Can “Serious” Lit Survive in China?

Literati: Serious literature marginalized in China
April 17, 2008
Posted on China View

The article begins: “Should literature address more social issues, or should it get closer to the writer’s own heart and focus on one’s own experiences?” and goes on to discuss the shift in literature, reporting and reading in Chinese culture.

“Xu Chunping, editor of Literature Journal, maintains that Chinese culture as a whole is moving in the direction of entertainment. There are new genres like “cellphone literature, online literature and movie fiction” that did not exist before. “Literature as we know it gets purer and contends with only the ultimate issues, and new literature tends to provide solace rather than soul-searching capabilities.” She faults the mainstream media for the decline. “Belles-lettres are shriveling to an elitist enclave,” she laments.”

Read the rest on China View.