根脉铸文魂，破壁连寰宇
——评袁竹文学理论专著《莫言论》李栎（中英文）
当莫言以东方叙事的野性与深邃，斩获诺贝尔文学奖，成为中国文学叩响世界殿堂的标志性人物，学界与读者对其创作的解读便从未停歇。然而，多数解读或沉溺于诺奖光环的加持，或止步于叙事技巧的表层拆解，或陷入主观褒贬的片面窠臼，始终未能穿透其文学世界的肌理，抵达其创作的精神内核与文化密码。袁竹文学理论专著《莫言论》（“搜狐网”2026年2月20日刊载）的问世，恰是对这一困境的精准破局——这部系统性、深度化研究莫言创作的学术专著，秉持“文本细读与理论支撑共生、宏观把握与微观解读相融”的治学理念，以客观严谨的态度、开阔宏阔的视野、凝练深刻的文笔，将莫言的核心文本与多元理论、时代语境、文化根脉深度绑定，既完整呈现“精神溯源—审美解构—价值共生—时代回响”的研究体系，又紧扣各章节核心要义，深挖莫言创作的思想精髓与文学价值，最终提炼其对中国当代文学破壁发展的核心启示。这部著作不仅为解读莫言搭建起一座兼具学术厚度与人文温度的桥梁，更成为当代文学研究领域极具范式意义的典范之作，尽显袁竹深耕当代文学研究数十年的深厚功底、敏锐洞见与时代担当。
学术著作的生命力，在于体系的完整性与论点的独创性；而解读一位文学巨匠，更需搭建“点—线—面”贯通的研究框架，既有微观文本的细腻拆解，亦有宏观格局的整体把控。袁竹《莫言论》最突出的成就，便是构建了一套逻辑严密、层次清晰、内涵丰富的完整研究体系，以六章主体内容层层递进、环环相扣，从根源、意象、载体、叙事、哲思到启示，完成了对莫言文学世界的全方位、立体化勘探，最终落脚于中国当代文学的发展路径，实现了“个案解读—理论提炼—时代启示”的学术升华。不同于碎片化、浅层化的作家评论，这部著作以“莫言悖论”为核心线索，将各章节内容紧密串联，每一处分析皆有文本可依、有理论支撑、有时代呼应，每一个论断都兼具微观的细腻与宏观的格局，彰显出袁竹高超的学术架构能力与深刻的理论思辨水平。
第一章“根源：草根传统的现代转生”，作为整部著作的精神溯源，精准锚定了莫言文学创作的根基，也破解了其作品扎根中国、打动世界的核心密码。袁竹以深刻的洞察力指出，莫言的创作绝非简单复刻高密乡的地域风光、方言民俗与民间传说，而是对中国“草根传统”的创造性转化与现代性升华——这种转化，是将高密乡的方言土语提炼为极具表现力的文学语言，让粗糙的民间话语拥有细腻的文学质感与深邃的思想张力；是将地方民俗、民间传说转化为承载民族记忆与人性思考的文学图腾，让散落于乡土的文化碎片，凝结为彰显中国乡土生命力的精神符号；是将民间智慧、乡土经验升华为具有普遍意义的文学表达，让高密乡从具体的地理空间，转变为象征中国乡土精神、隐喻人类生存困境的精神原乡。
袁竹的解读，跳出了“地域即题材”的浅层认知，深刻揭示了莫言与草根传统的内在关联：莫言生于高密乡，长于乡土间，底层民众的生存状态、民间社会的烟火气息、乡土文化的精神滋养，早已融入其血脉，成为创作的精神底色。但他并未沦为乡土的“复刻者”，而是以现代性视角，对草根传统进行筛选、提炼与重构，既保留民间文化的野性与鲜活，又赋予其深刻的人性思考与时代内涵。这种转化，让莫言的作品既具鲜明本土特质，又摆脱地域文学的局限，使其笔下的高密乡，既是中国的高密乡，亦是世界的高密乡；既是乡土的缩影，亦是人类精神的栖息地。这一解读不仅为后续章节筑牢精神根基，更让我们清晰看到，莫言文学的生命力，始终根植于中国本土文化的深厚土壤，根植于草根传统的精神滋养——这正是其作品能够跨越文化边界、获得世界认可的根本所在。
第二章“意象：饥饿美学的审美超越”，聚焦莫言作品中最核心、最具辨识度的“饥饿”意象，完成了从生理苦难到审美升华的深度解读，彰显出袁竹见微知著的学术敏锐。在莫言的创作中，“饥饿”贯穿始终，《红高粱家族》《丰乳肥臀》《蛙》等核心文本，皆有对饥饿状态的细致描摹。但袁竹明确指出，莫言的书写，从未停留于生理饥饿的简单渲染，也未陷入苦难叙事的悲情窠臼，而是将饥饿提升为一种独特的“饥饿美学”，实现了对苦难的审美超越与哲学反思。
这种审美超越，体现在两个核心层面：其一，是对饥饿状态下人性极端面貌的深度挖掘。袁竹通过文本细读发现，莫言笔下的饥饿，不仅是生理的匮乏，更是人性的试金石——在饥饿的裹挟下，既有生存本能的挣扎、人性的扭曲与沉沦，也有人性的光辉、坚守与救赎；既有底层民众为生存而进行的卑微抗争，也有他们在苦难中坚守的善良、坚韧与尊严。这种对人性复杂面的全面呈现，让饥饿不再是单纯的苦难符号，而是成为解读人性、反思生命的重要载体。其二，是对饥饿与欲望、饮食与权力关系的辩证书写。袁竹深刻剖析，莫言笔下的饥饿，始终与欲望、权力紧密相连：饥饿是欲望的源头，是底层民众追求生存权的本能诉求；而饮食则成为权力的象征，是阶层分化、权力博弈的重要隐喻。通过这种书写，莫言不仅揭示了底层民众的生存困境，更叩问了权力的异化、社会的不公，将饥饿美学从生理层面提升至社会批判与哲学反思的高度。袁竹的这一解读，精准捕捉到莫言苦难叙事的独特价值，打破了传统苦难叙事的刻板模式，展现了苦难书写的另一种可能——以审美之名，消解苦难的悲情，彰显生命的韧性。
