Answering the call of tradition: The root-seeking movement of contemporary Chinese literature

The root-seeking fiction of the 1980s, from its manifest reverence of tradition to its radical revolt against cultural heritage, has undergone a process of growth and reached a degree of ideological complexity and artistic sophistication. This study explores its major thematic and stylistic concerns.; Representing the popular trend of the movement, Deng Youmei and Lu Wenfu use the pre-modern form of storytelling to entertain and instruct while concentrating on the "cultural relics" of urban life. Besides minor stylistic changes, they show no significant differences from the traditional format.; The influence of the classical familiar essay whose primary objective is not entertainment but self-expression is most evident in the stories of Ah Cheng and Wang Zengqi. Their lyrical temperament is paired with a philosophical concern that evokes the traditions of Daoism and Buddhism. They have created a discourse that is poetic, a voice that is romantic in nature, and a world filled with nostalgia for the "leisure moods" of the classical essay and poetry.; Han Shaogong and Mo Yan have bridged the gap between two seemingly opposed groups of contemporary Chinese writers, the root-seekers and the "modernists" whose work is mainly distinguished by its foreign influence. In the works of Han, the affinity with Western modern literature is most evident in his use of myths. His "Pa Pa Pa" addresses issues of a nation where the heritage of the past fails to solve the problems it confronts at present. Mo Yan's work exemplifies the return of the primitive impulse. His antagonism toward traditional aesthetics is a form of counter-culture that revolts against the elitist literary establishment. It also demonstrates his critical reflections on the nostalgic trend of the root-seeking movement.; The success of future Chinese literature depends on the merging of tradition and modernity initiated by Han Shaogong and Mo Yan. Only when old roots receive new nourishment, when past is linked with present, will root-seeking literature be able to find the best possible artistic expression and its mission accomplished.