Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 23. (Budapest, 2004)
Kornélia MAJOR: The Park of Loyalty and Filial Piety. Chen Yingzhen's Latest Short Stories
NOTES ' Many attempts were made to define the meaning of the term "Taiwanese literature" in many ways. In the present essay I do not intend to take a stand concerning the muchdebated issue, namely, whether there exists Taiwanese literature, and, if yes, what exactly can be considered as such. This is neither the subject matter nor the task of my article. I employ the term "Taiwanese literature" for practical reasons, that is, for the sake of unambiguousness and simplicity, and mean literature in Taiwan in Chinese language by it. (For a summary on the various opinions, see Tang 1999). 2 tiifëJ$:M< Taiwanese writer and publicist. He was born on 19 November, 1937 in the town of Yingge in the vicinity of Taibei. He graduated as an English major. His first short story was published in 1959. 3 Xu 1975: 19. The English translation of the citation by Beata Grant is from Xu 1992: 220. 4 #WÔtli5tâ|5. Also in: Chen Yingzhen 2001, 2: 31-45. 5 A reference to the short story "Kuangren riji" by Lu Xun(#ÎS, ffiARIE, [The Diary of a Madman] 1918). The element of cannibalism appears in another early short story by Chen: Wo de didi Kangxiong fffii^btkMW-. [My brother Kang Xiong, I960]; this story shows several other similarities with Kuangren riji. " Xiangcun de jiaoshi. Chen Yingzhen 2001,2: 38. 7 Lucien Miller and Jeffrey Kinkley. This is why Miller entitled his volume of the translations of Chen's works Exiles at home, Miller 1985. "Lau 1973. '1RS 1,1 Though the charges against him have never been made public, it is most probable that he was arrested for organising Marxist reading circles. " In the course of the so called xiangtu M±. [homeland] literary debate, a group of Taiwanese writers and poets dedicated to their homeland (Chen being one of them) criticized Modernist poetry and, indirectly, Western culture becoming prevalent in Taiwan; thus, they made a covert attack on the Guomindang government. At the end of the 1970s, in the period of political easing, the relationship and conflicts between the Taiwanese (benti ren) and those who have emigrated from the continent came to the surface. (Obviously, the conflict is rooted deeply in history. In 1945, after Japan's defeat in World War 2, Taiwan was re-annexed to China. The Guomindang assumed power and commissioned Guomindang members as holders of important offices. It declared that Taiwanese people were traitors to their country collectively and debarred them from exercising their right to govern their homeland. It covered the expenses of the war against the communist partially from Taiwanese sources; as a result, shortage of food products and hyperinflation occurred. The tensions between the new power and local people culminated in the events of 28 February 1947 (the so-called : J.r_~.A=Pf if r Er'erba shijian). The Chinese governor of Taiwan avenged local uprising; he declared a state of emergency, which was terminated in 1987. (For further information on the subject, see Kerr 1965). Later, at the time of the bentu ^ [homeland] movement, from 1980 on, the emphasis was placed on Taiwanese characteristic features, and literature became a means and field of creating Taiwanese national identity. Chen protested against this phenomenon; he declared that the followers of the movement were separatists and chauvinists. This conflict still affects public life. (For details, see Yee 2001, Chen Zhaoying 1998). 12 His works still attract attention in literary circles yet no longer find response in the society in general. For Chen, who has the intention to affect people with his works (publications and literary works alike), this is equivalent of failure. "Kinkley 1990. 14 Huashengdun xilie ^aJRJffii: Yexing huoche WftWP- [Night Freight, 1978], Shangbanzude yiri ±MM^-I—B [A Day in the Life of a White-collar Worker, 1978], also in: Chen Yingzhen 2001, 3. Yun Ü [Clouds, 1980], Wanshang dijun MM^ßfüi [The God of Commerce, 1982], also in: Chen Yingzhen 2001, 4. 15 Yexing huoche. Yet the ending is unexpected and didactic to such an extent that it becomes unauthentic. Moreover, it is in contrast with Chen's way of thinking; therefore, I regard it as a caricature he made of himself. 16 Lingdanghua [Bell-flower, 1983], Shan lu [Mounatin Path, 1983], Zhao Nandong (1987).Alsoin:Chen Yingzhen 2001,5. 17 Miller 1986. "Wang 2001. 19 Chen Yingzhen 1985: 1. " B%1, &Jß, In: Chen Yingzhen 2001,6. I name the trilogy Zhongxiao trilogy, after the title of the last short story. 21 Chen Yingzhen 2001,6: 1-67. 22 A civil war (1946-1949) between the Guomindang and the communist, which ensued World War 2 and ended with communist victory. Chiang Kai-shek and his followers escaped to the island of Taiwan; in the continent, the communist declared the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949. 23 See Note 15. 24 Chen Yingzhen 2001,6: 69-124. 25 Chen Yingzhen 2001,6: 125-229. 26 Chen Yingzhen 2001,6: 123. 27 Even if we remember that there were soldiers of World War 2 among the characters of his earlier characters (eg. Xiangcun de jiaoshi). The basic conflict is highly different in these works. 2S rWM In: Chen Yingzhen 2001,1: 181-202.
