"Wounds" and "Exposure": Chinese Literature after the Gang of Four

Abstract

THE YEAR 1979 was significant in Chinese literary world: it saw completion of process, begun previous year, of rehabilitating writers condemned during anti-rightist campaign of 1957, and their emergence as leading force in production of literature revealing current problems in Chinese society. The returning rightists appeared determined to take up same causes they had espoused over twenty years earlier, attacking corruption and complacency in Party and state. This tendency towards unsavoury revelations was countered in middle of year by a backlash against so-called exposure literature, by critics who can be characterised both as conservative, in their defence of current leadership, and leftist, in their adoption of rhetoric and ideals reminiscent of Cultural Revolution. The confrontation between these two groups represented a continuation of a conflict which has existed in Chinese literature at least since Yan'an period, and concerns purpose of arts in a society led by a communist party: should more emphasis be placed on exposing the dark forces harming people or on praising revolutionary struggles of masses?' In 1979 rightists had upper hand for first time since their brief flourishing in Hundred Flowers of 1956-57. When Party leadership convened Fourth Congress of Writers and Artists in October/November 1979, it was faced with need to defuse explosive situation in artistic circles while steering arts in direction required by Party-support for Four Modernisations (of agriculture, industry, science and technology, and national defence) that had been core of Party and state policy since Third Plenum of Central Committee in December 1978. This