Cultural exchange by books

Chinese and French writers shared views on their writings on, and understandings of, the two cultures at a Beijing forum last week.

The event was organized by the French Embassy, the Chinese Writers' Association (CWA) and the French Institute.

For Chinese Frenchman Christophe Wang, the forum presented an opportunity to pose a question he has pondered for decades: "As a literature lover living in France, I've noticed most French people have vague ideas about Chinese literature - especially more recent works," Wang said, asking the participants why they believed this was so.

The keynote speeches by Paul de Sinety, with the French Institute, and CWA President Tie Ning addressed the question and also sought to deepen mutual understanding.

Tie pointed out the two countries share strong economic and cultural ties.

"French literary works have provided constant inspiration for generations of Chinese writers," she said. "We've also seen increasing interest in reading about China among younger French readers."

French writer Marie Nimier counted herself among that crowd because of her interest in Chinese authors' newer works.

The talented writer presented to her Chinese peers the way she personally viewed these works and says she sees the influence of Franz Kafka in writer Liu Zhenyun's works.

Liu incorporated his signature humor when talking about his interpretation of the four Chinese classics in a discussion on "literature and classics".

He calls A Dream of the Red Mansions a philosophical book and the first novel to detail everyday life from that time. And, he says, Outlaws of the Marsh should be renamed Tears of the Heroes, because killing is done for the purpose of defending liberty. His witty and accessible introduction of the "four must-reads" won giggles from the French writers.

Li Er, who has abundant international literary exchange experience, likened the situation faced by contemporary Chinese writers to a discussion about the ages of apple trees in Europe and China.

Li said he's appalled to have discovered an apple tree in Switzerland that's 103 years old, while China's development is making it increasingly difficult to find old apple trees.

"Changes - overlapping stages of the planned economy, the market economy and globalization - in the country in recent decades have complicated the so-called Chinese experience," Li said.

"Chinese writers are facing difficulties in expressing the experience, which is rarely understood by the Western world."

French scholar and writer Philippe Nemo echoed Li's views.

"China's progress shows Confucian culture can go well with Western scientific and technological development," Nemo said.

"Only when the two cultures are ready to engage in more dialogues can the world have a better and more hopeful future."

Writers Jiang Yun, Fang Fang and Annick Geille, and critic Ji Hongzhen, shared their explorations of literature as women writers. Jiang talked about the motif of family in Chinese literature and her version of the classic tale Legend of the White Snake.