Yanan Talks: Revolutionary Literature &
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Yanan Talks: Revolutionary Literature & Art Beijing'^r HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK VOL. 30. NO. 20 MAY 25. 1^87 CONTENTS NOTES FROM THE EDITORS 4 Guidelines for I.iieralurc Guidelines for Revolutionary Art EVENTSARENDS 5-9 Man vs Fire—Desperate • Forty-five years ago this month, Mao Zedong delivered two speeches entitled Talks at the Yanan Forum on Literature and Fight Art, jvhich later exerted a profound influence on the Chinese Sino-Dutch Ties Enter A revolutionary movement. Today in the new historical period, New Stage these talks are still important and remain correct guidelines for Compulsory Educaiiott the new literature and art. (p. 4). Stressed • Bonds Queues Seen in Beijing Weekly Chronicle (May 11-17) Tlie Press and Publications INTERNATIONAL 10-13 • In January the State Council decided to establish the State DPRK: Rapid Devefopmenl Administration of News and Publications. On May 15, the Of Agriculture director and a deputy director of the new administration held a Thailand: Position on press conference at which they discussed the reasons for the administration's establishment, its tasks, the meaning of Kampuchean Issue Re- consolidation of the publications, and freedom of the press (p. afllrmed 14). Soviet Union: Seeking a Bigger Role in Middle F.ast Britain: Local Elections Battle Against Forest Fire Signal Thatcher Victory • A major forest fife has been raging since May 6 in China's Publishing: Unified northeastern timber base, killing about 200 people and driving Management 14 50,000 from their homes. While the battle against it goes on Yunnan Opens to Foreign unabated, a nationwide relief effort is under way (p. 5). 17 Ruilt: China^s Southwestern Yunnan Opens to Foreign Businesses Gate to Burma 22 The ABC of Investment in • In a recent interview with Beijing Review, Zhu Kui, deputy China <N): governor of China's southwestern Yunnan, described his Lei^i Ftotectlon for province's implementation of the open policy and its latest Investors 26 measures to improve the investment climate for foreign TOURISM 27 business people (p. 17). FROM THE CHINESE FREES 28-29 BUSINESS/TRADE 30-31 DPRK Makes Headway in Agriculture CULTURE/SCIENCE 32-33 COVER: The Peacock Dance of • With its successful plan of agricultural modernization, the the Dai people in Yunnan Democratic People's Republic of Korea has gone from food Province. imports to self sufficiency (p. 11). Uu Sigong Published every Moodoy by Generoi Eiilteriol Offics Teh 693860 Subs<;f!pnoi» prices t1 yeor): USA US$23.00 Ei_Bi'5hJ>epartment Teh 890951-546 BEIJING REVIE-W Autlrdlia A.$22.0O Canada Can.$21.00 Distributed ay China Intefnalional Book Si34 Boiwonzhuong Rend, Seijlng Trading Corporolion (GUOJI SHUDIAN) Naw ZMtaad HZ430.00 The Peoplc'i Republic of China P.O Box 399, Beijing, Qiino UK £ia.00 NOTES FROM THE EDITORS Guidelines for Literature by Our Special Commentator Chen Danchen* orty-five years ago this month, was born. The Sun Shines Over the FMao Zedong delivered two Sanggan River, a novel by Ding seminal speeches to a forum of Ling; White-Haired Girl, an opera writers and artists. Entitled Talks by He Jingzhi and Ding Yi; at the Yanan Forum on Literature Hurricane, a novel by Zhou Libo (with the peasants' resistance to and Art, they constitute a classical the correct literary and artistic landlord exploitation and op• Marxist work which later exerted orientation, how to bring about pression as their main theme); profound influence on the Chinese the sound and sturdy development Wang Gui and Li Xiangxiang, by revolutionary literary and artistic of socialist literature and, in the Li Ji, a long poem opposing feudal movement. building of an advanced culture marriage and extolling true love; China was then engaged in the and ethics, how to offer more all are outstanding representative war of resistance against Japanese outstanding and healthy works of works produced under the in• aggression, and Mao called upon art for the people — all remain to fluence of the Yanan Talks. promising writers and artists to go be studied and pondered by among workers, peasants and writers and artists in China today. soldiers and create literary and artistic works which could be It is felt that Mao's expositions loved by the masses. He stressed ao Zedong's on literature and life, literature that the question of "for whom" is and the people, the integration of expositions on literature and intellectuals with the labouring fundamental; that it is a question art made 45 years ago still of principle that revolutionary people, content and form, na• literature and art should serve the have importance. They tional cultural heritage, critical broadest section of the people. remain the correct guidelines inheritance and absorption of Mao also expounded on a number for today's literature and art. foreign culture, and the study of of literary and artistic questions Marxism — all still have their dealing with how to serve the important practical significance. masses. After nationwide liberation in They remain the correct guidelines 