China News Service, Seoul, March 1st
: Question: Why can Koreans sympathize with "Xu Sanguan"?
——Exclusive interview with Li Xuyuan, President of the Korean Society of Modern Literature and Professor of Sogang University, South Korea
Author Liu Xu Jinlin
In recent years, many contemporary Chinese literary works have been translated and introduced to South Korea, from "Xu Sanguan Sells Blood", "Alive" and "Wencheng" to "The Three-Body Problem" and Chinese online literary works "going overseas", all of which have been in South Korea all year round. Bestseller in bookstores.
Why do these works attract Korean readers?
What impact do literary works have on cultural exchanges between China and South Korea?
What inspiration and influence does modern Chinese literature have on Korean society?
Recently, Li Xuyuan, president of the Korean Society of Modern Literature and professor of the Department of Chinese Culture at Sogang University in South Korea, accepted an exclusive interview with China News Service's "East-West Question" on this issue.
Li Xuyuan was interviewed.
Photo by Liu Xu
The interview transcript is summarized as follows:
China News Service reporter: You are an expert in modern Chinese literature. You have written many books on Chinese culture and translated and introduced many works of modern Chinese writers. Why did you embark on the path of Chinese literature research?
Li Xuyuan:
I went to college in the 1980s. At that time, South Korea and China had not yet established diplomatic relations. South Korea implemented a strict military dictatorship with very tough policies. I could not learn about modern China, including modern Chinese literature.
Therefore, I mainly studied ancient Chinese literature in college, but I have always been very interested in modern Chinese history.
A view of the Lu Xun Museum in Beijing.
Photo by Fan Shumei
When I was in my third year of college, I came into contact with Lu Xun.
His works criticized the dark reality of China at that time. I think the ideological content in it has an enlightening effect on Korean society.
Therefore, I began to study modern Chinese literature, especially the works of Lu Xun.
When I was studying for my master's degree, I translated and published Mao Zedong's related articles, including "Speech at the Yan'an Forum on Literature and Art" and so on.
When I was studying for my doctorate, I translated Lu Xun's essays and published a collection of Lu Xun's essays in Korea.
The book became a bestseller after its publication in 1992.
At that time, young people studying in universities in South Korea, especially young intellectuals, were very interested in Lu Xun's articles.
Then, in 1992, the year when South Korea and China established diplomatic relations, I went to study at Beijing Normal University.
Although I only studied there for two years, the experience was very helpful for my future academic path.
By witnessing China's reality with my own eyes, I gained a deeper understanding of China.
Generally speaking, the reason why I study modern Chinese literature and history is from a Korean perspective. An in-depth understanding of modern Chinese society and literature is of great reference to Korean society.
China News Service reporter: Which Chinese writers’ works are more popular among Korean readers? Why does it resonate with Korean readers?
Writer Yu Hua.
Photo by Wu Junjie
Li Xuyuan:
Yu Hua is one of Koreans' favorite Chinese writers. His works, especially "Xu Sanguan Sells Blood", have sold very well in South Korea and have been made into movies.
When I was in class, I introduced Yu Hua's novels to Korean young people, and they all liked it.
Teacher Yu Hua also came to Yonsei University to give a lecture last year, and the lecture hall was full.
Including me, Koreans over 50 years old especially like Yu Hua’s novels, because most of us come from rural areas and understand the thoughts and feelings of people in Yu Hua’s novels very well.
I think Koreans love Mr. Yu Hua’s novels because the protagonist Fugui ("Alive") or Xu Sanguan ("Xu Sanguan Sells Blood") is very similar to Koreans, but there are some differences.
Many people in Yu Hua's novels are ordinary Chinese people with low academic qualifications. Many of them are farmers or small people, but their attitude towards life and the philosophy of "living" are very wise.
The suicide rate in South Korea is very high now. If people learn the attitude of the characters in Yu Hua's novels about life, I think Korean people's ideas can be changed.
In fact, there are many difficulties and despairs in the process of human life, but Xu Sanguan and Fugui in the novel are not disappointed and have strong vitality.
At this point, Yu Hua's novels are very instructive to Korean readers.
The image of Heo Sanguan is also very similar to the image of the traditional Korean father in the minds of Koreans, that is, he sacrifices everything for his family and even sells his blood.
Therefore, Koreans will find Xu Sanguan "very familiar".
In Yu Hua's novels, Koreans can find both Chinese and Korean attitudes towards life, which I think is not found or is difficult to find in Western novels.
The philosophy of life in Yu Hua's novels was something that once appeared in Korean life, but now Koreans have lost it. Because Koreans are now quite Westernized, Koreans especially like Yu Hua's novels.
China News Service reporter: In addition to Yu Hua, which other Chinese writers’ works are more popular among Korean readers? What are the new trends in Korean readers’ choice of Chinese literary works?
Lu Xun's manuscript of "The True Story of Ah Q".