第三章“载体：感官叙事的伦理建构”，将研究视野投向莫言的叙事革新，聚焦其以身体为叙事核心载体的革命性意义，完成了对莫言叙事艺术与伦理内涵的深度拆解。在传统文学创作中，身体往往处于被压抑、被遮蔽的状态，尤其是女性身体，多被视为男性凝视的对象，缺乏主体性与尊严。而莫言则打破这种叙事桎梏，将身体置于叙事核心，通过细腻、直白、充满力量的感官叙事，确立身体的主体性与尊严，构建充满张力的文学世界，更完成了从身体觉醒到人性救赎的伦理建构。
袁竹通过对莫言核心文本的细致解读，清晰勾勒出这种感官叙事的伦理内涵：莫言的感官叙事，绝非单纯的感官刺激与猎奇书写，而是以身体为媒介，解读底层民众的生存状态与精神世界——他写身体的疼痛与苦难，实则是写底层民众的生存挣扎；他写身体的欲望与本能，实则是写人性的本真与鲜活；他写身体的反抗与坚守，实则是写人性的觉醒与尊严。尤为可贵的是，莫言对女性身体的书写，彻底打破传统叙事的男性凝视，赋予女性身体主体性与话语权，通过对女性身体苦难、欲望与反抗的书写，彰显女性的力量与韧性，批判男权社会对女性的压迫与规训。袁竹深刻指出，这种以身体为载体的感官叙事，不仅具有革命性的叙事意义，更蕴含深刻的生命伦理——它尊重身体的本能，珍视生命的价值，坚守人文的关怀，让每一个身体都拥有被看见、被尊重的权利，最终实现了从身体觉醒到人性救赎的伦理升华，为当代文学的叙事革新与伦理建构提供了重要参照。
第四章“叙事：历史狂欢化的政治无意识”，聚焦莫言的历史书写策略，以巴赫金狂欢化理论为支撑，深刻剖析其历史叙事的独特性与思想深度，彰显出袁竹多元理论灵活运用的学术功底。在当代文学的历史书写中，多数创作者要么陷入宏大官方叙事的窠臼，要么局限于个体记忆的浅层描摹，而莫言则走出了一条独特的历史书写之路——他摒弃宏大官方叙事的严肃性与单一性，采用民间视角与狂欢化手法，重构中国近现代史，通过荒诞、幽默、戏谑的叙事，消解历史的神圣性与严肃性，为底层民众发声，其背后蕴含着深刻的政治无意识。
袁竹精准指出，莫言的历史狂欢化书写，核心在于“以民间解构官方，以荒诞彰显真实”。他以民间视角为切入点，将历史的话语权交还给底层民众，不再聚焦于帝王将相、英雄豪杰的宏大叙事，而是关注普通人在历史洪流中的生存状态与命运沉浮，让那些被宏大历史遗忘、遮蔽的底层个体，成为历史叙事的主角。而狂欢化手法的运用，则让莫言的历史书写摆脱了悲情与沉重，通过夸张、荒诞、戏谑的表达，消解了历史的严肃性，也消解了权力的压迫性——在他的笔下，历史不再是冰冷的史料堆砌，而是充满烟火气、充满人性温度的民间记忆；权力不再是神圣不可侵犯的符号，而是可以被解构、被批判的对象。这种叙事背后，是莫言对权力异化的批判，对民间反抗精神的肯定，对历史复杂真相的追问，以及对底层民众生存权利的坚守。袁竹的这一解读，不仅精准捕捉到莫言历史书写的独特价值，更揭示了其历史叙事背后的思想深度与人文关怀，展现了历史书写的多元可能性。
第五章“哲思：三重共振的莫言悖论”，作为整部著作的核心章节，精准提炼出莫言创作的思想根基——“莫言悖论”，并深入阐释其生成逻辑与思想内涵，完成了对莫言创作哲思层面的深度升华。袁竹明确指出，“莫言悖论”并非简单的矛盾对立，而是本土性与世界性、传统性与现代性、民间野性与精英哲思的共生共振，这种共振的生成，源于中国本土哲思（儒、道思想）、西方现代理论（狂欢化、魔幻现实主义、精神分析等）与民间生存智慧的三重融合与平等对话。
不同于诸多研究者将莫言的成功简单归结为“魔幻现实主义的中国化”，袁竹深刻揭示了“莫言悖论”的独特性：莫言并未将三种思想资源简单叠加或对立，而是让它们平等对话、有机融合，形成了矛盾统一、深邃博大的哲学品格。中国本土哲思为其创作奠定精神底色，儒道思想中的人文关怀、辩证思维，融入其对人性、生命、历史的思考之中；西方现代理论为其创作提供叙事技巧与思想视角，狂欢化理论、魔幻现实主义等，让其得以打破传统叙事桎梏，拓展文学表达边界；而民间生存智慧则为其创作注入鲜活生命力，底层民众的善良、坚韧、狡黠与反抗，成为其哲思的重要载体。这种三重共振，让莫言的作品既扎根中国本土，拥有鲜明本土特质，又能够对话世界，抵达人类共通的精神命题；既拥有民间叙事的野性与鲜活，又拥有精英哲思的深刻与厚重；既坚守传统文学的人文底色，又兼具现代文学的创新精神。袁竹对“莫言悖论”的解读，不仅直击莫言创作的灵魂所在，更破解了其作品能够跨越文化边界、获得世界认可的关键密码，彰显出超越一般研究者的学术洞见。
