Zhang Jie (born 1937)

Zhang Jie, an artistic photo by Buso. Click here for original source

About Zhang Jie

A one of a kind and brilliant Chinese Literature writer. She resumed the aspects of socialism and turned it into a novella. In this way she is able to clearly show us what the people in China of all ranks had to suffer and went through during and after those times of communism, what they were left to be entrusted with, to rebuild upon for a new generation in China. Zhang Jie began to write after the access of power began for Deng Xioping (Deputy Minister), the dead of Mao Tseng Tang occurred in 1976 and the fall of the Gang of Four occurred; this gang included Mao’s cruel wife, Jiang Qing, mastermind and political figure that together with Mao authored millions of crimes during the Cultural Revolution,"Deng displaced Hua Guofeng, who had briefly succeeded Mao, and assumed complete control of the Stalinist apparatus." wsws.org

It was after these events that Zhang Jie began to write. China finally began to experience a relatively more freedom for writers to create, and works of other foreign writers began to make their way into China. China started to get energized catching on the humanistic and artistic works of the world. It was beginning to exit the 10 years confinement of literature and oppression that had suffered during the Cultural Revolution. The extreme ideals of communism lost attention and writers could now use other themes in their stories, other than the working classes or soldiers. Zhang Jie was now 39 years old. She was finally able and experienced to establish her brilliant place in the Chinese Literature.

Zhang Jie, at a Hong Kong Book fair. They announced her book 'Without Words' will be go to the big screen. Click here for original source

Biography

1937 Zhang Jie was born in Beijing in 1937, her mother taught elementary school, she grew up poor even when she was a Manchu Royalty decedent. She had to escape the Japanese army that wanted to kill them. "Her mother, Manchurian royalty by birth but reduced to poverty by China's perpetual war and revolt, was a primary school teacher before the Japanese invasion." beijingscene.com. A guide that they meet introduced Zhang Jie to western children stories. The stories she read were from The Grimm brothers, Hans Christian Andersen and the fables of Krylov were among her favorites. Although people like to critic her because about this, Zhang Jie said that she is glad to have read these children stories, because they taught her to be consider to other people and not smash others on her way to success "I secretly congratulate myself and say that if I have one iota of human feeling, if I do not move up in the world by stepping on other people, do not use others to gain advantage, it is in large part due to the influence of the humanism in classical Western literature.” beijingscene.com

1956 She wanted so badly to be a writer but end up studying economics "The government, however decided that because of her excellent school record she should study economics” Dillard pag 65. Zhang Jie cried about this but went anyways. Zhang Jie was admitted in RENMIN University of China.

1960 Zhang Jie, graduated and took a job in the Mechanics Engineer Industry that would allowed her a lot of information in this field to later write her Mao Dun Award winning book 'Heavy Wings (Leaden Wings)'. She worked in this industry for eight years.

1963 She married a colleague and had a daughter called 'Tang Di'

1964 Mao wanted the writers like Zhang Jie to experience equality with the rural or less fortunate people, and get rid off any funny ideas of possible superiority they might have "In addition to the Socialist Education Movement in the countryside, Mao repeatedly urged the literature and arts circles, as well as the various propaganda arms, to reform their areas.” marxists.org.

1969 At the age of 32 Zhang Jie was sent to a farm for four years to be reform to Jiangxi, located southwest if China. Even when they have lost all money and connection of her royal family, because of her royal lineage, she was considered of a privilege class, so according to the teachings of Mao Tseng Tang she needed to be reform and experience the workers life. "Because she was the daughter of a right winger, she was forced to participate in re-educational measures at a special school from 1969 to 1972.” culture.base.net. During these times, it must have been very hard to be separated of her daughter and mother.

1978 Zhang Jie published her first children story right after the Culture Revolution called 'Music of the Forests', and won China national award "It was at this time that she also began to write. Only after the Cultural Revolution (1966–67) did she publish her first story" 'Die Musik der Wälder' culturebase.net. Russian children literature really was her inspiration to begin writing. Also, she was one of the first Modern writers to write about women and love. 'Love must not be forgotten' was her first novel about these issues of love.

1979 Zhang Jie joined the Chinese Writers Association. Zhang Jie’s work was popular.

1980 Her acclaim novella 'Heavy Wings' was published and very well received. She had waited for a long time and because of the changes and relatively freedoms that China was experiencing this was the right moment to do it. Also, Zhang Jie joined the Chinese Communist Party.

