The Uses of Literature

Perry Link is Professor of East Asian Studies at Princeton University, where he teaches modern Chinese language, literature, and cultural history. His books include Mandarin Ducks and Butterflies and Evening Chats in Beijing.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS vii A NOTE ON DOCUMENTATION ix INTRODUCTION 3 CHAPTER ONE Historical Setting 13 Warming, 1976-1979 15 Cooling, 1980-1983 22 Perspectives 36 CHAPTER TWO The Mechanics of Literary Control 56 A Spectrum of Newpoints 56 What Was Controlled? 59 The Literary Control System 63 The Mechanics of Relaxation 68 The Mechanics of Tightening 81 Soviet Comparisons 97 CHAPTER THREE Writers 104 Tradition of Responsibility 104 The Modern Crisis and the Idea of a "Path"106 Establishing National Guidelines 108 Effects of the Anti-Rightist Campaign 110 Maoist Utopianism in Command 113 Kinds and Groups of Writers 116 The Writers' Association 118 Generational Differences 122 Livelihood 129 Dissent 138 Purposes 142 CHAPTER FOUR Media and Market 167 Distribution: Official and Public 167 Distribution: Restricted, Semiofficial, and Unofficial 183 Related Media: Stage, Film, Radio, and Television 198 CHAPTER FIVE Readers: The Popular Level 210 Readership (Audience) Groups 212 Popular Entertainment 220 CHAPTER SIX Readers: Socially Engaged Level 249 Intrusive Politics 254 Special Privilege and Abuse of Power 258 Pervasive Corruption 260 Styles of Bureaucratism 263 The Need for Rule of Law 270 The Problem of Truth 272 The Place of Romance 278 CHAPTER SEVEN The Uses of Literature 284 The Party and Its "Engineering" 286 Problems with Engineering 289 Retreat ftom Engineering 294 Secondary Uses of Engineering 296 The Variety of Other Uses 300 Transcending "Uses" 319 Use and Quality 322 SELECT GLOSSARY OF CHINESE CHARACTERS 333 BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WORKS CITED IN THE NOTES 339 INDEX 369