刘奇葆：用文学的光芒照亮中华民族的精神世界（中英对照）

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用文学的光芒照亮中华民族的精神世界

Let Literature Light up the Spirit of the Chinese Nation

 

刘奇葆

Liu Qibao

 

党中央高度重视文学艺术工作。去年习近平总书记主持召开文艺工作座谈会并发表重要讲话，进一步明确了文艺繁荣发展的方针原则、目标任务和时代要求，给人以方向、给人以信心、给人以力量，具有里程碑意义。最近，中央将印发《关于繁荣发展社会主义文艺的意见》，对做好当前和今后一个时期的文艺工作作出全面部署，对繁荣文学创作提出明确要求。近年来，我国文学园地百花竞放、充满活力，特别是涌现了一大批有分量有高度、思想性艺术性俱佳的长篇小说，构成了蔚为大观的文学画卷。最近评选揭晓的第九届茅盾文学奖，就是对近年我国长篇小说创作的一次集中检阅。评奖得到社会广泛公认，是文学界贯彻习近平总书记文艺工作座谈会重要讲话精神的具体成果。我国文艺事业正处于需求旺盛的发展时期，文学创作也进入了一个繁荣发展的黄金期。

 

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) attaches great significance to literature and art. In 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping hosted a national forum on literature and art, during which he further outlined our principles, goals, tasks, and requirements to promote the flourishing of literature and art. As a milestone event in this endeavor, Xi Jinping’s important speech has given us direction, confidence, and strength. The CPC Central Committee will soon issue the Guidelines on Promoting the Flourishing of Socialist Literature and Art, which comprehensively outline tasks regarding art and literature, and set forth explicit requirements for the development of literary creation. The past several years have seen a surge of vitality in the world of Chinese literature. In particular, we have seen the emergence of a great number of important, high-quality novels that excel both intellectually and artistically. Together, these works paint a great picture of Chinese literature. The 9th Mao Dun Prize for Literature, whose winners were announced not long ago, can be viewed as an overall review of Chinese full-length novels published over the past several years. Having received widespread public recognition, the results of the prize reflect an effort by China’s literary circle to implement the guiding principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech at the forum on literature and art. In a period of surging demand for literature and art in China, literary creation has entered a golden phase of development.

 

一、坚定对文学价值的信念是作家最可贵的品质

I. A strong belief in literature is an author’s most endearing quality.

 

大凡卓有成就的作家都有一个共同的特点，就是无论身处生活的顺境逆境，还是处于创作的高峰低谷，都始终秉持文学信念，胸怀一颗对文学的赤子之心，不轻言放弃、不随波逐流。茅盾先生一生颠沛流离，却始终没有放下手中的笔。在动荡的年代，他先后流亡武汉、上海、日本，辗转香港、新疆、延安等地，写出了《子夜》《林家铺子》《春蚕》《霜叶红似二月花》等力作。路遥肝病到了晚期时，依然没有放弃写作，忍受病痛折磨，呕心沥血地完成了《平凡的世界》最后一卷。正是因为对文学的热爱和坚守，才诞生了这些文学经典。

 

All great authors have one thing in common: regardless of good fortune or adversity, of highs or lows of creation, they always stay true to their literary convictions and passion for literature, never abandoning their beliefs on a whim and never drifting along with others. Mr. Mao Dun (1896-1981) endured many hardships in his lifetime, yet he never gave up writing. In turbulent times, he fled to Wuhan, Shanghai, and later Japan, and passed through Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Yan’an, and it was in this time that he wrote his greatest literary works: Midnight, The Shop of the Lin Family, Spring Silkworms, and The Frosty Leaves Are Red Like a February Flower. The same devotion can be seen in the author Lu Yao (1949-1992). Even as his liver disease progressed to the final stages, he never gave up writing. Bearing the torment of sickness, he devoted his entire energy to finishing the last volume of his magnum opus Ordinary World. These literary classics were all born from their authors’ passion for literature and commitment to it.  

 

文学是一个民族的心灵。当我们看待一个国家和民族的精神气质和思想创造时，目光总会首先落到文学身上。那些文学大师闪耀着思想和智慧的光芒，是本民族最好的精神标识，就像巴尔扎克、雨果对于法国，歌德、海涅对于德国，莎士比亚、拜伦对于英国，普希金、托尔斯泰对于俄罗斯的意义。我国文学史上，屈原、陶渊明、李白、杜甫、苏轼、曹雪芹等一个个文学巨匠，代表了中华民族的精神高度。千百年来，这些名家大师奉献了不计其数的文学经典，让人们在文学的海洋里得到了精神的滋养、思想的启迪和奋进的动力。

 

Literature is the soul of a people. When judging the spirit and intellectual creativity of a country or nation, the first thing we look to is its literature. The great masters of literature, with their shining wisdom, are the best symbols of a nation’s spirit. Their significance is that of Balzac and Hugo to France; Goethe and Heine to Germany; Shakespeare and Byron to Britain; and Pushkin and Tolstoy to Russia. The great masters of Chinese literature – Qu Yuan, Tao Yuanming, Li Bai, Du Fu, Su Shi, and Cao Xueqin – to name just a few, represent the great spirit of the Chinese people. Over a period of more than 2000 years, these masters have given us countless classics, creating an ocean of literature that has nourished us, enlightened us, and driven us forward.