1982 She becomes a member of the PEN International. Zhang Jie would travel outside of China for the first time ever to attend a conference in Los Angeles, at UCLA, where she would meet American writer and journalist 'Harrison Salisbury'. Dillard, pag 63. Zhang Jie must have been very happy that she can finally write all she wanted.

1985 She was awarded the Mao Dun Literature Prize for Leaden Wings = Heavy Wings."This novel is one of the three which jointly won the 1985 Mao Dun Literary Prize, the most prestigious award for novels in China" jstor.org

2005 Zhang Jie was awarded for the second time the Mao Dun Literature Prize for 'Without a Word'. She is the only author to have won this prize twice.

In 1985, Zhang Jie won the Mao Dun Prize Click here for original source

2 Faces of Chinese Literature

I think it is helpful and important to distinguish 2 faces in Chinese Literature, and which one Zhang Jie belongs too, this way we can comprehend even better the Chinese Literature evolution and what group accompany the author. Together with Zhang Jie, these authors and their writings will be the ones in charge to lead China into a new direction.

The first face was in the 1920s.- It started with the fall of the Empire and the disintegration of the Old Traditional Literacy. The beginning of the ‘Chinese Literature Modern Classics was born’, the unforgettable Lu Xun, Lao She, Cao Yu, Mao Deng, Ba Jin and others, "At that moment the canonical list of modern classics of Chinese literature came out: Lu Xun, Lao She, Cao Yu, Mao Dun, Ba Jin” www.upf.edu.

The Second face during the 1980s.- A period of relative relaxation begins that allowed the ‘emerge of new climate of cultural creativity’. The distinction of what it was ‘Revolutionary Literature between – Modern Literature’ was well noticed. "The young writers that had to remain silent had been waken (Good morning Zhang Jie!)." In this face: we found Zhang Jie, Wang Meng, Liu Xiabo, Wang Shuo, Hao Shaogong and many more.

Fun Facts about Zhang Jie

Zhang Jie, loves cats and was seeing playing with one at UCLA conference. Click [1] for original source

Zhang Jie loves to giggle and to read books. She has a way of looking at you with sarcasm. Zhang Jie also likes Siamese cats a lot. During the UCLA conference, she got a hold of somebody's cat and would not let go of it. People reported that she was holding on to the cat the wrong way, the cat’s behind was facing people in front of her, while the face of the cat was facing Zhang Jie’s back, funny way to hold a kitty, and she did it for a while too, "Zhang Jie and innovative and controversial young writer, is carrying my Siamese cat around the house. She holds it by the armpit, so it faces the couch.” Dillard, pag 61. She also loves to speak softly and her work is regularly under fire. I guess people like to criticize her "Zhang Jie , whose own work is regularly under fire, had to defend the Party line.” Dillard, pag 68.

Her work

Zhang Jie and American writer 'Henry Miller'in 1984 Click herefor original source

Zhang Jie was raised by her mother, her parents were divorced. Probably at a young age witnessed and experienced the discrimination and abuse to the fact that she had no father. In those times it did not look good to be a single mother, you can be discriminated greatly. These facts had to have inspired Zhang Jie into her writings and allowed her to rule when she talks about what women went through during those times, since she had witnessed it herself. A good example of this in her book 'Heavy Wings' pag 107, "He darted a warning glance at Zheng. To him divorcees ranked with prostitutes.”

Why Zhang Jie calls it "Heavy wings" Zhang Jie is a smart writer, strong and brave representative of the new Modern generation. This generation is like a newborn or a new bird representing the Republic of China. Zhang Jie and writers like her are the ones that are responsible to help others break out of the shell, and show them how to fly high. But can they do it? Or, Are the wings of this nation 'too heavy to take off' and begin to fly completely free? You decide.

Zhang Jie way of writing By taking us inside the story, Zhang Jie show us how the people of China lives, how they struggle silently hoping for a change that is too slow in the process of happening, like a pregnant mother that is in contractions now, this mother or nation that has been evolving month by month, decade by decade, and is in growing pains of the changes that are taking place, for a new baby, a new nation that is pushing to come out, and by coming out is creating changes in the way of thinking of China, a China that wants to breath loud, that wants to take off flying freely, and wants to reach the stars without having the government teased her and tide her down like a kite. Erica Bazalar-Oaks.

