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Wang Shiwei (simplified Chinese:
Biography
editFamily
editWang Shiwei, originally named Wang Sidao (
Education
editWang received his initial education in Chinese classics from his father, which began the development of his knowledge of Chinese literature. In 1914, he entered Huangchuan Second Higher Primary school (潢川
In 1925, Wang got a chance to study arts at Peking University.[1] There he actively participated in the university's student campaigns. However, he was once again forced to quit in 1927, but was again able to start studying during the late 1920s and early 1930s, this time at the Marx-Engels Institute in Moscow. While at Peking University, his schoolmates included communist activists Chen Qichang and Wang Fanxi, Chen possibly being the one who introduced the Chinese Communist Party to Wang Shiwei. Chen and Wang Fanxi, however, broke with the CCP and joined Trotskyists. Wang Shiwei's early association with the two later became part of the accusation by Kang Sheng that he was a crypto-Trotskyist.[2][3]
Involvement in politics
editWang was an active participant in political activity. In 1919, Wang and his classmates joined the May Fourth Movement demonstrations in support of Beijing students. Entering Beijing University in 1925, he participated in student politics and joined the CCP in 1926. Leaving a year later, for the criticism of his love affair with Li Fen (
Imprisonment and execution
editBy 1942, Wang was working for the Liberation Daily (
The article caused significant backlash. Mao's Talks at the Yan'an Forum in May laid down the official line demanding that art serve politics. On 27 May 1942, the Central Committee held a seminar to discuss whether Wang was guilty. On 23 October, under the orders of Mao,[4] Wang was expelled from the CCP on the oncharge that he was one of the "Five Member Anti-Party Gang" of Trotskyites (
Wang's defense was that he was not involved in any Trotskyist activities, except for helping his friends Wang Wenyuan (
Wang's "trial," which took the form of a series of struggle sessions held over sixteen days, ended in June 1942 with Wang found guilty and imprisoned. During the trial, he was denounced by figures such as Ding Ling, Chen Boda, and Ai Qing. He remained imprisoned until his execution five years later.[5]
On 1 July 1947, Wang was reportedly chopped to pieces and his remains were thrown down a dry well.[4] Chinese journalist Dai Qing states that Mao did not order the execution, but told his guards: "Neither release nor execute Wang Shiwei."[6]
Fifteen years later, in 1962, Mao said that Wang was an agent of the Guomindang, but that he shouldn't have been executed, and Mao claimed that the decision to kill Wang was made by local security organs, not the central leadership.[7]
Dai Qing's seminal work[clarification needed] in exhuming the case of the writer Wang Shiwei brings into focus perhaps the single most important case for gauging repressive dimensions of the movement.
Wang as a writer
editWang began writing at the age of 19, when he was studying at Beijing University. He took the pen name of "Shiwei" (
From 1930 onwards he started to use other pen names, still pronounced "Shiwei" but using different characters (
"Wild Lilies"
editWang attempted to demonstrate two basic elements of journalism in "Wild Lilies."
The first was that "its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience." An example used to illustrate this is how one day Wang overheard two girls criticizing the apparently inconsiderate behavior of senior leaders towards the public. He later wrote that he was shocked after overhearing the dialogue, and took note of it, later referring to it to make known his concern about the state of the country. He was supposed to have "finally realized" what was lacking in everybody's life at that time, and attempted to dig further to what was behind the complaints.
The second was that "it must provide a forum for public criticism." Wang explained that his piece of work was called "Wild Lilies" because wild lilies grew abundantly in Yan'an, could stand symbolically for the place and because they had higher medical value than other lilies, though they were bitter to taste, and in this connection criticized unhealthy phenomena in society so remedies could be found. This was also not so discreetly attempting to turn a remark from Mao Zedong on its head. Explaining the crackdown on freedom of expression, Mao said that the CCP's actions were "like that of a doctor curing a disease. The whole purpose is to save people, not to cure them to death."[8] His work was criticised by others and between April and May 1942 "Wild Lilies" was attacked in the newspapers.
"Arrow and Target"
edit"Arrow and Target" (
Influence
editWang's works allowed readers, particularly those of Yan'an, to gain a better understanding of issues like the relationship between politics and literature. Partly as a reaction against the Chinese literature that focused too much on the rules of the CCP in the 1940s, Wang's work alerted some to the fact that the education on the rules of the CCP were not practical. He was the first writer in Yan'an who gave a theoretical reflection on reality in his works; in his "Wild Lilies", for example, the bureaucracy and hierarchy of Yan'an were described in vivid detail.
"While it is tempting to characterize the trial of Wang Shiwei as an illustration of the fate awaiting free-thinking intellectuals in a repressive state, it is clear from the questions raised in the first session that the Wang Shiwei trial epitomizes the difficulty of voicing a minority opinion, especially when that opinion is pitted against a more powerful entity such as the state."[9]
Apart from that, literature in that period emphasized on the skills of writing. There was little concern about the reality. Western literatures were very much appreciated. However, because of the successful and interesting reflection of reality in Wang's works, people started to appreciate Chinese literature. Many Chinese writers also began to write more about the reality, examining on the local arts and the Marxist ideas.