第六章“启示：莫言与当代文学的破壁之路”，将研究视野从莫言个体创作，延伸至中国当代文学的整体发展，总结莫言创作的典范意义，提炼其对当代文学破壁发展的核心启示，实现了个案研究的时代升华。袁竹通过对莫言创作路径的深度剖析，明确指出了莫言创作对当代文学的四大核心启示，每一条都切中当代文学发展的痛点，具有极强的现实意义与指导价值。
其一，为乡土文学破局。当下的乡土文学创作，多陷入写实苦难的窠臼，要么单纯渲染乡土的贫瘠与落后，要么沉溺于怀旧式的田园牧歌，缺乏精神层面的升华与叙事层面的创新。而莫言的创作则打破了这种困境，通过对草根传统的现代性转化、对叙事技巧的革新，让乡土书写从写实苦难走向精神史诗，让乡土文学既拥有本土特质，又拥有普遍意义，为当代乡土文学的发展指明了方向。其二，深化人性叙事。当下的很多文学创作，要么将人性简单二元对立，要么回避人性的复杂面，缺乏对人性的深度挖掘与人文关怀。而莫言则始终坚守人文立场，全面、深刻地挖掘人性的复杂与多面，既写人性的光辉与坚守，也写人性的扭曲与沉沦，让人性成为其创作的核心命题，为当代文学的人性叙事提供了典范。其三，推动文化融合。在全球化语境下，中国当代文学如何实现国际化，如何在扎根本土的同时对话世界，成为重要的时代命题。莫言的创作则给出了清晰答案——践行“扎根本土、对话世界”的路径，既坚守自身的文化根脉，又以开放包容的心态借鉴西方现代理论与叙事技巧，实现本土文化与世界文化的有机融合，为文学国际化提供了中国方案。其四，坚守文学初心。在功利化、商业化的时代浪潮中，很多创作者陷入了功利化创作的窠臼，忽视了文学的本质与使命。而莫言则始终坚守文学初心，保持创作的真诚、勇气与不断自我革新的精神，以文学为笔，叩问人性、反思历史、关怀底层，彰显了文学的价值与力量，为当代创作者树立了榜样。
著作的结语与余论，更是对莫言文学价值的高度升华，也彰显了袁竹对中国当代文学发展的深切关怀。袁竹明确强调，莫言文学的价值，远超越诺贝尔文学奖的荣誉与叙事技巧的创新，其核心意义在于构建了一座连接中国与世界、传统与现代的精神桥梁。莫言的创作，不仅实现了对中国文学传统的创造性转化，丰富了中国当代文学的格局，更以东方智慧回应了人类文明的共同困境——对生命的敬畏、对苦难的反思、对尊严的坚守、对人性的追问，这些贯穿其作品的精神内核，让其文学拥有了跨越时代、跨越地域的永恒回响。更为珍贵的是，莫言的创作坐标，清晰启示后来者：中国当代文学的破壁之路，不在于盲目模仿西方、刻意迎合异域审美，而在于扎根自身的文化根脉，深耕本土经验，深耕普遍人性，秉持开放包容的创作精神，在传统与现代的碰撞、本土与世界的对话中，找到属于自己的文学表达，才能在世界文学舞台上彰显中国文学的独特魅力。此外，全书附录的莫言作品年表、获奖记录及研究工具索引，更彰显了这部著作的严谨性与实用性，为后续的莫言研究提供了重要的资料支撑，体现了袁竹治学的扎实与细致。
在当代文学研究日益陷入同质化、空泛化、功利化的当下，袁竹《莫言论》的学术价值与时代意义愈发凸显。这部著作，不仅是对莫言创作的一次系统性、深度化的价值重估，更是对中国当代文学研究范式的一次有益探索——它以文本细读为根基，以多元理论为支撑，以时代语境为背景，以人文关怀为底色，构建了一套完整、严谨、深刻的研究体系，证明了优秀的作家论，既要读懂作家的文本，更要读懂作家背后的文化根脉与时代精神；既要挖掘个体创作的独特价值，更要提炼其对整个文学领域的普遍启示；既要保持学术的严谨与深刻，也要拥有人文的温度与情怀。
袁竹的研究，最动人的底色，是对文学本质的敬畏，对底层民众的关怀，对中国文学发展的担当。他以学术为笔，以思辨为墨，既打捞了莫言文学世界的精神密码，也彰显了中国文学的精神力量；既解读了一位文学巨匠的创作成就，也为中国当代文学的未来发展指明了方向。不同于诸多晦涩难懂、脱离文本的学术著作，《莫言论》文笔凝练而厚重，思辨深刻而不晦涩，既有学术的严谨性，又有文学的感染力，让每一位读者都能在阅读中，读懂莫言，读懂中国当代文学的精神内核。
根脉铸文魂，破壁连寰宇。袁竹《莫言论》的价值，不仅在于为解读莫言提供了极具学术价值的参照，更在于为中国当代文学与世界文学的对话、为中国当代文学的破壁发展，提供了深刻的思考与有益的借鉴。它让我们清晰地看到，中国当代文学的生命力，在于扎根本土、坚守本真、开放包容；中国文学要走向世界，必须坚守自身的文化根脉，深耕普遍人性，秉持真诚的创作初心。
莫言以一生的创作，为中国文学书写了一部不朽的精神史诗；而袁竹以十余载的深耕，为这部精神史诗写下了一篇深刻的学术注脚。《莫言论》这部著作，既有学术的深度与高度，又有人文的温度与情怀，其学术价值与时代意义，终将在文学研究的长河中，绽放出持久的光芒，也将持续启示着当代创作者与研究者，坚守文学初心，深耕文化根脉，推动中国文学在世界舞台上展现更大的魅力，书写更加辉煌的篇章。
