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2023/24 School of Chinese Research Student Seminar

地域、歷史與自我：描邊當代中國文學青年作家群

Region, History, and Self: Remapping the Young Writers in Contemporary Chinese Literature

Abstract:

近年來，「新東北作家群」引起文學界關注，書寫南方故事的年輕作家也在「新南方寫作」的理論建構中獲得重視。本報告將其視作2010年後中國當代文學現場的兩個重要「發現」/「發明」，討論其登場的動因，並將二者並置串讀，以窺中國當代文學的異動。報告提出，串聯兩個「事件」的關鍵詞有三：二者均以青年作家為主力，作家群裡的代際更迭及與此相關的歷史重述值得關注；均以風土書寫為底色，關注地方性；均以文學評論為協力，作家們創作、批評、理論創構同時進行。本報告將從上述線索切入，釐清「事件」的「生成」機理並闡釋「事件」的共性，然後分析所選作家作品，聚焦「新東北作家群」代表之一的雙雪濤的新作《不間斷的人》，以及「新南方寫作」群中的陳楸帆、陳崇正、林培源三位潮汕出身的作家，指出這些年輕作家不約而同地在文學世界化用自身生活經驗，而這暗示著故鄉意象在其寫作中既在場又模糊的傾向。

In recent years, the “New Northeast Writers Group” has become increasingly prominent in contemporary Chinese literature. Similarly, emerging writers focusing on southern stories have garnered attention in the theoretical development of “New Southern Writing.” These two phenomena can be seen as significant “discoveries” or “inventions” in Chinese contemporary literature since 2010. This talk aims to “eventalize” these two occurrences and examine them in parallel to discern and substantiate the transformations occurring within contemporary Chinese literature. It argues that there are three clues connecting the two “events.” Firstly, both feature young writers born after 1980 as the leading force, highlighting their nuanced generational perspectives and ambition to retell history. Secondly, both focus on regional writing, reconstructing the notion of locality. Thirdly, both are catalyzed by literary criticism, with writers engaging in creative writing, textual analysis, and theoretical development concurrently. Starting from these above clues, the talk clarifies the emergence of these “events” and analyzes their commonalities in the selected works of writers. Specifically, it centers around Shuang Xuetao’s latest work Uninterrupted People as a representative of the “New Northeast Writers Group,” as well as the three writers from the Chaoshan region—Chen Qiufan, Chen Chongzheng, and Lin Peiyuan—in the “New Southern Writing” group. It points out that these young writers commonly interweave their life experiences into their literary world, hinting at the subtle yet profound presence of their homelands within their writings.