Today magazine (1978-1980) and Menglong poetry

Abstract

This thesis is concerned with the new modern Chinese poetry called Menglong poetry and its association with the unofficial literary magazine, Today (Jintian).2 During the "thaw" of 1979 and 1980 Today began to publish a new—style poetry. Its ideas and form were quite different from the poetry written during the previous thirty years. This new poetry, which came to be known as Menglong, shocked the literary establishmen t and caused a great controversy. It soon developed into an influential modern poetry school which attracted the attention of scholars of modern Chinese literature, both in China and overseas. As the Menglong poets spoke out for the rights of the individual, their poetry, the voice of a whole awakened young generation, has suffered constant attack by the authorities. A well—known example is the suppression of Xu Jingya (1953— ) in 1983. Xu boldly published a laudatory article about this modern poetry but he was forced to undergo public self—criticism; After the Tiananmen Incident of June 4, 1989, the study of Today and Menglong poetry in China has become difficult, even impossible. However, it has been one of the focuses for Western scholars of modern Chinese literature.

An examination of Today Magazine and its specific result, Menglong poetry, are the basic elements of this thesis, which traces the fate of Today and examines how this unofficial publication was able to exist in a highly ideologically—controlled country at this particular time of Chinese history. Also, the thesis attempts to show the background for the rise of Menglong poetry. I have tried to illustrate the link between the two and, in the second half, I have focused on Menglong poetry, its features, the arguments it has caused and its place in modern Chinese literature.