On Prophase Zhang Chengzhi

Zhang Chengzhi possesses a unique position in the new period of Chinese contemporary Literature. He has been writing for 32 years since 1978.This thesis focuses on "prophase Zhang Chengzhi", the writing and practice before the publication of History of the soul, which was the dividing point of him. He takes "For the People" as the only principle of writing in his whole life. As the creator of the word "Red Guards", his early days as a Red Guard in the High School attached to Tsinghua University had acquired in him the character of anti-authority, anarchism and action-first. However, the inanition of the Red Guard movement called his vague realization of "the people". The ideal of Red Guard was re-enlighted by the real nomadic life during 1969-1972, but a division among "the people" was soon discovered. From the late 1980's, Zhang had finally achieved a total inosculation with "the people", as he developed further into the Islamic Loess Plateau, eventually leading to the completion of History of the soul.Considering the special nature of History of the soul ect, this thesis uses "the Writing" concept in the meaning of "Do Things with Words", which contains a mixture of literal and historical, writing and researching, expression and participation. Zhang Chengzhi's writing are definitely differed from the writing activity by professional writers on a fictional basis, and also from a knowledge production by a biased intellectual in academic work. The multiple situation of his identity and writing has eventually exposed a dilemma of the current times.