Photo by Sun Xinming
Li Xuyuan:
Koreans also like Lu Xun's "The True Story of Ah Q" very much, and it has even become one of the must-read classics for middle school students.
The spiritual victory method in "The True Story of Ah Q" is very popular among young people.
If you search on Naver, Korea's largest search engine, you can see examples of how to use the "Spiritual Victory Method" in daily life.
In addition, two writers, Yu Hua and Mo Yan, are both very famous in Korea, and they each have their own characteristics.
Unfortunately, the current Korean translation of Mr. Mo Yan's works is not very satisfactory, and the current sales of his works in South Korea are not high.
When it comes to reading trends, older people prefer "traditional" novels, and have always paid close attention to "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and Jin Yong's novels.
Young people like genre literature written by young Chinese writers, such as science fiction literature, martial arts novels, etc.
On October 18, 2023, science fiction writer Liu Cixin was at the 81st World Science Fiction Conference.
Photo by Wang Lei
I also read novels by Liu Cixin and Hao Jingfang, which were very well written.
For example, Liu Cixin has a phenomenal masterpiece such as "The Three-Body Problem" and also has a fan base of readers in South Korea.
Chinese (science fiction) writers have already won the Hugo Award. I think this series of science fiction novels is very promising, and I hope more of them will be introduced in Korea.
At the same time, many Chinese online novels have been translated into Korean in South Korea, and this type of popular literature is very popular on the Korean Internet.
They have their own advantages in dissemination. Many Korean readers will be introduced to them as Chinese works when reading, which enhances their understanding and interest in Chinese literature.
Although I have no plans to translate these works myself, I strongly encourage my students to translate and introduce the latest Chinese literary works to Korea to promote literary exchanges among the younger generation.
China News Service reporter: What impact have Chinese literary works had on Korean society?
Li Xuyuan:
First, the influence on novel writing techniques in Korean literary circles.
The method of writing novels in Korea has become quite Westernized.
Chinese writers often use "traditional" methods to write novels. For example, Yu Hua's "To Live" is written in an oral way, with more narration and less description. This writing method has a certain influence on Korean novelists.
The second is the influence from traditional literature.
In the past, South Korea went through two periods of Sinicization and a large amount of acceptance of traditional Chinese culture.
The first time was during the Silla era, and the second time was during the founding of Joseon.
South Korea is a country in the Confucian cultural circle and is greatly influenced by Confucianism, especially Neo-Confucianism. The same is true for Korean traditional literature.
However, in modern times, Korea began to move toward Westernization, Japaneseization, and Americanization, and gradually lost these previous traditions.
I think East Asian civilization is now facing a new crisis. At this time, we need to critically reconsider the meaning of tradition and consider the elements in tradition that can help solve the crisis of civilization. This is also the power that Chinese literary works can give us.
China News Service reporter: How do you view the role of literary exchanges in developing relations between the two countries? What efforts should the two countries make in promoting literary exchanges between China and South Korea?
Li Xuyuan:
I think the most important thing to understand a country or the people there is to understand people’s thoughts and emotions.
Watching literary works, movies, and TV series is a good way to understand a country.
South Korea and China are neighboring countries. If we want to enhance mutual understanding between the young people of the two countries, they should read literature and watch movies, and let young people access the cultural works of the two countries on the Internet and on their mobile phones.
Therefore, when South Korea and China communicate, it is very important to strengthen cultural exchanges such as movies and literary works.
What I hope most is that the two governments will work hard to open up the works of the two countries and introduce them to the young people of the two countries.
The performance scene of the modern Peking Opera "Camel Xiangzi" (heritage version) brought by the Jiangsu Provincial Performing Arts Group Peking Opera Company.
Photo by Xu Peiqin
I am currently writing a book about looking at Chinese people and Chinese reality from Chinese novels.
I selected literary works that can represent different cities in China, such as Shanghai through Zhang Ailing's works, Shaanxi through Jia Pingwa's works, and the most famous novel about Beijing, "Camel Xiangzi".
For example, from "Camel Xiangzi", I introduce the city on the one hand, and also explore why Xiangzi failed, how to understand Xiangzi's failure, and what his failure can say to today's young people in South Korea.
I hope that through such a book, Koreans can understand China's past and present from more dimensions, and understand Chinese people's thinking and emotions.
Interviewee profile:
Lee Xuyuan was born in South Korea in 1963. He obtained a doctorate in literature from Korea University in 1995 and was a visiting scholar at Beijing Normal University.
He is currently a professor at the Department of Chinese Culture at Sogang University in South Korea and the president of the Korean Modern Chinese Literature Society.
Author of "The Power Supporting the Times, Lu Xun Humanities", "Reading Lu Xun at Night - Reading My Time", "Chinese Culture in the Post-Socialist Era", "Guo Moruo and Modern China", "China Speaks to Me" and "China is So Close" etc., and translated and introduced the works of Lu Xun, Yu Hua, Mo Yan and other writers.