MCLC: Alai on artistic quality

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: kirk (denton.2 at osu.edu)
Subject: Alai on artistic quality
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Source: China Daily (3.20/12):
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/usa/life/2012-03/20/content_14872168.htm

Author and NPC deputy calls for spirituality
By Liu Lu (China Daily)

Alai, one of China's few best-known Tibetan writers, is encouraging some
of his peers to readjust their profit-oriented goals and concentrate
instead on artistic quality.

He made the remarks at the recently concluded sessions of the National
People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative
Conference (CPPCC).

The NPC deputy and chairman of the Sichuan Writers' Association says
contemporary publishing circles suffer from an erroneous belief that sales
are a barometer of a book's popularity. So to please the public, some
writers seek popularity through creating vulgar works that "undermine the
artistic nature of literature".

"The market-oriented approach does stimulate the creativity of Chinese
writers, which has greatly contributed to today's literary boom," Alai
says. "But there are serious problems behind this."

The novelist says that while profitability is an indicator of success, a
book's spiritual and artistic value is more important.

"The development of the cultural industry cannot simply follow the
development routes of other industries and be solely profit-oriented. In
my opinion, a good literary work should not only be readable but also put
an emphasis on artistic exploration and delve deeper into human nature and
the diversity of culture."

He says the lack of spiritual qualities in works by Chinese writers means
they are not as influential as they could be internationally.

"Foreign publishing houses are looking for outstanding literary works from
China that allow overseas readers to gain a better understanding of the
country," he says. "They do not love just entertaining works."

More foreign works are imported than Chinese works exported, he adds.

"If Chinese writers want to improve their international prestige, they
must improve their literary quality," Alai says.

He also urges the authorities to attach more importance to the export of
Chinese literary works, because "they have a more lasting and far-reaching
influence in regard to constructing China's soft power and offer a gateway
for foreign readers to have a deeper understanding of the diversified
aspects of China. When more true-to-life literature is created in China,
Chinese literature will surely be more influential."

Alai started his literary career in the 1980s as a poet. His first
best-selling book, As the Dust Settles, won the Mao Dun Literature Prize
in 2000.

He taps deeply into the interpretation of Tibetan history and culture. All
his novels have been translated into several foreign languages and have
been well received overseas.