Chapter 38 The second section discovers the "power" of the nation on the balance of the new era

Since the new era, many people have been reflecting on such a question: Although we have various shortcomings, we have experienced so many internal and external troubles, so many sufferings and setbacks, and even national catastrophes such as the War of Resistance Against Japan and the Cultural Revolution. After that, why can we not only persevere, but also go to the world with a more vigorous posture today? ——In our national body, there must be something fundamental, which not only supports the nation's response to external crises, but also leads the healthy growth of the nation itself.

In fact, when Lu Xun was studying in Japan, he discussed with Xu Shoushang that "revealing illness and suffering" is of course important in the modern design of the Chinese nation, but it is fundamental to discover "ideal personality" (uniqueness).This goal was not directly realized by Lu Xun himself, but it potentially inspired the search for "meaning" of latecomers, especially after the national crisis, "ideal personality", as the core meaning of the national soul, has become the core meaning of almost all literary works. Especially the inner basis of today's novel creation.Although in each period, writers' narrative standpoints and humanistic attitudes, visions of life and aesthetic consciousness, especially value systems and spiritual pursuits, will be differentiated to varying degrees, however, whether idealistic, radical, or culturally conservative Feminism, feminism, and even quasi-religion all embody this realm of "harmony but difference"—discovering the "power" of the nation. The important types and representative works of this period roughly include, writing about family fate and Rural changes include "Act Twentieth", "Old Site", "Love and Decision", "War and People", "The Last Hun", "The Sheep's Gate", "Speechless Heroes", "Shouting and Drizzle", "The River of Baptism", " Great Desert Sacrifice”; expressive and symbolic writings include “September Fable”; nostalgic and reflective writings include “Seasons Series”, “Liangshan Moon”, “Bodhi Tree” and “Naked Snow”; social problem writings include “The Right Way in the World” and “ Bing Ballad" and so on.

In 1984, Li Zhun completed "The Yellow River Flows to the East". Through the inner qualities of the seven farmers, such as tenacity, mutual help and love, and belief in life, he clearly declared on the title page: ""The Yellow River Flows to the East" is not for the past. She wants to re-evaluate the vitality of our nation to survive and continue on the balance of the times.” The “root-seeking school” even hopes that on this basis, they will “use the heat of modern concepts to Brighten the nation's self". ⑿ In the 1930s, many people suspected, and some even slandered, that the Chinese had lost their "self-confidence." Regarding this, Lu Xun once said indignantly: "Since ancient times, there have been people who have worked hard and worked hard. Hard-working people, those who plead for the people, and those who sacrifice their lives to seek the law... Although they are the so-called "official history" that is equivalent to the genealogy of emperors, generals and ministers, they often cannot conceal their brilliance. This is the backbone of China ”⒀ Just as “the people are the creators of history”, today’s novels also implicitly reveal the mystery of our nation’s existence, which is the existence of many “backbone”, such as Jin Dongshui, Luhua, Peng Qi, Li Mai, Zheng Ziyun, Yang Jianhua, Li Gaocheng, Liang Bida, Hang Jiaping, Meng Fuzhi and others; there are also ordinary people who have lived hard but preserved the simplicity and kindness of the Chinese people; in addition, there are Fugui, Xu Sanguan, Ma The tenacity and tenacious vitality embodied in Qiaoren, Qian Wen, Yang Liqing and others.It is also in the void of history that these novels begin to call and search for heroes.In fact, this is the whole nation's efforts to unite the hearts of the people with heroes, rekindle the enthusiasm of the masses, and devote themselves to the modernization journey of the nation with faith and a new look after experiencing painful ordeals.Therefore, the novels of the past thirty years are full of the spirit of heroism who dared to grasp history.Of course, this kind of heroic birth driven by the current situation undoubtedly inherits the potential heroism complex of new literature and the heroic narrative resources of revolutionary literature. Based on the reduction of "human beings", "heroes" are regarded as symbols and symbols for constructing the soul of the entire nation.Therefore, in them, the fundamental character of the Chinese nation is gathered and accumulated, such as the pursuit of perfection, benevolence, dedication, ambition, harmony, valuing righteousness over profit, and self-improvement, etc. manifested in the form.But they are not static, and the humanistic edge of memory shows the active spirit of Confucianism.After a hundred years of China, after going through the destiny cycle of "seeing" and "being seen", it finally began to "enter" the world.Therefore, on the one hand, we are suffering from the confusion and pain of cultural fission, and constantly release the contradictions and entanglements that plague us in the torment, turmoil and hammering, so that the "self" emerges from the surface of history; ", in the collision of globalization, constantly "let go of the old and absorb the new", and recast the "image of China" with an unstoppable "rise" attitude.It is during the great changes in the world that the overall state of the spirit of the times is "deformed" according to different subject and objective conditions.Especially since the new era, in the process of China's forced "modernization", this "transformation" has the brilliance of life philosophy. It not only illuminates the difficult practice of the Chinese nation, but also melts into the "soul" of the nation; Moreover, it takes the actual needs as a "mirror" and considers them from different conditions and scenarios.Specifically, this "deformation" is mainly manifested in the ten "spirits" in the contemporary humanistic horizon:

