is　going　ahead　by　leaps　and　bounds.No　matter　how　keenly　you　observe　the　things　around　you，you　cannot　say　you　understand　everything　very　well，for　everyone　and　everything　is　changing.The　past　is　fixed，it　has　definite　form，but　the　living　present　flows　and　changes.I　understand　my　elder　brother　very　well，but　I　do　not　quite　understand　my　children.Well，let　me　write　about　my　elder　brother，and　let　the　young　writers　write　about　my　children.Again，we　should　write　about　our　workers，peasants　and　soldiers.But　is　that　any　reason　why　we　should　not　also　mirror　the　lives　of　intellectuals　and　capitalists？Every　writer　should　write　about　what　he　likes　and　what　he　can　handle—peopld，life　and　themes.A　writer　should　have　perfect　freedom　to　choose　what　he　wants　to　write　about.All　writings　other　than　those　which　poison　people′s　minds　are　worth　while　and　should　be　published.And　by　writing　them　and　publishing　them　we　really　shall　be　letting　flowers　of　many　kinds　blossom.

The　same　thing　goes　for　ways　of　writing.It　is　accepted　that　socialist　realism　is　a　progressive　way　of　writing.But　does　that　mean　that　all　other　creative　methods　are　no　good？To　my　mind，no.We　should　treasure　all　work　that　shows　itself　capable　of　mirroing　people′s　life—that　is　the　way　to　make　our　literature　flourish.Further　more，we　should　encourage，not　discourage，every　writer　to　have　his　or　her　own　style—we　should　give　our　literary　work　an　infinite　variety，not　cast　if　all　in　the　same　mould.we　should　encourage，not　discourage，different　schools　in　literature.In　this　way　our　writers，irrespective　of　political　affiliations，the　“school”they　belong　to　or　what　field　they　specialize　in，whether　they　are　veterans　versed　in　classical　literature　or　young　writers　striking　out　boldly　on　new　lines，will　all　blossom　out　brilliantly.Then　we　shall　have　a　literature　brilliant　and　beautiful，infinitely　rich　in　treatment　and　subject-matter.Only　in　this　way　can　we　do　full　justice　to　our　policy　of　letting　flowers　of　many　kinds　blossom.

No　Interference　with　Freedom

If　a　writer　wants　to　sketch　an　outline　of　what　he　proposes　to　write　before　he　starts，if　he　wants　to　invite　a　number　of　friends　to　talk　over　the　theme　so　that　he　can　benefit　by　the　good　ideas　of　others，the　Union　of　Writers　is　duty-bound　to　help　organize　the　discussion.But　if　a　writer　does　not　want　to　do　so，no　one　has　the　right　to　put　such　a　demand　to　him.A　writer　should　be　allowed　to　write　what　he　likes　and　in　any　way　he　chooses.He　can　also　send　his　work　to　any　publishing　house　for　publication.As　the　writers′　organization　the　Writers′　Union　has　an　obligation　to　help　writers　overcome　their　difficulties；but　it　has　no　right　to　interfere　with　writers′freedom.The　union　admittedly　has　worked　on　these　lines，but　not　enough　effort　has　been　make.Today　we　want　to　give　effect　to　the　policy　of　letting　flowers　of　many　kinds　blossom，so　we　must　do　everything　we　can　to　guarantee　writers　their　freedom.

Writers　should　encourage　and　criticize　one　another.They　should　write　and　criticize　freely.That　promotes　the　cause　of　literature.Neither　criticism　nor　countercriticism　should　be　muzzlded.Sober-minded　discussion　brings　out　a　finer　distinction　between　the　right　and　the　wrong.Overbearing　criticism　damages　criticism　itself，for　truth　does　not　favour　impetuosity.From　now　on　we　should　publish　all　sound　reasoning，no　matter　what　school　of　thought—materialist　or　idealist—the　writer　belongs　to.Only　frank　and　open　discussion　will　encourage　different　schools　of　thought　to　contend.Contention　aims　at　bringing　out　the　truth；therefore　it　should　be　free　discussion，giving　everyone　who　has　something　to　say　the　chance　of　saying　it，and　saying　it　in　full.

