Difference between revisions of "Wang Meng"
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| − | [[File:Wang Meng.jpg|Wang Meng]] | + | [[File:Wang Meng.jpg|600px|thumb|left| Wang Meng]] |
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| − | + | == Childhood == | |
| − | Consequences Can Be Both Positive and Negative ...With the fall of the Gang of Four in 1976, Wang Meng returned to Peking and published several prize-winning novellas.In 1986, I had was appointed as the Minister of Culture then. For years, Meng avoided writing any political pieces, staying out of the crosshairs of the government. There still seemed to be a great hunger for the written word though, and Meng believed that hunger should be fulfilled, and as a result continued to write apolitical pieces. Then tragedy struck in Beijing. | + | Wang Meng was born October 15, 1934 in Beijing China. |
| + | During his early childhood the Japanese had invaded China, | ||
| + | and Meng remembered bowing to the guards at the gates to his city (1). | ||
| + | His loving father was a professor of philosophy at a nearby University | ||
| + | and had a love things of modern and Western significance (1). | ||
| + | Although Wang Meng was born to a good family with a good father, | ||
| + | the family was not well financially. Their struggle set a fire in the | ||
| + | heart of Wang Meng, which shone in his personality in later years. | ||
| + | |||
| + | An adept and charasmatic student, Meng's teachers enjoyed having him in class. | ||
| + | He often won scholarships and tution wavers for his academic successes(1). | ||
| + | When it came to writing competitions and debates, Meng won many, a precursor of his future successes(1). | ||
| + | Meng mentioned at a later interview with ''The New Yorker'' that he had always had a fascination | ||
| + | with extreme political points of view, and leaned toward left wing ideals. When he was a mere 14 years old, | ||
| + | the communist party already had their eye on Meng. | ||
| + | He was recruited and shortly afterward the communist party took over power in China. In high school he took active | ||
| + | part in a revolutionary movement led by an underground communist party in 1948. The next year Wang Meng was assigned | ||
| + | to work at the headquarters for the Communist Youth League of China(2). | ||
| + | |||
| + | Wang Meng also had a good sense of humor about life. It was once recorded that Meng took the statement '"If I were a tiger, I would eat rich people"' as an influential factor in fueling his ideas about the word. This was in joking. Meng also talks about his family dynamic in a way which illuminates his father in a humorous light. Meng once told a reporter that his father would walk around drunk and naked, just to make the women uncomfortable(1). I know little about how Meng truly felt about these indecent exposure fits. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In 1953, age 19, Wang Meng wrote my famous story, "Long Live the Youth". At that time I had seen power in the young people, and lack of upward movement in the older entrenched party bureaucrats(3). So, he wrote about just that in, "A Young Newcomer in the Organization Department" in 1955. There Were Consequences for Mengs writings, and he was Labeled as "A Rightist" And was sent away to labor in Xinjiang province for 7 years to be "reformed." Meng learned valuable lessons in Xinjiang. He learned how to speak Uighur, a language not spoken by many Hang, and learned worked hard physically(3). | ||
| + | |||
| + | Consequences Can Be Both Positive and Negative ...With the fall of the Gang of Four in 1976, Wang Meng returned to Peking and published several prize-winning novellas.In 1986, I had was appointed as the Minister of Culture then. For years, Meng avoided writing any political pieces, staying out of the crosshairs of the government. There still seemed to be a great hunger for the written word though, and Meng believed that hunger should be fulfilled, and as a result continued to write apolitical pieces. Then tragedy struck in Beijing(2). | ||
== Controversy== | == Controversy== | ||
| Line 14: | Line 36: | ||
== Legacy == | == Legacy == | ||
| − | Wang Meng held true to what he believed was the right thing to do no matter what the consequences were. He wrote to his hearts desire in his youth, and had a natural knack for the written word. Even though he was placed under the suspician of the government for his actions, his heart was always in the right place in reguards to the people in his home country. When things began to go against Mengs beliefs, he was quick to seperate himself from the situation as a protestation of his own. Once he even stepped down as the Minister of Culture over China. Meeting Meng after all that he has gone through to manifest his goodness to the world, I am sure that he would be able to have a clear conscience, without regret for betraying his country or his heart. | + | Wang Meng held true to what he believed was the right thing to do no matter what the consequences were. He wrote to his hearts desire in his youth, and had a natural knack for the written word(1). Even though he was placed under the suspician of the government for his actions, his heart was always in the right place in reguards to the people in his home country(2). When things began to go against Mengs beliefs, he was quick to seperate himself from the situation as a protestation of his own. Once he even stepped down as the Minister of Culture over China. Meeting Meng after all that he has gone through to manifest his goodness to the world, I am sure that he would be able to have a clear conscience, without regret for betraying his country or his heart(2). |
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| + | |||
| + | == Miscellaneous == | ||
If Meng was asked what his life story could teach the world, I believe he would say that, reform begins with the young people, as manifested by "Long Live the Youth." He would go on to say that humanity should, stand up for what is right no matter the consequences, don't compromise your morals in order to keep your societal respectability and write what needs to be written, not only what the world wants to hear. | If Meng was asked what his life story could teach the world, I believe he would say that, reform begins with the young people, as manifested by "Long Live the Youth." He would go on to say that humanity should, stand up for what is right no matter the consequences, don't compromise your morals in order to keep your societal respectability and write what needs to be written, not only what the world wants to hear. | ||
| − | Today, Meng holds a government office again, and has written, "The Enjoyment of Zhuang Zi" In one episode of the book, Wang compares Zhuang Zi to Ah Q, finding parallels in the peasant who interprets his defeats as moral victories. I believe that moral victories are what Wang Meng is all about. | + | Today, Meng holds a government office again, and has written, "The Enjoyment of Zhuang Zi" In one episode of the book, Wang compares Zhuang Zi to Ah Q, finding parallels in the peasant who interprets his defeats as moral victories. I believe that moral victories are what Wang Meng is all about(1). |
Latest revision as of 23:59, 6 December 2012
Childhood
Wang Meng was born October 15, 1934 in Beijing China. During his early childhood the Japanese had invaded China, and Meng remembered bowing to the guards at the gates to his city (1). His loving father was a professor of philosophy at a nearby University and had a love things of modern and Western significance (1). Although Wang Meng was born to a good family with a good father, the family was not well financially. Their struggle set a fire in the heart of Wang Meng, which shone in his personality in later years.