In this novella, Zhang Jie is brilliant! She takes us inside the society of China in a very personal way. She describes the personalities so well and body movements, their rooms, houses and buildings where they live, and through her words make us feel as spectators that we can be seating right there on a chair, or on the table near by ear dropping on the conversation the characters are having. Zhang Jie shows as a writer her brilliance and experience, when the story just flows. She goes from one story to another in such a subtle way, that you as the reader are not a bit distracted, but pleasingly surprise making you feel like a light feather traveling gently from one side to another. On her words, she also uses European phrases that are well known and demonstrates her past influences in readings, pag 95 "Not all high officials rested in their laurels.” Also Zhang Jie demonstrates something I found interesting, her unique and personal style of writing when she mixes in one situation, two elements from different backgrounds. She can convey and interesting way of thinking that she cleanly and successfully displays in her novella. A good example is when the character of Zheng was in the car letting the breeze to ruffle his hair, Zheng though to himself, pag 102, "Would this speech he had just made, like previous ones, vanish without a trace like a snowflake in the dessert?” Here, she uses the snowflake that happens on winter season, and combines it with the element of the dessert that portraits a hot weather, two different types of times to explain the feelings of the character of Zheng. I enjoyed that.

Zhang Jie very young in her twenties Click here for original source

Analysis of the Book Heavy Wings

Heavy Wings also call Leaden Wings Heavy/Leaden Wings was published in 1980. Zhang Jie tells us what is happening today in Modern China after the Cultural Revolution, and where they stand in progress in their society and the world. One important thing that she writes about is 'marriage' in a country that is full of traditions, marriage can be one thing that is controversial to discuss. In Heavy Wings, the characters, women and men of different economical classes equally show their struggles in marriage, and fears of the society criticism if they would ever were to get divorce. Zhang Jie has been accused before of being immoral or too westernized, also to work against the party. Zhang Jie herself is divorced; in her work she stands for true love versus tradition. But, 'This also could mean that the author is suggesting that women and men can and should take their time experiencing falling in love! Before they go into rehearse marriage'. Also, this novella centers in the modernization of the Chinese industry and how the citizens are all for modern and bringing outside investments, especially interesting since Chinese people has not favored or trust outside companies. Heavy Wings give us as well an interesting inside of the social classes China has. We have the working classes that work in the industry very hard and barely get by, the middle class with the managers in charge that want to make a difference for their people and the ministers that are the ones that are way involve with the party, make the money and can do good or bad.

Modernization of China When she talks about the modernization of China industry, she can give an excellent inside of thoughts about the progress in this organization, since she worked in this field for many years in the past. That means that she probably also witnessed the corruption that goes on; the good people that want to modernize and make a difference in their sector for the better, but encounter corruption with the bad people that only wants to hold on tied to communism rules, so they can benefit themselves and not the workers, that work hard and that need to make more money, to at least better their living conditions, pag 86 "To boost production in China you have to improve living conditions.”

Divorce in the Chinese society Heavy wings shows how people therefore might not be in love but because it would look bad on them, they have to put up with it, pag 34,"He seldom had free Sunday and they slept in different rooms.”If they would divorce, for the men in their careers, they could lose their social status and be consider unstable losers, and for the women is far worst, if they became divorcees they can be look down as prostitutes, pag 107, "He darted a warning glance at Zheng. To him divorcees ranked with prostitutes.” One call only imagine how much Zheng Jie suffered when she was little looking at her mother been mistreated since her mother was divorced, and after loosing all position in society and money, Zheng Jie’s mother had to find a job, protect her daughter and put up with a society that did not protect her but made their lives worst. We can definitely tell that this part in Zhang Jie’s life influenced this writer a lot when she learnt this type of discrimination against her mother, against women in her society.

Tender moments There are also great moments of tenderness in this story from Chinese men and women, that will give a better understanding of their deep hearts. Pag 79, "Everyone present was watching him in silence. The sight gave him fresh strength. Old Lü’s bearded chin beneath his bleary eyes was quivering. Chen put the dumpling into the old fellow’s mouth. ‘I let you down, Old Lü, he said.”

Zhang Jie, at 45 (First time out of China) with writer Harrison Salisbury In 1982, at the UCLA, US-Chinese writers conference Click here for original source

The way Chinese people live We see the working Chinese people struggling to meet ends, with low salaries or enough to get by, and small and/or poor housing, if you can call some of these places mentioned in the story housing. Also there is not much money left, but to only go out for a meal, this is the way of entertainment. They really cannot get out of this type of social class. Pag 62, "China really gets its intellectuals on the cheap, Zheng though. Then, remembering the technicians in his ministry and the workers in factories, he reflected, he reflected that China got all its common people on the cheap”, and the youth has no way of diversion or entertainment but to go out and eat. They could not go out to dance or have money to travel. Pag 62, "Zheng glanced round. ‘Apart from the two of us, everybody here’s young. Can’t blame. Eating out is their only diversion. What else can they do!”