 

当然，今天的社会环境、文学环境与以前大不相同，当年报刊上发表一篇小说、一首诗歌，就会收到成麻袋的读者来信，这样的年代已经成为历史。现在，文化市场日益繁荣、文化产品日益多样，人们的文化选择更加多元。在各种因素作用下，文学创作遇到了一定困难，作家也产生了一些困惑。应当看到，不管时代如何变化、文化样式如何演进，文学对文艺创作的基础作用、对文化发展的引领作用、对社会人心的涵育作用，什么时候都不会改变。任何看轻文学、唱衰文学都是肤浅的、短视的，正如王蒙先生所说，“不要相信文学式微的谣言”。费孝通先生在他的晚年著作《中国文化的重建》一书中，呼吁树立文化自觉。他提出，“在新一页人类文化发展史上，应该有中华民族实现文化自觉的恢弘篇章”。广大作家要树立文化自信、保持文化自觉，坚持“二为”方向和“双百”方针，以社会主义核心价值观为引领，坚守对文学价值的信念，坚定文学创作的信心，在市场大潮中保持定力，在名利浮躁面前不忘初心，创作出更多有筋骨、有道德、有温度的优秀作品，用文学的光芒照亮中华民族的精神世界。

 

Of course, the social and literary environments of today are very different from what they used to be. In the past, an author who published a novel or poem in a newspaper or magazine could expect to receive sacks of letters from readers. But those times are gone. Today, as the cultural scene becomes increasingly prosperous and cultural products become increasingly diverse, people are being presented with more choice. Owing to a combination of reasons, literary creation has encountered some difficulties, and authors have experienced some confusion. It should, however, be noted that the role of literature as a foundation of artistic expression, as a guide for cultural development, and as a shaper of the social mindset will never change, no matter how the times change and how literature evolves. It would be both naive and shortsighted to underestimate literature or hail its decline. As Mr. Wang Meng said, “Don’t believe the rumor that literature is on the decline.” In Reconstructing Chinese Culture, one of his later works, renowned sociologist Mr. Fei Xiaotong (1910-2005) called for the establishment of cultural consciousness. He wrote: “In a new chapter in the history of human culture, a stirring page should be reserved for the realization of the Chinese people’s cultural consciousness.” To that end, we expect our authors to assert their cultural confidence, maintain their cultural consciousness, and remain committed to both the “dual-purpose” policy (the policy that literature and art should serve both the people and socialism) and the “two hundreds” principle (the policy of letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend). Guided by core socialist values, they should stay true to their literary values, reaffirm their confidence in literary creation, stand firm in the tide of the market, avoid being led astray by the temptation of fame and fortunes, and create more fine works that boast strong substance, a sense of morality, and human sentiment, thereby lighting up the spirit of the Chinese nation with the glowing rays of literature.

 

二、反映时代进程、讲好中国故事是当代文学的重要使命

II. Depicting changing times and telling China’s stories are important missions of contemporary literature.

 

茅盾文学奖已经走过30多年的历程，九届共评出40多部优秀长篇小说，其中贯穿着一条鲜明的主线，就是高扬现实主义精神。像改革题材的《冬天里的春天》《沉重的翅膀》，农村题材的《许茂和他的女儿们》《平凡的世界》，民族题材的《穆斯林的葬礼》《额尔古纳河右岸》，军事题材的《历史的天空》《英雄时代》，至今仍引起广大读者的强烈共鸣，岁月的灰尘从未掩饰这些作品的光芒。这些作家作品，与时代同步、与人民同心，关注社会生活、记录时代风云，充分彰显了现实主义精神的力量。

 

Since it began more than 30 years ago, the Mao Dun Prize for Literature has honored more than 40 excellent novels over 9 rounds of selection. There is a striking theme that runs throughout the prize, and that is a commitment to literary realism. Many of the works it has recognized still resonate with readers today, retaining their luster despite the passage of time. They include the reform-themed Spring in Winter and Heavy Wings; the rural-themed Xu Mao and His Daughters and Ordinary World; the ethnic-themed Funeral of a Muslim and The Right Bank of the Argun River; and the military-themed Sky of History and Age of Heroes. These works were not only attuned to their time; they touched the hearts of the people. By focusing on real life and depicting the character of their times, they were able to fully demonstrate the power of literary realism.  

