By Darius
With what remains of my mathematical knowledge, I understand that within the two major sets of "Literature" and "Journalism," there exists an intersection that, while not the largest proportion, is remarkably distinct. The well-known genres of "reportage literature," "documentary literature," and even commentaries and cultural critiques possessing considerable literary quality all, to some extent, embody characteristics of both journalism and literature.
An American writer, Thoreau, once said in a book that under every sleeper of the American railways lies the corpse of an Irish worker. So, I similarly imagine, upon every spindle in the Japanese mills rests the soul of an enslaved Chinese laborer! — Xia Yan
During high school, The Bondservants by Mr. Xia Yan, the pioneer of reportage literature, appeared in our textbook. Although limited by the curriculum standards, our teacher didn't elaborate much on this text, which required neither memorization nor deep interpretation. Yet, to this day, I still remember some of its details. It exposed the brutal exploitation and abuse inflicted upon young women from rural areas who sought work in the cities by imperialist and feudal forces of the time, using bloody facts to outline one shocking scene after another.
What impressed me most, however, was Mr. Xia's efforts in writing this piece. To truthfully reveal the tragic lives of the "bondservants" in Shanghai's Japanese-owned cotton mills, Xia, in 1935, used his connections with the Shanghai Workers' Federation to disguise himself as a worker. He repeatedly infiltrated workshops, workers' dormitories, and other sites to closely observe the daily labor and living conditions of the bondservants. Risking discovery by the police patrols and factory foremen, he secretly interviewed workers, recorded their oral accounts, and even went to the dormitories late at night to witness the bondservants crammed into tiny spaces trying to rest. His investigation lasted for months. Xia not only collected a wealth of first-hand materials but also consulted contemporary factory records, account books, and other documents, ultimately using systematic analysis to deconstruct this "systematic exploitation."
This style of in-depth investigation precisely aligns with the definition of a "muckraker" in journalism. These journalists are dedicated to exposing darkness and conducting deep investigations, among whom the famous left-wing writer Upton Sinclair is a prominent example. After reading his novel The Jungle, I was struck with the realization: this acerbic pen was depicting the "bondservants" of the West.
What is life for, that it holds such desolate nights? — Xiao Hong
My grandfather often said that the Chinese people are the most homesick, yet also the most prone to feeling timid when nearing home. Native soil writers born of this land all carry the heavy aura of their times. I once read Xiao Hong's Tales of Hulan River, though I remember little of its content now. Yet, whenever this book is mentioned, an inexplicable sense of oppression and sorrow seeps from the depths of my heart.
This feeling of oppression and sorrow assailed me again when I read Mr. Mo Yan's Selling Napa Cabbage. The hidden bitterness and helplessness of the child growing up in that impoverished family echoes across time with the girl trapped in Hulan River, ultimately crystallizing into a shared, unspoken hardship on this land. Given the chance, people today often wish to return to the past, to reclaim memories of childhood and hometown. But in the writings of native soil authors, hometowns, along with everything from the past, become an unresolved chess game—a muddled beginning with no perfect ending written. This is the weight history imposes upon me, a gravity inseparable from reality.
Mr. Mo Yan mentioned in a recent interview that many journalists possess considerable literary skill, enabling them to produce social commentaries and news articles efficiently while also writing poetry and essays with a delicate touch. In my view, this aligns with the essential nature of journalists to "observe the world with a cool eye but help others with a warm heart."
Because they encounter the myriad affairs of the world daily, their inspiration seldom runs dry; because they have seen so much, they are better able to analyze the essence of things; because they can observe the full spectrum of human life, they are more apt to promptly extend a hand to those in need. A good writer must possess the ability to empathize with others and must learn to make others empathize with them. Journalists, who operate closest to public opinion, happen to be experts in this very aspect.
However, whether it's stark reality or the hometown complex, both are being deconstructed layer by layer in today's digital age. Contemporary journalists are reinterpreting the philosophy of news amidst fragmented information, and how should contemporary writers find their own inspiration within the concrete jungle?
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