One is the spirit of dedicating to the collective cause regardless of personal gains and losses.In the contemporary social transformation, everyone's interests have been misplaced. Is the individual interest first or the collective cause the most important?Some characters in the novel use their own images to once again demonstrate the family and country feelings of "the small self obeys the big self".Although Jin Dongshui was "criticized" and "suspended for censorship" during the ten-year catastrophe, he still strived to "serve the people"; Still "showing the strength of the party spirit in the struggle of being loyal to the people and protecting the weak!"; high-level leaders represented by Jiang Chaolin and Gao Changhe, middle-level cadres such as Tian Liye and He Zhuoxiao, and ordinary people at the bottom of society such as Tian Liting and Li Baobao. Thinking and struggle, dedication and sacrifice of characters at different levels.

One is an optimistic, positive and tenacious spirit of survival.In modern times, the invasion of foreign enemies, warlords' melee, natural and man-made disasters, exorbitant taxes... have caused the common people to live in dire straits, but they are not inferior. , and even unbearable blows, persistently interpreting the joys and sorrows of life.For example, Li Mai, Hai Changsong, Xu Qiuzhai, and Lan Wu, almost everyone has a history of blood and tears, but they have all endured "nine steams and nine suns", and survived like a rushing Yellow River; Fugui's life consciousness And the spiritual history is unfolded in the dimension of "suffering-death". His "living" is always threatened and tempted by suffering and death. The way of "indisputable struggle" is to fight against suffering and death; ⒂In "The Old Site", although the individual is humble and small, and even becomes a tool trampled by history, he is still struggling to continue such a life.

One is the spirit of active struggle and practicing faith with life.As a pivotal point of national modernization, establishing and defending the "people's regime" is full of tests of blood and fire. How will faith illuminate life?After Peng Qi was overthrown, he still wanted to leave the army with the shame of dereliction of duty; Guo Xiang fought bravely on the Korean battlefield with the heroic spirit of "giving death death"; Bai Jie would rather die than surrender, and exchanged his life for the victory of the revolution Fang Yulin was determined to find the real culprit of the 12.18 major case during his narrow escape, and finally uncovered the unforgivable social scum, and loyally safeguarded the party's image.And the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial journey of several generations of the Shang family in "Act Twentieth". After the 1990s, belief seems to be no longer a worldly thing, unable to stop at the human soul, including humanistic intellectuals who aim to pursue spiritual pursuits, and continue to indulge in secular swamps lacking belief. However, in the most ordinary folk, in the most On the disgraced bodies of ordinary people, the light of faith is so pure and bright, and the power of faith as the purpose of life is so real and moving.Zhang Chengzhi's is a hymn that solemnly sings about the endless life of faith among the people.

One is the innovative spirit of daring to break the old and dare to reform.Needless to say, the 5,000-year civilization has both brilliance and heavy burdens.Should we follow the old ways and become the martyrs of history; or go up against the odds, destroy the old world and become the master of history?Zheng Ziyun and Chen Yongming faced the long-standing habits dominated by the "Leftist" trend of thought after the "Cultural Revolution", the remnants of feudal ideology with a foundation of thousands of years and permeated into every corner of social life, and the problems bred by the planned economic management system. On the one hand, they strive to overcome their own ideological barriers, and on the other hand, they carry out the self-conscious spirit of history, and carry out fearless pioneering with the spirit of "dare to be the first in the world". ⒃

One is the enterprising spirit of self-reliance, self-improvement and perseverance.In the Chinese cultural tradition, "Heaven's movement is vigorous, and a gentleman strives for self-improvement" is its core. It encourages many promising people to "seek up and down" in "the road is long and the road is long", and pushes forward the history.Under the influence of modern civilization, Sun Shaoping longed to "break the world" outside.Whether he is a wandering job seeker, a formal construction worker, or a coal miner, Sun Shaoping never gives up; Ma, who designs his own life with confidence, actually condenses thousands of years of struggle history of our nation in his body; "Love and Decision" takes the change of the land as the background, and describes the experiences of generations of farmers in the social change. The various tribulations and joys in the film show that the farmers are never discouraged sowing their hopes and sustenance, and cultivating the original face of dreams and reality.

