Zhang Guangnian And The New-era Literature (1976-1984)

Zhang Guangnian is one of the most important literary officials in the early new era (1976-1984). As a leader of the literary circle, he made great contributions to the reconstruction of literary order, the founding of literary booming and the choosing of literary orientation from the late 1970s to the mid 1980s. So this article will present Zhang’s literary activities and interpret his thought of literature basing on the concrete practice of the new-era literature. Then the author will discuss the great significance of Zhang to the new-era literature as a whole.After the Great Cultural Revolution, Zhang returned to the circle of literature and had a more tolerant and enlightened literary view as the great change in his mind. In order to wrench literature back on course as soon as possible in the new era, he brang order out of chaos and promoted the liberation of thought in People’s Literature. At the same time, he gave a heavy blow to the ultra-left literary thought such as the view of dictatorship of black line art and the view of black line art through convening a series of meetings. As a consequence, the prelude of reconstruction of literary order and the renaissance of literature was played. In face of the shattered literary and art circle after the Great Cultural Revolution, Zhang was active in advocacy of national literary awards and supporting the new persons of literature to stimulate the prosperity of literary creation. When the potential difference and conflict had been revealed, he lighted against the center-left confirmedly in the disturbance of Bitter Love and the debate about the Scar Literature for the purpose of protecting the seedlings of literature from being hurted. In the tireless efforts of literary officials belonging to the Cherishing-spring Faction who were represented by Zhang Guangnian, a tolerant and thriving literary environment was formed gradually, and the new-era literature ushered a golden age.