2026年2月20日
Rooted in Cultural Soul, Breaking Boundaries to Connect the WorldA Review of Yuan Zhu’s Literary Theory Monograph On Mo Yan
By Li Yue
When Mo Yan, with the wildness and profundity of Oriental narration, won the Nobel Prize in Literature and became an iconic figure in Chinese literature knocking on the door of the world, interpretations of his works by scholars and readers have never ceased. However, most commentaries either indulge in the aura of the Nobel Prize, remain confined to superficial analyses of narrative techniques, or fall into the one‑sided trap of subjective praise or criticism, failing to penetrate the texture of his literary world and reach the spiritual core and cultural code of his creation. The publication of Yuan Zhu’s literary theory monograph On Mo Yan (published on Sohu.com, February 20, 2026) offers a precise solution to this dilemma. As a systematic and in‑depth academic study of Mo Yan’s oeuvre, it adheres to the scholarly principle of “integrating close reading with theoretical support, and macroscopic grasp with microscopic interpretation”. With an objective and rigorous attitude, a broad vision, and concise, profound prose, it deeply links Mo Yan’s core texts with pluralistic theories, contemporary context, and cultural roots. It not only fully presents the research system of “spiritual origin – aesthetic deconstruction – value symbiosis – contemporary resonance” but also focuses on the essence of each chapter, excavating the ideological quintessence and literary value of Mo Yan’s works, and finally extracting core inspirations for the breakthrough development of contemporary Chinese literature. This work not only builds a bridge of academic depth and humanistic warmth for interpreting Mo Yan but also becomes an exemplary model in the field of contemporary literary studies, fully demonstrating Yuan Zhu’s profound expertise, keen insights, and contemporary responsibility accumulated through decades of dedicated research in contemporary literature.