One is the spirit of helping the world from suffering. "If you are born less than a hundred years old, you often worry about a thousand years old". Help the world" feelings, actively participate in it, and realize the desire to save the country and the people.Intellectuals such as Meng Fuzhi faced the patriotic behavior of Japanese aggression; To turn the tide; Facing the decline of the world and political corruption, Tong Shuangwei resolutely walked towards the people, unable to bear the "worry" of conscience and worrying about the world. One is the spirit of sacrifice for the country.In the face of foreign aggression, the Chinese nation has never surrendered and never stopped resisting. From the Opium War to the Anti-Japanese War, how many people put their lives aside and spilled blood on the battlefield?Facing the coercion and temptation of the invaders, Hang Jiaping, Hang Yi, Hang Han and others resolutely chose to resist, nourishing the troubled land with their blood; Either silently stick to the icy border post, or stand up on the diplomatic front line with complicated contradictions, or for the highest interests of the nation, take the ordinary post as the coordinate of life, and spread their youth and passion without regret.

One is the spirit of adhering to justice, law and conscience, and striving to realize national modernization.We have had a deep-rooted "rule of man" tradition. However, in the process of modernization, China is undergoing a painful transformation from "rule of man" to "rule of law". Especially during the current reform and opening up, when corruption, smuggling, When drug trafficking seriously erodes the body of the party and the country, it is Li Gaocheng and Yang Cheng, such upright and awe-inspiring communists, who are frank and selfless, have fought uncompromisingly with the corrupt elements, and firmly choose between family affection and justice. For the sake of the common people, I would rather sacrifice everything of myself.” Only then has the Chinese nation become stronger and stronger in the forest of nations in the world.

One is dialectical enlightenment and thinking spirit.Today, in the face of China's reintegration into the world, Chinese people have broadened their horizons, and their minds and experiences are no longer in one corner. not only re-examined the absurdity and harm of truth and justice in a special age, but also never shirked, and introspected the responsibilities that should be shouldered and the countermeasures that may be avoided; not only reaffirmed our moral bottom line and the necessity of truth, goodness and beauty in today's society It not only strengthens the rationality of doubt, but also really benefits the ever-enriching practical philosophy, and so on. These ten spirits are the core national "power", and they form the deep structure of the national soul.Once under pressure, they will burst out in a fierce way, and focus on the main theme of the era through "people".Through the 30 years of novels in the new era, we can see their deep historical resources on the one hand, such as the vigorous peasant uprising, the "Wanli New Deal" that brought the revival of the Ming Dynasty, and the way of war to promote the integration of multi-ethnic cultures On the one hand, we can see their profound realistic foundation: the "poverty and weakness" of the twentieth century made the Chinese have no choice but to endure the vigorous "squeezing" of the times. Qu", or sinking in the "sickness", or carrying out these "spirits" to fight, so these novels use the "Cultural Revolution", the anti-US and North Korea, the map of refugees in the Yellow River flood area, the reform and opening up, the War of Resistance Against Japan, and the anti-Japanese war. Corruption and other incidents have deeply engraved these "spiritual images" in the history of the nation's mind. After all, the times have undergone tremendous changes, especially in the past 30 years, reform and opening up, market economy, entry into the WTO, laid-off and part-time jobs, Taiwan independence, terrorism, regional wars, power politics, etc., in the midst of various conflicts and complex situations. Among them, China has entered the period of "post-modern society" with fierce competition and exaggerated consumption, leisure and entertainment from the "dire existence crisis" in the past.The "power" of the nation, which bears the richness and heavyness of five thousand years of civilization, is also facing constant embarrassment and challenges under the new situation.Because, what cultivates the deep blood and spirit of the Chinese nation is the constant killing, fighting, and never-yielding "seeking up and down" and so on.In times of peace, facing the reality that the intelligence, will, perseverance, and ideals of "people" are all materialized or commercialized, where does "power" go?Regrettably, many social facts in recent years have shown the weakening of the power of the national spirit, so the novels of the past thirty years do not deny the inherent harm of the lack of "power" to the soul of the nation.According to the American cultural scientist Jameson, the texts of the third world will unconsciously metaphor the fate of the nation, through an urban woman—Wang Qiyao and other "female characters" such as Mr. Sasha and He retreated from the male arena and entered the world of "female instinct" and its fate⒄, symbolically describing the weak side of Chinese history and the hidden "source of suffering". However, on the whole, these novels use grand narratives to show the vigorous "power" of the nation, and always put "people" to extreme tests.Regardless of setbacks or failures, the spirit of mastering destiny, the spirit of active struggle, the tenacity of perseverance, the attitude of never yielding, the courage to face difficulties, etc. embodied by "people" are invincible and indelible. ; Therefore, through wars, criticisms, escapes, reforms, and even trivial and mediocre life representations, we can discover that the "strength" of a nation lies in the deep paradigm and dynamic mechanism of "eternal progress".On the one hand, no matter in the face of "internal or external" pressure, what Chinese people often display is their group character, and the public nature endowed by the "harmony culture" tradition makes them an unshakable norm for Chinese people. , individual character is deeply suppressed or shielded, and "person" is generalized and mediocre.Therefore, apart from the "cultural existence", the individual lacks the real "life existence".Therefore, to a certain extent, the "power" of the nation still lacks the "truth" directly derived from life, and it is unconsciously affecting the future development of the Chinese nation. This is also the "shadow" that the novel needs to face up to .