A　WRITER　SPEAKS　OF　WRITING

Everyone　has　heard　of　our　watchword，“Let　a　hundred　flowers　bloom”.It　is　meant　to　bring　China′s　arts　and　literature　to　full　development，to　encourage　originality　and　creativeness.A　year　and　a　half　has　passed　since　the　Commnuist　Party　announced　this　policy，and　its　good　effects　are　apparent　already.Writers　are　tackling　a　wider　range　of　subjects.Besides　socialist　construction　in　different　spheres，they　deal　with　life　and　love　in　China　today，and　with　events　in　history.The　forms　employed，the　angles　from　which　the　material　is　approached，are　also　more　varied.Individuality　of　style　is　more　marked.Content　is　richer　and　more　thought-provoking.

Young　and　Old

Young　authors　are　providing　most　of　the　output.They　are　scattered　in　all　parts　of　the　country.Immersed　in　the　day-to-day　tasks　and　struggles　of　building　socialism　in　China，they　are　in　the　very　mainstream　of　life.While　their　literary　skill　is　sometimes　imperfect　and　their　language　unpolished，their　stories　and　poems　have　a　new，fresh　feeling.Whether　the　characters　portrayed　are　peasants　or　building　workers，soldiers，professional　people　or　just　ordinary　townsfolk.one　can　feel　in　them　the　winds　of　the　new　time　and　the　new　spiritual　qualities　it　engenders.

Older　literary　people　are　writing　more　too.Many　have　picked　up　long-idle　pens　to　describe　things　they　have　seen　and　experienced，in　their　accustomed　form　and　style.Some　of　their　work　may　sound　a　little　old-fashioned　now，but　they　know　how　to　handle　the　language　and　express　themselves　concisely—and　that′s　something　many　of　the　younger　people　can　learn　with　advantage.Among　the　veteran　writers　is　the　63-year-old　novelist　and　journalist　Chang　Hen-shui，author　of　more　than　130　works　of　fiction　in　the　traditional　form，who　had　published　nothing　for　eight　years　but　is　now　at　work　on　a　300，000-word　satirical　novel　based　on　contemporary　history.Called　The　Reporters　，it　draws　on　his　observations　of　the　situation　in　the　Chinese　newspaper　world　between　1919　and　1933.

I　think　it　is　a　good　thing　that　writing　still　goes　on　in　the　older　forms.These　forms　still　have　skilled　exponents，and　some　readers　prefer　them.Older　themes　too　have　their　merit.When　a　writer　has　lived　most　of　his　life　in　the　old　society，he　cannot　but　write　about　its　pain　and　hardships.Our　young　people，who　have　grown　up　since　the　liberation　are　apt　to　take　the　fruits　of　their　elders′　strunggles　for　granted.They　sometimes　forget　that　as　builders　of　socialism　they　must　work　hard　and　squander　nothing　because　there　is　no　other　way　that　our　country　can　really　change　from　poor　to　rich，from　backward　to　advanced.Vivid，truthful　accounts　of　the　past　inspire　and　educate　them.

So　stimulating　is　the　climate　of　new　China　for　literary　creation　that　even　elderly　people　who　have　never　written　before　are　now　trying　their　hand　at　it.Li　Liu-ju，70-year-old　Assistant　Chief　Justice　of　Chinas　Supreme　Court，has　just　published　the　first　of　three　volumes　of　a　historical　novel　Sixty　Changing　Years　.The　story　starts　in　1887　and　tells　how　the　son　of　a　merchant-landlord　became　a　revolutionary.It　is　a　panorama　of　contrasting　characters，and　of　the　changes　that　took　place　in　Chinese　society　over　a　long　and　decisive　period　of　our　history.Mr.　Li　plans　to　complete　the　whole　work　in　three　years.Quite　a　feat　for　such　a　venerable　man　with　public　duties，I　think.

One　can′t　help　being　pleased　at　the　number　of　authors　among　the　men　of　our　armed　forces.Most　of　the　contributors　to　a　special　collection，Thirty　Years　of　the　Pcople′s　Liberation　Army，have　attained　high　rank　now，or　retired　to　civil　office.Their　stories，written　from　personal　experience　in　protracted　wars　for　the　defence　of　the　revolution　and　the　nation，are　deeply　moving.They　are　of　great　value　both　as　literature　and　as　history.

Many　amateur　writers　are　published　in　the　numerous　literary　magazines　now　appearing.Some　of　these　publications　give　all　their　space　to　new　and　young　authors.