Wang's eagerness to voice out the inequalities and his critical mind contributed to his success as one of the most representative writers in the period. He also stimulated other writers to think about what they should write about from that onwards.
Timeline
edit- 1906 March 12 - Born in Huangchuan, Henan (潢川,
河南 ). - 1914 - Entered Primary 3 at Huangchuan Second Higher Elementary school (潢川
第 二 高等 小學 ) - 1920 - Studied at Henan Seventh Middle School, Huangchuan (
河南 省 立 第 七 中學 堂 ,潢川) - 1923 - Admitted into Henan's Europe and America Preparatory School (
河南 省 留學 歐 美 預 備學校 ) (Henan University predecessor), majored in English. - 1924 - Worked at the Henan Province Postal Service Administrative Bureau as a postal officer
- 1925 - Admitted into Beijing University Literary Academy Preparatory course. Finished his short novel, Xiuxi (
休息 ) - 1926
- January - Joined the CCP.
- February 27 - Wrote a short novel, Yang wu nainai(楊五奶奶) published in "Chenbao Fukan" (晨報
副 刊 ) - July - Another publication, Hui mie de jing shen(毀滅
的 精神 ) in "The Modern Critics" (現代 評論 ).
- 1927 - Separated from the party organization because he was in love with a communist member, Li Fan (
李 芬). Then he went to places such as Nanjing (南京 ), Shandong Tai'an (山東 泰 安 ), worked as a copy clerk and teacher. - 1929
- January - Went to Shanghai, engaged in the translation of literary works. And he met his first wife, Liu ying (
劉 瑩). Wrote the novel "The Story of Chenlaosi" (陳 老 四 的 故事 ). - February - Another novel of his "The Little Tall Boy and Canned Lychee" (
小長 兒 與 罐 頭 荔枝) was published in "The Crescent" (新月 ).
- January - Went to Shanghai, engaged in the translation of literary works. And he met his first wife, Liu ying (
- 1930
- January - Married Liuying.
- April - His novel, Xiuxi (
休息 ) and his first translation work "The Heretic of Soana"(珊拿的 邪 教徒 ) were published in Xu Zhimo's (徐 志摩 ) "New literary collection".
- 1931 January - Daughter, Wang Chingfeng (
王 勁楓) was born. - 1933 - Translation work "Sapho" (薩芙) was published.
- 1935 July - Son, Wang Hsufeng (
王 旭 楓 ) was born. Returned to Henan Kaifeng (河南 開封 ) and was an English teacher at Province Female Middle School (省 立 女子 中學 ). - 1936 - Translation work "Strange interlude" (
奇異 的 插曲) and "The Man of Property" (資產 家 ) were published in "The World's Literary Collections" (世界 文學 全集 ) - 1937 - Rejoined the CCP. Translation work "The Return of the Native" (
還 鄉 記 ) was published in "The World's Literary Collections". - 1938 October - Due to Changsha Siege(
長 沙 淪陷), he lost contact with his wife who was in Xiang Xi (湘西) - 1939 - Married his second wife, Baoping (
薄平 ) - 1941 August - Assigned as a special researcher at Central Research Institute (
中央 研究 院 ) - 1942
- March - Published his work, Ye bai he hua(
野 百 合 花 ) in People's Liberation Army Daily (解放 日報 ) and Zheng zhi jia, Yi Shu jia (政治 家 ·藝術 家 ). - April - Mao Zedong criticized his work as anti-Communist. He was then asked to attend the Symposium about his "anti-Communist" work in "Yen'an" (
延 安 ). - October - He was expelled from the CCP.
- March - Published his work, Ye bai he hua(
- 1943 April 1 - Kang Sheng (
康生 ) gave an order to arrest him. He was claimed as the "Counter-revolutionary Trotskyist spy"(反 革命 托 派 奸细分子 ), "Undercover agent of Kuomintang"(暗 藏 的 國民黨 特務 ) and "Five-people anti-party group"(五 人 反 黨 集團 ). - 1947 July 1 - Wang Shiwei was secretly executed. Died at the age of 41.
Works
editMost of Wang's literary works remained unpublished until the late 20th century. His style of writing was described as "having the energy and power to enrich humanity" (
His works reflected his sincerity and love towards his home country and native homeland. He felt compassion for the weak and oppressed in society. He had always hoped that he could change society through revolution, which is why his works were so critical.
