Grateful to Professor Wang Chunlin, the Visionary Who Spotted Me in My Darkest Hour – My "Motivational Refueler"

Nantai

I have read the story of Hans Christian Andersen, the world-renowned author. When he first entered the literary world, he wrote numerous works, yet they went unnoticed by everyone. Just as he was disheartened, thinking he lacked the talent and was about to give up, a critic discovered him, gave him full recognition, and instantly reignited his confidence. Andersen picked himself up again and eventually became a world-famous literary master. In my own literary career, I have also had several such esteemed mentors. Among them, two stand out the most – even though they are both younger than me, I still willingly call them my "esteemed mentors."

The first one can be regarded as the "mid-air refueling aircraft" in my literary journey: Professor Wang Chunlin from Shanxi University, Vice President of the Chinese Novel Society, and also a renowned literary critic.

I can’t remember exactly which year it was, but it was undoubtedly a low point in my creative career. At that time, Mr. Wang Chunlin, as a prominent figure in China’s literary circle, was invited to Ningxia to attend a literary event – his presence was meant to add prestige to the occasion. This kind of thing was quite common; famous scholars are often invited to events across the country. What made it unusual for me, however, was that Mr. Wang Chunlin made a special request: when he came to Ningxia, he insisted on meeting Mr. Nantai (the author himself). I was extremely surprised and caught off guard when I heard this news.

Back then, in Ningxia’s literary scene, Zhang Xianliang was like a towering giant – he was the "name card of Ningxia literature," the "first landmark" of Ningxia’s literary landscape. The "second landmark" consisted of writers known as Ningxia’s "Three Trees" and "Another Three Trees," including Shi Shuqing, Chen Jiming, and Guo Wenbin. I (Nantai) am a few years younger than Zhang Xianliang, but older than these six writers. Moreover, I was just an ordinary figure barely noticeable among the crowd. As the "later waves" had already surpassed the "earlier waves," I had even mentally prepared myself to "sit on the beach and bask in the sun" (i.e., retire from the literary scene). So how could a professor with a broad vision, who closely followed the creation of full-length novels across the country, overlook those two brilliant "landmarks" and turn his gaze to the obscure, back-row corner where I was?

I have no way of knowing the exact reason, but it might have something to do with my full-length novel A County Magistrate’s Tenure. Mr. Wang Chunlin commented on it as "an outstanding work with profound and unflinching authenticity" – a high praise indeed. Additionally, this novel, which belongs to the genre of "comedic fiction" (a rare type in literature, once dubbed "literary giant pandas" by literary circles), was regarded by Mr. Wang Chunlin as "China’s first full-length comedic novel about officialdom."

Mr. Wang Chunlin’s appreciation for me was probably due to my exploration of "comedic fiction." When people read literary works, over 90% of them focus on characters, plots, details, and language; only a tiny number of experts pay attention to the "genre" itself. To put it metaphorically: if literary works were compared to beautiful women, comedic fiction would be like a royal princess. Even if she has aged and can no longer compete with other young beauties, her status is still higher than that of an ordinary pretty girl. Otherwise, how else can we explain Mr. Wang’s attention to me?

Regardless of the reason, this incident injected a shot of adrenaline into my dying creative life. Although we didn’t have an all-night conversation, we did chat freely until past 1 AM. After that, I picked myself up again and resumed my writing. This is all thanks to that "mid-journey refueling stop" – I can never forget Mr. Wang Chunlin, the visionary who spotted me in my darkest hour.

Included in #MyViewsOnLiterature (Personal Opinions, For Reference Only) 68, Ningxia, March 18, 2025, 06:22