Understanding　the　New

As　for　myself，I　too　found　the　poliey　of“Let　a　hundred　flowers　bloom”　a　great　encouragement.Of　course　I　wrote　a　great　deal　before　it　was　announced.Like　other　writers，I　was　fired　with　enthusiasm　by　the　new，pulsating　life　of　our　country　and　the　speed　at　which　it　was　forging　ahead，and　anxious　to　do　my　part.So　I　decided　to　concentrate　on　plays　dealing　with　events　of　the　moment.When　people　tell　me　how　moved　they　were　by　the　tragedy　in　Dragon　Beard　Ditch　，or　how　they　laughed　over　my　social　satire　The　Impostor　，I　naturally　feel　gratified，But　in　another　way　I　have　never　been　satisfied　with　these　works，I　believe　I　have　a　style　of　my　own，but　it　did　not　come　through　in　them.I　think　this　was　because，taking　new　happenings　for　my　subject，I　did　not　know　them　well　or　deeply　enough.

In　a　society　like　China′s，full　of　rapid　change，the　writer　is　often　left　behind.lf　my　plays　didn′t　have　as　much　life　as　I　would　have　liked，it　was　because　I　did　not　havd　a　sufficiently　firm　grasp　on　the　new　life　itself.For　this　imperfection　I　can　blame　no　one　but　myself.It　is　rooted　in　my　limited　overall　understanding　of　the　events　around　me.

Style　and　Content

Recently　I　finished　another　play.The　Teahouse　，which　has　been　published　in　the　new　bi-monthly　magazine　Harvest　.There　are　three　acts，each　set　in　the　same　place　in　a　different　historical　period.The　first　takes　us　back　to　1898，when　the　first　attempt　at　modern　political　reform　in　China，under　the　emperor　Kwang　Hsu，ended　in　failure.The　second　occurs　20　years　later，when　warlords　bought　by　the　imperialist　powers　were　fighting　to　seize　the　country.The　third　brings　us　to　a　very　recent　time，after　the　end　of　World　War　Ⅱ，when　Peking　was　overrun　with　Kuomintang　agents　and　United　States　Marines　but，beneath　the　surface，one　could　already　feel　the　rising　revolutionaty　tide.In　all　three　scenes，the　air　is　thick　with　great　events，but　we　do　not　see　them　directly.We　feel　them　only　through　their　resonance　in　the　old　teahouse.

These　vanished　places　and　people　are　still　vivid　in　my　mind.Picturing　them，I　found　that　I　had　recovered　my“personal　style”　and　could　write　easily　in　it.This　showed　me　once　more　how　important　it　is　to　comprehend　one′s　material　adequately.I　am　still　more　at　home　in　the　past　than　the　present.To　have　as　good　a　grasp　of　today　requires　two　things.One　is　to　understand　the　general　political　picture-the　direction　of　our　social　development.The　other　is　to　live　among　the　people　and　learn　from　real　life.I　am　making　an　effort　to　do　both，so　that　I　can　reflect　the　present　as　fully　and　fluently　as　the　past.

Main　Tasks

China　is　still　backward　in　general　education　and　culture.She　is　taking　big　steps　forward　in　these　respects，in　the　wake　of　our　economic　development.We　writers　have　the　duty　to　provide　more　and　better　books，plays，poems　and　stories　that　answer　the　needs　of　the　people.We　must　improve　our　literary　range　and　skill　at　the　same　time.As　to　what　to　work　on，I　believe　that　anything　that　helps　build　and　enrich　our　socialist　life　is　worth　writing.Our　literature　has　gone　forward　in　these　eight　years.It　has　rid　itself　of　decadent，obscene，anti-popular　elements　which　no　people　fighting　confidently　for　a　better　life　can　tolerate.The　note　It　now　strikes　is　serious　and　healthy.It　strives　to　give　a　true　reflection　of　the　life　of　the　working　people，and　to　inspire　them　to　further　advance.

Novels　by　such　deservedly　well-known　authors　as　Chou　Li-po　and　Chao　Shu-li　have　stirred　Chinese　readers　and　won　favour　abroad.They　explain，in　terms　of　events，people，mind　and　heart　how　we　are　moving　to　socialism.Chou　Li-po　describes　the　bitter　struggles　of　the　peasants　in　the　land　reform　in　Hurricane　.He　takes　us　among　the　workers　in　our　industry　in　Molten　Steel　.Chao　Shu-li，in　characteristic　humorous　vein，tells　how　the　cooperative　movement　has　changed　the　countryside　in　his　Sanliwan　Village　.

