Constructed Literary Myth

"Returning to the 1980s" is a challenging work in the study of contemporary Chinese literature.The literature in the 1980 s,as a hub connecting the "first thirty years" and the "second thirty years" of contemporary literature,gives researchers multiple interpretation due to its complex features such as diversity,heterogeneity,transition,tension,and mobility.Some important issues and literary thoughts left over from the 1980 s still affected the literary thinking and research patterns of subsequent generations.For example,the concept of "pure literature",which was quite popular in the 1980 s,has continuously aroused people’s reflection and discussion.On the basis of focusing on the vital "problem" of "pure literature",returning to the vividness of history that based on the creative practice of "pioneering novels" and the movement of "rewriting literary history" through a careful investigation of the literary world in the broad sense of the 1980s(the main scope is defined as 1978 to 1989),can reveal the mythical characteristics of the construction of "pure literary" discourse.The generation of "pure literary" discourse is closely related to the social and historical background at the time.By returning to the discourse space under the literary system of the "new era",the social and cultural laws and historical context of the occurrence of "pure literary" discourse can be sorted out.First,the emergence of "new era" literature is subject to political changes and power displacement;Secondly,at the intersection of traditional China and modern China,the knowledge structure and creative mentality of writers of different generations also directly affect literature expression;Then,the adjustment of literary goals under the norms of the times also created conditions for theorists to advocate that literature and art should free from political shackles and return to literature itself.The main practice of "pure literature" discourse in the field of literary creation is characterized by avant-garde literature that advocates formalism experiments.Therefore,the evaluation of avant-garde literature should be placed in a specific historical context.This will not only help us clarify the trajectory of the concept of "pure literature" in the field of literary practice in the 1980 s,but also provide a deep understanding and reflection on the historical logic behind the avant-garde literary language reform.The avant-garde literary revolution marked the end of an era with ideology as the historical axis.It established a relatively self-disciplined and aesthetic art system in literature,and fulfilled the requirements for the innovation of literature itself by avoiding politics,but it is destroying traditional writing norms.At the same time,it gradually abandoned the exploration of the richness and complexity of reality.Finally,the practice of "rewriting the history of literature" in the late 1980 s is the continuation and development of the discourse of "pure literature",and it is also a historical process of continuous self-repetition.The "aesthetic principle" advocated by it has become an internal principle for grasping modern Chinese literature,which has profoundly affected the literary history imagination of "pure literature".The rational reflection of "re-problemization" not only helps to investigate the deep meaning of "pure literature" discourse,but also relates to how we grasp the dynamic process of "pure literature".