View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by DigitalCommons@Macalester College Macalester International Volume 18 Chinese Worlds: Multiple Temporalities Article 11 and Transformations Spring 2007 Contemporary Chinese Fiction: Politics and Romance Kaixuan Jing Nanjing University, China Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/macintl Recommended Citation Jing, Kaixuan (2007) "Contemporary Chinese Fiction: Politics and Romance," Macalester International: Vol. 18, Article 11. Available at: http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/macintl/vol18/iss1/11 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Institute for Global Citizenship at DigitalCommons@Macalester College. It has been accepted for inclusion in Macalester International by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Macalester College. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Contemporary Chinese Fiction: Politics and Romance Jing Kaixuan I. Introduction When we review Chinese literature since the new era began in 1978, we may reach the conclusion that the writing of novels has flour- ished both in quality and quantity, compared with other periods since 1949. Chinese writers have more freedom in writing and publishing (in some respects) than ever before, creating the impression of relative freedom from political influence. However, as we know from the text- books of literary history, the “Literature of the New Era” is still divided from the other eras according to political history. Contemporary litera- ture cannot evade politics because China remains a highly politicized state. Although the influence of politics has taken different forms in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and the present decade, it has always been present, whether overtly or implicitly.