The　initial　achievents　of　our　new　literature　have　clarified　the　chief　question　of　all：whom　should　the　writer　serve　by　his　work？We　believe　we　should　serve　the　workers，peasants　and　soldiers.They　are　the　vast　majority　of　those　who　build　and　defend　socialism.Whom　else　should　we　serve？Should　we　project　the　viewpoint　of，and　seek　readers　among，the　landlords　and　capitalists—classes　which　have　receded　into　the　past　in　our　country？All　this　does　not，of　course，mean　that　we　should　write　only　about　workers，peasants　and　soldiers.Literature　should　take　the　side　and　viewpoint　of　the　working　people.But　it　can　deal　with　anything　the　author　knows　about，or　wishes.The　playwright　Tsao　Yu　has　an　eminent　scientist　as　his　hero　in　The　Bright　Sky　，I　myself，in　Spring　Flowers　and　Autumn　Fruit　.wrote　about　the　capitalists.But　both　of　us　presented　our　charactcers　not　statically　as　they　used　to　be，but　in　the　process　of　changing　themselves　to　play　their　part　in　socialism.

Socialism　is　new　to　all　of　us，so　it　is　hard　to　write　about.Suppose　we　want　to　portray　a　hero　of　the　present　day.He　will　not　be　individualist　but　socialist　in　his　ideas　and　behaviour.He　may　be　a　worker，farmer，soldier　or　intellectual，but　it　is　the　new　society　that　has　formed　him，his　personal　development　has　come　with　his　participation　in　the　common　advance，his　morality　is　new.We　did　not　have　such　people　in　the　old　society.Writers　have　no　accumulated　experience　of　them，and　have　had　very　little　time　to　get　to　know　them　today.The　result　is　that，when　we　try　to　create　such　heroes，they　often　turn　out　as　animated　concepts，equipped　with　every　one　of　the　prescribed　qualities　but　without　substance　or　soul.

How　can　we　get　out　of　this　vicious　tendency　of　writing　to　formula，to　fit　an　abstract　concept？First　we　dig　at　its　roots.It　arises　because　the　writer，instead　of　finding　his　material　in　real　life，approaches　his　subject　from　the　point　of　view　of　generalities，learned　in　advance　from　policy　statements　or　theory.This　may　show　political　enthusiasm，but　here　it　is　wrongly　applied.Certainly，literature　must　serve　a　political　cause.But　it　can　do　so　only　by　being　real　literature，graphic，concrete　and　true　to　life.

It　is　not　only　the　older　writers　who　have　difficulties.The　young　ones，who　are　in　the　midst　of　the　life　they　set　out　to　describe，also　often　produce　trite　generalities.Their　failure　comes　from　insufficiently　penetrating　observation，or　lack　of　literary　skill.We　have　been　fighting　this　kind　of　doctrinaire　approach　to　writing　for　some　years.The　Communist　Party′s　call，“Let　a　hundred　flowers　bloom”，is　aimed　precisely　at　helping　writers　to　free　themselves　from　the　bondage　of　formula　and　stereotype，to　encourage　them　to　observe　and　think　for　themselves　and　develop　their　own　styles.

Understanding　the　Policy

Not　all　writers，it　must　be　said，are　aware　of　the　good　the“hundred　flowers”have　brought　with　them.Early　this　year，four　well-known　authors　expressed　their　worry　at　what　they　considered　to　be　its　consequences.For　fear　of　being　accused　of　conceptualism，or　writing　to　formula，they　complained，“writers　no　longer　dare　to　write　about　what　truly　reflects　present—day　political　struggles；a　spate　of　stories-of　family　life，love　and　adventure　—　is　taking　all　the　fight　out　of　art　and　literature…the　glory　of　our　socialist　construction　glimmers　but　faintly”.

Leading　Communist　Party　figures，and　literary　public　opinion，criticized　this　as　a　false　alarm　born　of　a“leftist”doctrinaire　outlook.The　four　were　criticized　for　approaching　the　“hundred　flowers”policy　fearfully　and　negatively，for　failing　to　see　the　main　thing，the　scope　it　gave　to　writers　and　artists　to　use　every　form　and　facet　of　their　talent　to　build　China′s　new　culture.Even　the　fruits　they　saw　as　negative，it　was　pointed　out，had　another　side.They　would　give　an　opportunity　for　public　debate　and　analysis，clarifying　everyone′s　ideas　of　what　is　good　and　what　is　bad.Later，the　four　admitted　to　having　been　one-sided.This　is　how　the　truth　is　reached　in　China　today　—　by　open　discussion　educating　both　the　participants　and　the　public.

Another　example　of　this　is　the　sharp　issue　that　arose　over　A　Newcomer　in　the　Organization　Department　，a　short　story　by　the　22-year-old　writer　Wang　Meng.A　young　schoolteacher　is　transferred　to　work　in　the　Communist　Party　Committee　of　one　of　Peking′s　urban　districts.Contrary　to　what　he　expccts　in　such　a　place，he　finds　his　two　immediate　superiors　burcaucratic，indifferent　to　defects　in　their　work　and　basically　cynical.He　is　shocked，and　with　youthful　ardour，decides　to　fight　them.But　he　does　not　manage　to　win　completely.Though　it　is　hinted　that　he　will　take　up　the　battle　once　more，the　note　struck　is　one　of　despondency.