 

今天，我们正处在一个伟大的时代。习近平总书记提出实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦，13亿中国人正在为实现“两个一百年”奋斗目标、过上更加美好的生活而不懈奋斗，这是人类发展史上亘古未有的大事件。如果忽略了这一点，文学不仅会错过成就辉煌的最佳机会，也会辜负这个伟大的时代。现在的中国，发展步伐之快前所未有，变化之大难以想象，每天都有说不尽的故事，国家的故事、社会的故事、个人的故事，震撼人心、跌宕曲折、精彩纷呈，这为当代文学创作提供了无比丰富的素材。一些作家和评论家反映，现在文学创作反映现实生活的精品力作不多，反映改革开放波澜壮阔历史进程的传世之作更少。我们应当有这样的历史担当，自觉站在时代的高处，观照当下的火热实践，展现人们寻梦的理想，讴歌人们追梦的奋斗，弘扬社会主流价值，把当代中国的精彩故事讲出来、讲精彩，把当代中国人的精神写出来、传下去。

 

We are living in a great time. Under General Secretary Xi Jinping’s call to realize the Chinese Dream, the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, 1.3 billion Chinese people are engaged in a tireless effort to attain the “Two Centenary Goals” and secure a better life for themselves. This is an undertaking that has never been seen in human history. If Chinese literature neglects this, it will not only miss a priceless opportunity to achieve excellence, but it will be doing a disservice to this great time we are living in. China is now developing faster than ever before, and the scale of the changes taking place in the country is hard to measure. Countless new stories are happening every single day: stories of the country, of society, and of individuals; some awe-inspiring, some tortuous, and some fantastic. This has given us an unparalleled source of material for literary creation. However, as some authors and critics have reported, there are too few fine works of literature that reflect the state of real life, and even fewer enduring works that depict the momentous process of China’s reform and opening up. This is a historical responsibility that we must consciously assume. Standing at the vantage point of our time, we need to look at the vivid world around us, demonstrate the ideals that people aspire to, eulogize the efforts they make in pursuit of their dreams, and promote our mainstream socialist values. Not only do we need to tell the finest stories of contemporary China, but we need to do a fine job of telling these stories; not only do we need to write about the spirit of contemporary Chinese people, but we need to ensure that this spirit is passed on. 

 

中国故事，折射着国家民族的历史命运和发展变化，更浓缩着中国人的独特经历和情感。讲好中国故事，关键是讲好中国人的故事，塑造传之久远的典型形象。鲁迅先生刻画的阿Q、老舍先生塑造的骆驼祥子、赵树理先生笔下的小二黑、柳青先生提炼的梁生宝，这些人物形象都栩栩如生，令人回味无穷、难以忘怀。在改革开放的大潮中，涌现出了许多具有时代特点的新人，改革先锋、科技奇才、商业强人，还有各行各业追梦圆梦的普通劳动者，他们是这个时代最生动的标志性符号。如何表现好、塑造好时代新人，这是一个具有挑战性的文学课题。我们应当下功夫去了解、去提炼，塑造更多生动鲜明、饱满立体的时代新人形象。英雄是一个国家、一个民族的精神坐标，在文学里应当得到正确的、突出的表现。时下，有一股调侃、诋毁英雄的歪风，人民群众对此意见很大。在文学创作中，应该对英雄心怀崇敬，用最好的文字讲好英雄的故事，把英雄的形象立起来，成为中国故事里最闪亮的主人公。上个世纪30年代，范文澜先生创作了《大丈夫：范文澜说英雄》，唤起了全社会对民族英雄的崇敬之情。我们要像范文澜先生那样，让那些英雄人物成为人们心目中的大丈夫，让他们在历史的天空中熠熠生辉。

 

China’s stories reflect the history of our country and people, and the way that they have developed and changed over time. More importantly, they represent a condensed account of the unique experiences and feelings of our people. To do a good job of telling China’s stories, we must first do a good job of telling the stories of our people, crafting classic characters that can stand the test of time. Mr. Lu Xun’s “Ah Q,” Mr. Lao She’s “Rickshaw Boy,” Mr. Zhao Shuli’s “Young Blacky,” and Mr. Liu Qing’s “Liang Shengbao” – these were all extremely vivid, memorable characters that gave people much food for thought. The great tide of China’s reform and opening up drive has seen the emergence of many iconic figures, including pioneers of reform, gifted scientists, and successful businessmen, as well as scores of ordinary people in all trades striving for their dreams. These people are the most vivid symbol of our time. How best to express and depict this new generation is a challenge that literature now faces. We should make a major effort to understand, refine, and present a greater number of vivid and lively characters that are characteristic of people today.

 

Heroes are the cultural anchor of a country and people, and it is only right that they are treated correctly and given due emphasis in literature. However, there is currently an unhealthy tendency for people to ridicule and defame our heroes, and this has been the cause of great public displeasure. Works of literature should hold heroes in revere, reserve the finest language for their stories, and firmly uphold their positive image, making them the brightest and most central figures in the stories. In the 1930s, Mr. Fan Wenlan wrote A Real Man: Fan Wenlan Talks Heroes, which evoked reverence for national heroes throughout Chinese society. Following Fan’s example, we should strive to establish our heroes as “real men” in people’s hearts, enabling them to shine like stars in the night sky of history.