Preserving　Literary　Heritage　of　Every　Nationality

China　is　a　country　of　many　nationalities.Our　policy　of　letting　flowers　of　many　kinds　blossom　should　apply　to　the　literature　of　every　nationality　in　the　country.Over　the　past　few　years　we　have　unearthed　and　published　many　epics，folk-tales，songs　and　dances　of　the　national　minorities　which　have　enriched　our　spiritual　heritage　and　favourably　affected　the　way　we　write.But　in　the　process　of　digging　them　out，when　we　ran　into　difficulties　in　translation　or　when　parts　of　the　original　were　lost，we　deliberately　or　inadvertently　fell　a　prey　to　dogmatism，to“Great　Hanism，”freely　changing　the　original，adding　or　subtracting　till　most　or　all　of　the　characteristic　national　style，the　flavour　of　the　original　was　lost.Now　this　has　been　put　right—as　it　should　be.I　am　an　assiduous　flower-grower.I　know　new　varieties　can　be　produced　by　grafting.But　I　cannot　be　sure　if　these　new　varieties　will　be　beautiful　or　not.A　new　variety　which　is　ugly，which　has　no　definite　character，only　excites　abhorrence.Culture　needs　exchange，but　there　is　no　reason　why　we　should　force　others　to　change　something　or　other　to　suit　our　one-sided　taste.We　must　cultivate　all　flowers　with　equal　assiduity　before　they　can　all　blossom　out　brilliantly　and　vie　with　one　another　in　beauty.We　should，on　the　one　hand，set　great　store　by　the　literary　heritage　of　our　nationalities，not　brutally　change　them.We　should　also　lovingly　cultivate　the　writers　of　all　our　nationalities　and　make　every　part　of　our　country　a　garden　of　literature　where　flowers　blossom　in　profusion.Writers　are　now　springing　up　among　the　Tibetans，Huis，Mongolians，Uighurs，Manchus　and　other　national　minorities.The　Writers′　Union　already　has　branches　in　some　national　minority　areas.We　must　see　to　it　that　we　make　still　greater　efforts　to　preserve　the　literary　heritage　of　every　nationality　so　that　new　writers　appear　and　new　flowers　blossom.

Learn　from　Other　Countries

We　treasure　our　literary　tradition，and　our　literary　tradition　includes　that　of　the　national　minorities.We　also　treasure　the　heritage　of　world　literature　and　contemporary　writing.Dante，Shakespeare，Cervantes，Goethe，Hugo，Pushkin，Tolstoy，Whitman，Ibsen，Tagore，Romain　Rolland，Gorky　and　others　are　our　teachers.We　have　already　translated　much　of　these　great　masters　and　many　outstanding　contemporary　writers，and　their　books　circulate　in　our　country　in　millions.Today　in　the　theatres　of　Peking　alone　we　can　see　Shakespeare′s　Romeo　and　Juliet　，lbsen′s　Doll　′s　House　，Chekhov′s　Uncle　Vanya　，Goldoni′s　A　Servant　of　Two　Masters　and　Gorky′s　Petty　Townsfolk　side　by　side　with　our　own　Peking　opera，　pingchu（rural　opera　of　north　China），stage　plays　and　various　kinds　of　local　operas.Fine　films　from　India，Japan　and　other　countries　have　had　a　warm　welcome　from　Chinese　audiences.Our　film　workers　have　learnt　much　from　these　films.Songs　and　dances　from　India，Burma　and　Indondsia　and　the　Japanese　Kabuki　Theatre　have　won　golden　opinions　from　us.There　is　no　denying　that　we　have　an　ancient　cultural　tradition，but　at　the　same　time　we　should　not　try　to　conceal　the　fact　that　we　are　in　some　ways　culturally　backward.We　must　improve　our　culture，so　we　need　to　learn　with　all　modesty　from　all　other　countries.We　have　still　done　far　too　little　in　the　way　of　translating　foreign　literature.We　must　do　a　lot　more　in　future；and　we　hope　our　friends　abroad　will　give　us　all　the　help　they　can.