An adept and charasmatic student, Meng's teachers enjoyed having him in class. He often won scholarships and tution wavers for his academic successes(1). When it came to writing competitions and debates, Meng won many, a precursor of his future successes(1). Meng mentioned at a later interview with The New Yorker that he had always had a fascination with extreme political points of view, and leaned toward left wing ideals. When he was a mere 14 years old, the communist party already had their eye on Meng. He was recruited and shortly afterward the communist party took over power in China. In high school he took active part in a revolutionary movement led by an underground communist party in 1948. The next year Wang Meng was assigned to work at the headquarters for the Communist Youth League of China(2).
Wang Meng also had a good sense of humor about life. It was once recorded that Meng took the statement '"If I were a tiger, I would eat rich people"' as an influential factor in fueling his ideas about the word. This was in joking. Meng also talks about his family dynamic in a way which illuminates his father in a humorous light. Meng once told a reporter that his father would walk around drunk and naked, just to make the women uncomfortable(1). I know little about how Meng truly felt about these indecent exposure fits.
In 1953, age 19, Wang Meng wrote my famous story, "Long Live the Youth". At that time I had seen power in the young people, and lack of upward movement in the older entrenched party bureaucrats(3). So, he wrote about just that in, "A Young Newcomer in the Organization Department" in 1955. There Were Consequences for Mengs writings, and he was Labeled as "A Rightist" And was sent away to labor in Xinjiang province for 7 years to be "reformed." Meng learned valuable lessons in Xinjiang. He learned how to speak Uighur, a language not spoken by many Hang, and learned worked hard physically(3).
Consequences Can Be Both Positive and Negative ...With the fall of the Gang of Four in 1976, Wang Meng returned to Peking and published several prize-winning novellas.In 1986, I had was appointed as the Minister of Culture then. For years, Meng avoided writing any political pieces, staying out of the crosshairs of the government. There still seemed to be a great hunger for the written word though, and Meng believed that hunger should be fulfilled, and as a result continued to write apolitical pieces. Then tragedy struck in Beijing(2).
Controversy
In Tiananmen Square, events with students horrified Meng. At the first sight of trouble at the Square, Meng realized his daughter was in danger, being that she was attending Beijing University and wanting to attend Tianamen Square peaceful protests. Meng begged her to sit out of the protests, pleading for hours for her to change her mind about going. After some time, Meng also convinced his daughter to ask all of her classmates to sit out of the protests as well. Knowing the dangers of protesting against the Chinese government, Meng saved his daughter from eminent danger, as the protests turned into a bloody massacre where many students were killed. Afterward, Meng was asked to sign a document stating the the Tiananmen Square incedent went about differently. According to the New York Times, "In the weeks following the violent repression in Tiananmen Square, Chinese officials were required to issue statements in support of the Government's action against the students". Wang Meng failed to make such a statement(3). Because of Mengs refusal to sign the documents, he was relieved of duty, and outcast for a second time in his own country(3).
Legacy
Wang Meng held true to what he believed was the right thing to do no matter what the consequences were. He wrote to his hearts desire in his youth, and had a natural knack for the written word(1). Even though he was placed under the suspician of the government for his actions, his heart was always in the right place in reguards to the people in his home country(2). When things began to go against Mengs beliefs, he was quick to seperate himself from the situation as a protestation of his own. Once he even stepped down as the Minister of Culture over China. Meeting Meng after all that he has gone through to manifest his goodness to the world, I am sure that he would be able to have a clear conscience, without regret for betraying his country or his heart(2).
Miscellaneous
If Meng was asked what his life story could teach the world, I believe he would say that, reform begins with the young people, as manifested by "Long Live the Youth." He would go on to say that humanity should, stand up for what is right no matter the consequences, don't compromise your morals in order to keep your societal respectability and write what needs to be written, not only what the world wants to hear.
Today, Meng holds a government office again, and has written, "The Enjoyment of Zhuang Zi" In one episode of the book, Wang compares Zhuang Zi to Ah Q, finding parallels in the peasant who interprets his defeats as moral victories. I believe that moral victories are what Wang Meng is all about(1).
Sources
"Hayes, Jeffery." "Wang Meng: Controvertial Communist Writer." The New Yorker. 18 July, 2011. Web. July 2011. <http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=1695>.
"Jianying Zha." The New Yorker, November 8, 2010
"Miller, Arthur." Op-Ed: Death in Tiananmen New York Times. 10 September 1989. Web. http://www.nytimes.com/books/00/11/12/specials/miller-tiananmen.html