The vitality of academic works lies in the integrity of their systems and the originality of their arguments; interpreting a literary master further requires a research framework that connects “points, lines, and planes”, combining meticulous deconstruction of micro texts with overall control of macro patterns. The most outstanding achievement of Yuan Zhu’s On Mo Yan is the construction of a complete research system with rigorous logic, clear layers, and rich connotations. Its six main chapters progress logically and interlock closely, conducting an all‑round, three‑dimensional exploration of Mo Yan’s literary world from origin, imagery, carrier, narration, and philosophical thinking to enlightenment, ultimately focusing on the developmental path of contemporary Chinese literature and achieving the academic sublimation of “case interpretation – theoretical extraction – contemporary enlightenment”. Unlike fragmented and superficial literary criticism, this work takes the “Mo Yan Paradox” as its core thread, tightly connecting all chapters. Every analysis is grounded in texts, supported by theories, and echoed by the times; every argument combines microscopic subtlety and macroscopic vision, highlighting Yuan Zhu’s superb academic structuring ability and profound theoretical speculation.
Chapter One, “Origin: The Modern Transcendence of Grassroots Tradition”, serves as the spiritual source of the entire monograph, accurately anchoring the foundation of Mo Yan’s literary creation and unlocking the core code that allows his works to take root in China and touch the world. With profound insight, Yuan Zhu points out that Mo Yan’s creation is by no means a simple reproduction of the regional scenery, dialect, folklore, and local legends of Gaomi Township, but a creative transformation and modern sublimation of China’s “grassroots tradition”. This transformation refines the local dialect of Gaomi Township into a highly expressive literary language, endowing rough folk discourse with delicate literary texture and profound ideological tension; it converts local customs and folk legends into literary totems carrying national memory and reflections on humanity, condensing scattered cultural fragments of the countryside into spiritual symbols that embody the vitality of Chinese rural life; it elevates folk wisdom and rural experience into universally meaningful literary expression, transforming Gaomi Township from a specific geographical space into a spiritual homeland that symbolizes the Chinese rural spirit and metaphorizes the existential dilemmas of humanity.
Yuan Zhu’s interpretation transcends the superficial perception that “region equals subject matter” and profoundly reveals the intrinsic connection between Mo Yan and the grassroots tradition. Born and raised in Gaomi Township, Mo Yan has absorbed the living conditions of the underprivileged, the vitality of folk society, and the spiritual nourishment of rural culture into his very blood, forming the spiritual foundation of his creation. Yet he did not become a mere “copyist” of the countryside; instead, from a modern perspective, he selected, refined, and reconstructed the grassroots tradition, retaining the wildness and vitality of folk culture while endowing it with profound reflections on humanity and contemporary connotations. This transformation makes Mo Yan’s works distinctly local yet free from the limitations of regional literature. The Gaomi Township in his writing is both Chinese and global, both a microcosm of the countryside and a habitat for the human spirit. This interpretation not only lays a solid spiritual foundation for subsequent chapters but also clearly shows that the vitality of Mo Yan’s literature is always rooted in the profound soil of Chinese native culture and nourished by the grassroots tradition – the very reason his works can cross cultural boundaries and gain worldwide recognition.
Chapter Two, “Imagery: The Aesthetic Transcendence of Hunger Aesthetics”, focuses on the most central and distinctive imagery of “hunger” in Mo Yan’s works, conducting an in‑depth interpretation from physical suffering to aesthetic sublimation and demonstrating Yuan Zhu’s academic acumen in perceiving the whole through a part. In Mo Yan’s creation, “hunger” runs throughout core texts such as Red Sorghum Family, Big Breasts & Wide Hips, and Frog, all containing detailed depictions of hunger. However, Yuan Zhu clearly states that Mo Yan’s writing never lingers on the simple portrayal of physical hunger nor falls into the tragic trap of suffering narratives; instead, he elevates hunger to a unique “hunger aesthetics”, achieving aesthetic transcendence and philosophical reflection on suffering.