1949, Chinese literature and art. for the new literature. Following the talks, large travelled a tortuous course. In the numbers of writers and artists Under these circumstances, the new historical period during the went to villages, factories and Chinese literary and artistic circles last decade, the open cultural army units, where they saw a are sponsoring activities comme• policy has brought new life and completely new world. Impressed, morating the 45th anniversary of vitality to Hterature and art. The they produced a large number of the publication of the Yanan varied and colourful works have works reflecting the lives, feelings Talks. It is hoped that in the new been acclaimed at home and and aspirations of the working historical period, Mao Zedong's abroad. They have also more or people. These works are lively, thoughts on literature and art will less met the people's multifarious healthy and full of optimism. be carried forward and that needs. Large numbers of new Artistically, they drew on folk China's socialist literature and art writers and artists have emerged. literature and art, making them will develop more healthily. This fresh, straightforward and true to Some writers, however, have will again open up a vast new the Chinese national style. forgotten their social responsi• world for Chinese writers and bilities, producing bad and even artists and encourage them to From then on, the anti- vulgar works, spreading corrupt plunge themselves into the drive imperiahst and anti-feudal May ideas, blindly worshipping foreign for socialist modernization and 4th Literary Moverrtent, which culture and copying foreign things social reform and draw on new began in 1919, took a historic turn mechanically. This has been sources for their literary and and a new-type socialist literature resented and criticized by the artistic creation. People are masses. confidently greeting the new upsurge of literary and artistic * The author is deputy chief editor of Under the new historical Wen Yi Bao (Literary Gazette) circumstances, how to adhere to creativity. • 4, BEIJING REVIEW, NO. 21 EVENTSARENDS Man vs Fire —Desperate Fight he worst forest fire in modern reinforcements arrived on May 10 insisted on staying in the area with TChina's history is still raging in from neighbouring regions inland, his family, said that he had bought the country's far northeast they . struggled in fierce thirst, 29 buffaloes just before the fire. Daxinganling Mountains, which starvation and peril for three days Now only four are left. The 20,000 have the richest timber resources and nights. Witnesses saw some yuan worth of paper money he in China, gobbling up large tracts soldiers covering a large oil tank kept at home is now ashes. A local of virgin forest, pressing on with wet quilts to prevent it from official said, "We are surviving on towards heavily populated re• exploding. Trucks laden with the 'roast beef from his buffaloes. sidential areas and threatening the women and children provided safe He is so kind that he even killed a lives of hundreds of thousands of evacuation from the scorching live one to feed other hard-hit firefighters. flames, while local officials, hoarse people." When the fire broke out on the from smoke atid exhaustion, co• As soon as the fire was reported afternoon of May 6 — almost ordinated rescue activities. to Beijing, the battle became one simultaneously at four spots in A middle-aged Muslim, who for the entire country under the China's northernmost Mohe and Tahe forest, Heilongjiang Province — local people rushed in to fight the blaze. Just as it began to die out the next day, a force 8 wind suddenly whipped up. Within an hour the soaring blaze had engulfed Xilinji, a Mohe county town inhabited by more than 10,000 households, and later three nearby railway stations were destroyed. The catastrophe claimed 119 lives in Xilinji, and then swept towards Tahe county with a population of 100,000. Local firemen, garrison troops and residents were soon organized 1. Mohe 2. Gulian to meet the emergency. Till 3. Tuqiang 4. Amur ' 5. Zhanglin 6. Take 7. Huzhong The fire has reduced this mountain of stored timber to ashes. GUO JIANSHE m EVENTS/TRENDS concerted effort of the central Tons of canned food, together government. About 40,000 troops with tents, windbreakers, medi• moved to the scene of fire. cine and other supplies have been Airfreighters, bombers, and civil shipped or dropped onto the area. planes, flew from Beijing and Some 200 medical workers have Shenyang to help. The country's arrived to take care of the Railway Department ordered its wounded firefighters and subordinates to give a green light evacuees. to all reinforcements and relief being shipped to the "front." At The Cultural Palace in Jiage- the same time, the central daqi, Inner Mongolia some 250 meteorological observatory has kilometres to the south of Tahe been keeping a close watch of the County, has been turned into a local weather, providing detailed relief centre, where policemen and satellite meteorological pictures young volunteers serve porridge daily to the frontline and distribute clothes to victims.