Articles
文藝 民族 形式 問 题上的 錯誤 舆新偏向 , 1941野 百 合 花 (Ye Baihehua) / (Wild Lilies), 1942, People's Liberation Army Daily政治 家 ·藝術 家 , 1942 (Zhengzhijia, Yishujia) / (Politicians, Artists), Journal of Yan'an's Literacy Resistance Association, Spring Rain (Gu Yu), Vol. 1:4零 感 两則, 1942, Arrow and Target我 對 羅 邁(別名 李 维漢)同志 在 整 風 檢 工 動員 大會 上 發言 的 批評 , 1942, Arrow and Target答 李 宇超、梅 洛 兩 同志 , 1942, Arrow and Target
Novels
- 楊五奶奶, 1926 (Yang Wu Nainai)
- 毀滅
的 精神 , 1926 (Huimie de Jingshen) 陳 老 四 的 故事 , 1929 (Chenlaoshi de Gushi)小長 兒 與 罐 頭 荔枝, 1929 (Xiao Zhanger Yu Guantou Lizhi )休息 , 1930 (Xiuxi)/(Rest)- 鬥爭
日記 , 1942 (Douzheng Riji)
Translations
Wang's many translations into Chinese include works by Karl Marx and Eugene O'Neill.
- The Heretic of Soana <<珊拿
的 邪 教徒 >> by Gerhart Hauptmann, 1930 - Sapho<<薩芙>> by Alphonse Daudet, 1933
- The Man of Property <<
資產 家 >> by John Galsworthy, 1936 - Strange interlude <<
奇異 的 插曲>> by O'Neill Eugene, 1936 - The Return of the Native <<
還 鄉 記 >> by Thomas Hardy, 1937 - Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Germany <<
德 國 的 革命 與 反 革命 >> by Friedrich Engels, 1937 - Value, Price and Profit <<价格、价值
和 利潤 >> by Karl Marx, 1937 - The Water Babies <<
水 孩子>> by Charles Kingsley
References
edit- ^
王 实味冤案平 反 的 余波 - ^ 单世联 (2009-12-21). "
吃 饭问题与走 后 门:中共 早期 革命 者 现实生活 ". Phoenix Television. - ^ "陈其
昌 ".中 文 马克思 主 义文库. - ^ a b Service, Robert (2007). Comrades!: A History of World Communism. Harvard University Press. p. 193. ISBN 978-0674025301.
- ^ Lovell, Julia. Maoism: A Global History. p. 50.
- ^ "Dai Qing, Wang Shiwei and Wild Lilies Rectification and Purges in the Chinese Communist Party 1942-1944, trans. Nancy Liu and Lawrence R. Sullivan (Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 1994; New York: Routledge, 2015),66-67."
- ^ Máo Zédōng
毛 泽东: Zài kuòdà de gōngzuò huìyì shàng de jiǎnghuà在 扩大的 中央 工作 会 议上的 讲话 (30 January 1962). In: Máo Zédōng jiànguó yǐlái wéngǎo 《毛 泽东建国 以来 文 稿 中央 文献 出版 社 》, vol. 10, p. 16-47, here p. 41.; English translation: Mao Tse-tung: Talk at an Enlarged Central Work Conference. In: Stuart R. Schram (ed.): Chairman Mao Talks to the People. Talks and Letters: 1956–1971. New York: Pantheon, 1974, p. 158–187, here p. 184. - ^ Spence, Jonathan (1981). The Gate of Heavenly Peace. Penguin. pp. 331–2. ISBN 1101173726.
- ^ King-fai Tam. "The TRIAL OF WANG SHIWEI 1942".
- ^ Yu, Jie. "
王 实味:前 "文革 "时代的 祭 品 ".
Further reading
edit- Burgh, Hugo de. (2003). The Chinese Journalist: Meditating information in the world's most populous country. London: RoutledgeCurzon. ISBN 0-415-30573-X
- Dai, Qing. (1989). Liang Shuming, Wang Shiwei, Chu Anping. (
梁 漱溟,王 實 味 ,儲 安平 .) Nanjing: Jiangsu wen yi chu ban she (江蘇 文藝 出版 社 ). ISBN 7-5399-0136-5 - Dai, Qing. (1994). Wang Shiwei and "Wild Lilies" : Rectification and Purges in the Chinese Communist Party, 1942-1944. David E. Apter & Timothy Cheek (Eds.). (Nancy Liu & Lawrence R. Sullivan, Trans.). Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe. ISBN 1-56324-256-7.
- Goldman, Merle. (2013) [1967]. Literary Dissent in Communist China. Harvard University Press. ISBN 0674188829, 9780674188822
- Huang, Changyong. (1998). Yan'an si guai. (廷安
四 怪 .) Beijing: Zhongguo qing nian chu ban she (中國 青年 出版 ). ISBN 7-5006-2852-8 - Wang, Shiwei. (1992). Ye bai he hua. (
野 百 合 花 .) Guangzhou shi: Hua cheng chu ban she (花城 出版 社 ). ISBN 7-5360-1309-4
External links
edit- Biography of Wang Shiwei (
楚 漢 狂人 王 實 味 ) - Biography of Wang Shiwei (
說 說 王 實 味 ) - Wang Shiwei and the Strange interlude (
王 實 味 與 <<奇異 的 插曲>>) - Wang Shiwei and Hu Shih (
王 實 味 與 胡 適 ) - The sacrifice of the early Rectification Movement period (
王 實 味 :前 文革 時代 的 祭 品 ) - Text of Wild Lilies article
- Articles on and by the Yenan Literary Opposition
- Wang Shiwei