This aesthetic transcendence is reflected in two core dimensions. First, the in‑depth exploration of the extreme facets of humanity under hunger. Through close reading, Yuan Zhu finds that hunger in Mo Yan’s works is not only physical deprivation but also a touchstone of humanity – amid hunger, there are struggles of survival instinct, distortions and degenerations of humanity, as well as glories, perseverance, and redemption; there are humble struggles of the underprivileged for survival, and their kindness, resilience, and dignity upheld in suffering. This comprehensive presentation of the complexity of humanity turns hunger from a mere symbol of suffering into an important carrier for interpreting humanity and reflecting on life. Second, the dialectical writing of the relationships between hunger and desire, eating and power. Yuan Zhu profoundly analyzes that hunger in Mo Yan’s works is always closely linked to desire and power: hunger is the source of desire and the instinctive pursuit of the right to survival by the underprivileged, while food becomes a symbol of power and an important metaphor for class division and power struggles. Through such writing, Mo Yan not only reveals the existential dilemmas of the grassroots but also interrogates the alienation of power and social injustice, elevating hunger aesthetics from the physical level to the height of social criticism and philosophical reflection. Yuan Zhu’s interpretation precisely captures the unique value of Mo Yan’s suffering narratives, breaks the stereotypical model of traditional suffering narration, and reveals another possibility of writing suffering – in the name of aesthetics, dispelling the pathos of suffering and highlighting the resilience of life.
Chapter Three, “Carrier: The Ethical Construction of Sensory Narrative”, shifts the research perspective to Mo Yan’s narrative innovation, focusing on the revolutionary significance of taking the body as the core narrative carrier, and conducting an in‑depth deconstruction of Mo Yan’s narrative art and ethical connotations. In traditional literary creation, the body is often repressed and obscured; especially the female body, mostly regarded as the object of the male gaze, lacks subjectivity and dignity. Mo Yan breaks this narrative shackle, placing the body at the core of narration. Through delicate, straightforward, and powerful sensory narratives, he establishes the subjectivity and dignity of the body, constructs a highly tensioned literary world, and further completes an ethical construction from bodily awakening to human salvation.
Through meticulous interpretation of Mo Yan’s core texts, Yuan Zhu clearly outlines the ethical connotations of such sensory narration: Mo Yan’s sensory narratives are by no means mere sensory stimulation or sensational writing, but a medium to interpret the living conditions and spiritual worlds of the grassroots. His depictions of bodily pain and suffering reflect the existential struggles of the underprivileged; his writing of bodily desires and instincts reveals the authenticity and vitality of human nature; his accounts of bodily resistance and perseverance embody the awakening and dignity of humanity. Particularly valuable is that Mo Yan’s depiction of the female body completely breaks the male gaze in traditional narration, endowing the female body with subjectivity and discourse power. Through writing about the suffering, desires, and resistance of the female body, he highlights women’s strength and resilience, criticizing the oppression and discipline imposed on women by a patriarchal society. Yuan Zhu profoundly points out that this body‑centered sensory narrative not only holds revolutionary narrative significance but also contains profound bioethics – it respects bodily instincts, cherishes the value of life, upholds humanistic care, grants every body the right to be seen and respected, and ultimately achieves ethical sublimation from bodily awakening to human salvation, providing an important reference for narrative innovation and ethical construction in contemporary literature.
Chapter Four, “Narration: The Political Unconscious of Historical Carnivalization”, focuses on Mo Yan’s strategies of historical writing. Supported by Bakhtin’s carnival theory, it profoundly analyzes the uniqueness and ideological depth of his historical narratives, demonstrating Yuan Zhu’s academic expertise in flexibly applying pluralistic theories. In the historical writing of contemporary literature, most creators either fall into the stereotype of grand official narratives or confine themselves to superficial depictions of individual memories. Mo Yan, however, blazes a unique path – abandoning the solemnity and singularity of grand official narratives, he adopts a folk perspective and carnivalistic techniques to reconstruct modern Chinese history. Through absurd, humorous, and playful narration, he dissolves the sacredness and solemnity of history and speaks for the grassroots, behind which lies profound political unconsciousness.
