Scar literature

Scar literature (Chinese: 伤痕 文学; Pinyin : shānghén wénxué) is a term from Chinese literature. It summarizes the literary works that were created immediately after the Cultural Revolution and that account for the crimes of the Cultural Revolution.

The namesake for this literary movement is the story Scars (伤痕 'Shanghen'), the focus of which is the fate of a girl named Xiaohua, who was sixteen at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. She turns away from her mother, who has been condemned as a traitor, and reports to work in the country. She refused to have any contact with her mother for eight years.

For Xiaohua, holding on to her mother would have meant isolation. Only the decision against the mother brings her the recognition of her surroundings. When she learned of her mother's innocence after the gang of four was arrested in 1976 , she was hours late to see her mother alive again. The story ends with the affirmation that they will never forget the guilty party for the injustice inflicted on their mother and that they will support the new political leadership in rebuilding the country.

With the publication of this story, a debate began about the role of literature in overcoming social grievances and the literary processing of the Cultural Revolution began. Early works of scar literature were often soulful and overloaded with stereotypes. Often an imposing, optimistic conclusion was added.

Examples

• Lu Xinhua : Shanghen (1978, scars )
• Liu Xinwu: Banzhuren (1977, The Class Teacher ) - Aiqing de weizhi (1978, The Place of Love )
• Zheng Yi : Feng (1979, red maple )
• Feng Jicai : Pu hua de qilu (1979, The wrong way adorned with flowers )
• Su Shuyang: Danxin pu (1978, A Faithful Heart )
• Zong Fuxian: Yu wusheng zhi chu (1978, In the Place of Silence )
• Lei Shuyan: Xiao cao zai gechang (1979, song of a little grass )
• Tao Siliang: Yizeng zhongyu fachu de xin (1978, a letter that was finally sent )
• Ba Jin : Huainian Su Shan (1979, In memory of my wife Su Shan )