The careers that Chinese society forces on their people Zhang show us how Chinese people’s education are not well rounded but are tailor to get jobs that will advance them in society. This situation does not make them happy but it is the way that it has been working for a long time, Pag 59, "Looking at his eyes Zheng Ziyun felt a stab of envy. In his young days he had wanted to study anthropology, literature or history, but fate had made him an official.” Chinese people dream to experience careers their society does not allow them to have, pag 85, "Keeping his eyes on the dark road, Chen said slowly, ‘In middle school I was mad on the violin, thought music the highest form of art. And I wanted to get a PHD in physics. But I’ve ended up a factory manager!” He laughed rather bitterly.

Class struggles, history and beliefs do not let Chinese move forward Zhang Jie let us know that the Chinese people mentality has to change or there will be no progress at all. Pag 42, "What they were up against now were deeply ingrained beliefs. These beliefs were like net in which all were caught. History was bound to condemn and eliminate them.”

The Past of the Cultural Revolution = Communism will be remember Zhang Jie made it clear that these abuses and crimes, did happened in China, that her thoughts in this book are not exaggerated or made up, but they come from 'real life events' that mark the Chinese people and their lives. - These events are vital to understand them and what they are fighting for -. During the Cultural Revolution with Mao, all that opposed the Communist government or look like they did, were kill, nearly kill to death, brutally bit up, abuse, persecuted. They could also be send to do 'restitution to these rural places' so they can be re-form, pag 45, "The Cultural Revolution brought her fearful anxiety and distress: he was nearly beaten to death. When he came back after several months of confinement in a damp room he could hardly walk for arthritis.”

Zhang Jie calls for a change in the government and the society of China. Heavy wings/ Leaden wings, is a very provocative book and it calls for the Chinese people for a change, to leave once and for all 'old habits' that hold them back, and open themselves to progress with the help of outside markets, pag 101, "For some years we studied chairman Mao’s works regardless of the political results. We competed to see who could write the most copious notes or parrot the most quotations. The effectiveness of political work should be judge by the new wealth created. We must run our economy according to economic laws and give up our old egalitarian way of all eating from one big pot. That stifles initiative.”

Zhang Jie speaks about her goals as a writer In September of 1982, Zhang Jie spoke at the UCLA, at the US-Chinese writers conference organized by Norman Cousins about her thoughts in Literature.*Life should become what humans beings wish it to be*. When she talks about us, as human beings and what we wish for, it is clear to me that in order to become anything, we must have freedom of choice. Zhang Jie also expressed her feelings of responsibility that she feels the writers have to the world,*Pure literature as our purpose cannot exist, because the writer’s feeling will have an impact on the material world.* Dillard, Pag 64. Zhang Jie then wants freedom to become, but with the understanding that as writers, they have a responsibility to impact the people for a better world.

Powerpoint Slide

File:FINAL DE Zhang Jie.pptx

Disclosure

It has been a pleasure to have done this class with Mr Woesler. I had worked hard in my wiki and have done my very best to use the resources available to me in a respectful manner. In doing so, it is my hope that this work can help others 'strengthen the appreciation and knowledge of the Republic of China and their wonderful People'. Erica Bazalar-Oaks. www.bazalar.com

References

1. About Zhang Jie http://www.wsws.org/articles/1997/mar1997/deng-m12.shtml

2. Biography: http://www.beijingscene.com/cissue/feature.html

3. http://www.marxists.org/history/erol/ncm-7/cwp-cr/part-3.htm

4. http://www.culturebase.net/artist.php?3577

5. Her novel: http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2158675?uid=3739928&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21101404588403jstor.org

6. Faces of Chinese Literature: http://www.upf.edu/materials/huma/central/historia/lite/temes/6postm.htmwww.upf.edu.

7. http://www.iu.edu/~easc/outreach/educators/literature/workshops/doc/Perry_2005.pdf 11/16/2012

8. http://www.pen-international.org/

9. http://www.literaturfestival.com/participants/authors/2003/zhang-jie

10. http://contemporary_chinese_culture.academic.ru/952/Zhang_Jie

11. Book # 1 Encounters With Chinese Writers By Annie Dillard. Published by University Press of New England,1984.ISBN 0-8195-5130-9

12. Book # 2 The Australian Journal of Chinese Affairs. Published by The University of Chicago Press,1979.ISBN 01567365

13. Book # 3 Leaden Wings, Zhang Jie. Published by VIRAGO PRESS Limited 1987. ISBN 0-86068-759-7