Yuan Zhu accurately points out that the core of Mo Yan’s carnivalized historical writing is “deconstructing the official with the folk, manifesting the truth through absurdity”. Taking the folk perspective as the starting point, he returns the discourse power of history to the grassroots, shifting focus from grand narratives of emperors, generals, and heroes to the living conditions and fates of ordinary people in the torrent of history, making the underprivileged individuals forgotten and obscured by grand history the protagonists of historical narration. The application of carnivalistic techniques frees Mo Yan’s historical writing from pathos and heaviness; through exaggerated, absurd, and playful expressions, it dissolves the solemnity of history and the oppression of power. In his writing, history is no longer a cold pile of historical materials but vivid folk memories full of human warmth; power is no longer a sacred and inviolable symbol but an object to be deconstructed and criticized. Behind such narration lies Mo Yan’s critique of power alienation, affirmation of the folk spirit of resistance, inquiry into the complex truth of history, and adherence to the survival rights of the grassroots. Yuan Zhu’s interpretation not only precisely captures the unique value of Mo Yan’s historical writing but also reveals the ideological depth and humanistic care behind his historical narratives, demonstrating the pluralistic possibilities of historical writing.
Chapter Five, “Philosophical Thinking: The Mo Yan Paradox of Triple Resonance”, as the core chapter of the monograph, accurately extracts the ideological foundation of Mo Yan’s creation – the “Mo Yan Paradox” – and deeply elaborates its generative logic and ideological connotations, achieving profound sublimation at the philosophical level of Mo Yan’s creation. Yuan Zhu clearly states that the “Mo Yan Paradox” is not simple contradiction and opposition but the symbiotic resonance of locality and globality, tradition and modernity, folk wildness and elite philosophical thinking. This resonance stems from the triple integration and equal dialogue of Chinese native philosophy (Confucianism and Taoism), Western modern theories (carnivalization, magical realism, psychoanalysis, etc.), and folk existential wisdom.
Unlike many researchers who simply attribute Mo Yan’s success to “the Sinicization of magical realism”, Yuan Zhu profoundly reveals the uniqueness of the “Mo Yan Paradox”: Mo Yan did not simply superimpose or oppose the three ideological resources but allowed them to engage in equal dialogue and organic integration, forming a contradictory, unified, profound, and extensive philosophical character. Chinese native philosophy lays the spiritual foundation for his creation; the humanistic care and dialectical thinking in Confucianism and Taoism integrate into his reflections on humanity, life, and history. Western modern theories provide narrative techniques and ideological perspectives, such as carnival theory and magical realism, enabling him to break traditional narrative shackles and expand the boundaries of literary expression. Folk existential wisdom injects vivid vitality into his works; the kindness, resilience, cunning, and resistance of the grassroots become important carriers of his philosophical thinking. This triple resonance makes Mo Yan’s works rooted in China with distinct local characteristics while engaging in dialogue with the world and addressing universal human spiritual propositions; they possess the wildness and vitality of folk narration as well as the profundity and weight of elite philosophy; they uphold the humanistic foundation of traditional literature while embodying the innovative spirit of modern literature. Yuan Zhu’s interpretation of the “Mo Yan Paradox” not only strikes at the soul of Mo Yan’s creation but also unlocks the key code for his works to cross cultural boundaries and gain worldwide recognition, demonstrating academic insights beyond ordinary researchers.
Chapter Six, “Enlightenment: Mo Yan and the Breakthrough Path of Contemporary Literature”, extends the research vision from Mo Yan’s individual creation to the overall development of contemporary Chinese literature, summarizing the exemplary significance of Mo Yan’s works and extracting core inspirations for the breakthrough development of contemporary literature, achieving the contemporary sublimation of case studies. Through in‑depth analysis of Mo Yan’s creative path, Yuan Zhu clearly points out four core inspirations for contemporary literature, each targeting the pain points of contemporary literary development with strong practical significance and guiding value.
First, breaking the deadlock of rural literature. Current rural literary creation often falls into the stereotype of realistic suffering, either purely depicting rural poverty and backwardness or indulging in nostalgic pastoral songs, lacking spiritual sublimation and narrative innovation. Mo Yan’s creation breaks this dilemma through the modern transformation of grassroots traditions and the innovation of narrative techniques, elevating rural writing from realistic suffering to spiritual epic, endowing rural literature with both local characteristics and universal significance, pointing out the direction for the development of contemporary rural literature. Second, deepening humanistic narration. Much contemporary literary creation either simplifies humanity into binary oppositions or avoids the complexity of humanity, lacking in‑depth exploration and humanistic care. Mo Yan always upholds a humanistic stance, comprehensively and profoundly excavating the complexity and diversity of humanity, depicting both its glory and perseverance as well as its distortions and degenerations, making humanity the core proposition of his creation and setting an example for humanistic narration in contemporary literature. Third, promoting cultural integration. In the context of globalization, how contemporary Chinese literature can achieve internationalization, take root locally while engaging in dialogue with the world, has become an important contemporary issue. Mo Yan’s creation provides a clear answer – practicing the path of “rooted in the native, dialoguing with the world”, upholding one’s own cultural roots while drawing on Western modern theories and narrative techniques with an open and inclusive attitude, achieving organic integration of local and world cultures, and offering a Chinese solution for literary internationalization. Fourth, upholding the original aspiration of literature. Amid the tide of utilitarianism and commercialization, many creators fall into the trap of utilitarian writing, ignoring the essence and mission of literature. Mo Yan always upholds the original aspiration of literature, maintaining the sincerity, courage, and spirit of constant self‑innovation in creation. With literature as his pen, he interrogates humanity, reflects on history, cares for the grassroots, demonstrating the value and power of literature and setting an example for contemporary creators.