The　more　doctrinaire　readers　denounced　this　tale　as“a　slander　on　the　Party”.The　more　“liberal”took　its　young　hero　to　their　hearts.A　discussion　among　prominent　critics　followed，and　the　consensus　of　their　opinions　was　somewhat　different　from　both　these“100　percent”reactions.The　young　author，they　held，was　to　be　congratulated　for　aiming　his　literary　lance　at　the　bureaucracy　that　infests　some　Party　organs.This　is　praiseworthy.Such　exposures，provided　they　move　people　to　a　steady　and　determined　fight　to　remedy　the　fault，are　very　much　to　the　public　interest.But　here　we　come　to　the　story′s　weakness.Its　hero　has　fine　qualitids：honesty，a　warm　heart，intolerance　of　wrongs.But　he　rereals　himeslf　as　essentially　a　pettybourgeois　individuslist.Blind　to　the　qualities　and　strength　of　the　people　around　him，he　rides　into　battle　all　by　himself.That　is　why　he　is　perplexed　and　depressed　when　he　runs　up　against　obstacles.Those　who　do　not　see　this　defect　are　themselves　affected　by　petty　bourgeois　ideas；they　have　not　really　moved　to　a　collective　viewpoint.This　analysis　of　the　story　makes　it　clear　what　we　mean　when　we　say　our　battle　of　ideas　has　two　fronts：against“leftist”doctrinaires　on　the　one　hand　and　bourgeois　rightists　on　the　other.Both　these　views　are　incompatible　with　the　building　of　a　new　socialist　society.

Figting　for　Socialism

At　the　moment，we　are　fighting　the“rightists”in　both　the　political　and　cultural　fields.They　seized　on　the　movement　against　doctrinairism，launched　by　the　Party　itself，to　try　to　decry　all　the　achievements　of　the　working　people　since　liberation.They　are　against　the　policy　of　writing　for　the　workers，peasants　and　soldiers，and　tried　to　undermine　the　Party　leadership　which　carries　it　out.They　are　attacking　the　whole　socialist　direction　of　our　life　and　culture　because　it　runs　counter　to　their　selfish　ambitions，which　clach　with　the　interests　of　the　people.The　fight　against　such　attitudes，which　are　inherited　from　all　the　past　history　of　exploiting　societies，is　absolutely　crucial.You　cannot　have　socialism　without　socalist　people，or　the　establishment　of　new　socialist　values.

The　efforts　of　the　rightists　are　futile，because　the　facts　are　against　them.I　have　been　a　writer　for　forty　years.I　know　how　writers　and　artists　lived　under　the　Kuomintang—how　progressive　authors　were　persecuted，jailed　or　killed，how　difficult　it　was　to　get　published，how　small　were　the　editions　and　meagre　the　rewards，Now　the　writer　can　serve　the　people　without　any　fear，but　on　the　contrary　with　every　help.Chances　of　publication　and　the　editions　in　which　literary　works　appear，are　far　greater.Politically，the　writer′s　position　has　never　been　so　high：there　are　46　writers　among　the　deputies　to　the　Natiomal　People′s　Congress.None　of　these　things　would　or　could　have　happened　without　our　nation′s　turn　to　socialism，and　the　leadership　of　the　Communist　Party.

The　Party′s　policy　has　always　been　to　foster　the　fullest　development　of　our　literature.Writers　are　accorded　the　best　conditions　and　facilites.There　is　only　one　thing　that　they　have　to　provide　for　themselves—willingness　to　write　for　the　people.This　means　abandoning　bourgeois-individualist　attitudes，but　it　does　not　mean　abandoning　individuality.For　individuality　there　is　the　fullest　scope.This　is　the　meaning　of“Let　a　hundred　flowers　bloom”，which　is　a　fixed　and　long-range　policy.The　argument　with　the　rightists　does　not　impair　it；it　puts　it　into　better　perspective.

We　want　unity　in　our　common　cause　of　socialism，not　sameness　in　literary　creation.We　want　a　socialist　culture，the　richest　and　most　varied　possible　in　both　content　and　form.

图书在版编目（CIP）数据

老舍全集.第15卷，散文　杂文　书信/老舍著.—修订本.北京：人民文学出版社，2008.8

ISBN　978-7-02-006658-2

Ⅰ.①老…　Ⅱ.①老…　Ⅲ.①老舍（1899～1966）—全集②散文—作品集—中国—当代③杂文—作品集—中国—当代④书信集—中国—当代　Ⅳ.①I217.2

中国版本图书馆CIP数据核字（2008）第023544号

责任编辑　杨康

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文前彩插

1951年于北京寓所

1951年老舍与赵树理（左一）、王亚平（中）在北京家中

1930年5月26日致陈逸飞书信手迹

《下乡简记》手迹

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