The conclusion and epilogue of the monograph further highly sublimate the literary value of Mo Yan and reflect Yuan Zhu’s profound concern for the development of contemporary Chinese literature. Yuan Zhu clearly emphasizes that the value of Mo Yan’s literature far transcends the honor of the Nobel Prize in Literature and the innovation of narrative techniques; its core significance lies in building a spiritual bridge connecting China and the world, tradition and modernity. Mo Yan’s creation not only achieves the creative transformation of the Chinese literary tradition and enriches the pattern of contemporary Chinese literature but also responds to the common dilemmas of human civilization with Oriental wisdom – reverence for life, reflection on suffering, adherence to dignity, and inquiry into humanity. These spiritual cores running through his works endow his literature with eternal resonance across times and regions. More precious is that Mo Yan’s creative coordinates clearly inspire later generations: the breakthrough path of contemporary Chinese literature does not lie in blind imitation of the West or deliberate catering to exotic aesthetics, but in taking root in one’s own cultural roots, deeply exploring native experience and universal humanity, adhering to an open and inclusive creative spirit, and finding one’s own literary expression in the collision between tradition and modernity, and dialogue between the local and the global, so as to demonstrate the unique charm of Chinese literature on the world literary stage. In addition, the appendix of the book, including Mo Yan’s chronological works, award records, and research tool index, further highlights the rigor and practicality of the monograph, providing important material support for subsequent Mo Yan studies and reflecting Yuan Zhu’s solid and meticulous scholarship.
At a time when contemporary literary studies are increasingly falling into homogeneity, vagueness, and utilitarianism, the academic value and contemporary significance of Yuan Zhu’s On Mo Yan have become increasingly prominent. This work is not only a systematic and in‑depth revaluation of Mo Yan’s creation but also a beneficial exploration of the research paradigm of contemporary Chinese literature. Based on close reading, supported by pluralistic theories, set against the contemporary context, and grounded in humanistic care, it constructs a complete, rigorous, and profound research system, proving that an excellent monograph on a writer should not only understand the writer’s texts but also grasp the cultural roots and contemporary spirit behind the writer; it should not only excavate the unique value of individual creation but also extract universal inspirations for the entire literary field; it should maintain academic rigor and profundity while possessing humanistic warmth and feelings.
The most touching essence of Yuan Zhu’s research lies in his reverence for the essence of literature, care for the grassroots, and responsibility for the development of Chinese literature. With scholarship as his pen and speculation as his ink, he has unearthed the spiritual code of Mo Yan’s literary world and demonstrated the spiritual power of Chinese literature; he has interpreted the creative achievements of a literary master and pointed out the direction for the future development of contemporary Chinese literature. Unlike many obscure and text‑detached academic works, On Mo Yan features concise and profound prose, deep speculation without obscurity, combining academic rigor with literary appeal, enabling every reader to understand Mo Yan and the spiritual core of contemporary Chinese literature through reading.
Rooted in cultural soul, breaking boundaries to connect the world. The value of Yuan Zhu’s On Mo Yan lies not only in providing a highly academically valuable reference for interpreting Mo Yan but also in offering profound thinking and beneficial reference for the dialogue between contemporary Chinese literature and world literature, and for the breakthrough development of contemporary Chinese literature. It clearly shows us that the vitality of contemporary Chinese literature lies in taking root in the native land, upholding authenticity, and being open and inclusive; for Chinese literature to go global, it must adhere to its own cultural roots, deeply explore universal humanity, and uphold the sincere original aspiration of creation.
Mo Yan has composed an immortal spiritual epic for Chinese literature through a lifetime of creation; Yuan Zhu has written a profound academic footnote to this spiritual epic through more than ten years of dedicated research. On Mo Yan possesses both academic depth and height, as well as humanistic warmth and feelings. Its academic value and contemporary significance will eventually shine enduringly in the long river of literary studies, and continue to inspire contemporary creators and researchers to uphold the original aspiration of literature, deeply cultivate cultural roots, and promote Chinese literature to demonstrate greater charm and write more brilliant chapters on the world stage.
February 20, 2026
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发表于 2026-2-21 08:05
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