Chinese Literature - Li-hua Ying 2010

HONG LINGFEI (1901—1933)
The Dictionary

HONG LINGFEI (1901—1933). Novelist. Considered one of the pioneers who promoted a “proletarian literature” in the 1920s, Hong Lingfei was a key figure in the Left-wing Association of Chinese Writers. He participated in subversive activities, making him a target of the Nationalist government, which executed him in 1933. Most of his publications are fiction, dealing with Communist activism and the life of young intellectuals within the ranks of the revolution. Liuwang (Exile), a story about a young man fleeing from the government’s arrest warrant, is largely based on his own life. Da hai (The Sea), published in 1930 about a peasant uprising, tells the story of three young peasants who are transformed from simple farmhands to conscious revolutionaries with strong political convictions and ideals. Like many left-wing writings, this novel is ideologically driven and intended to sing praises for the peasants who, the author believed, were pillars of the Chinese revolution. With detailed descriptions of their journey, the novel reflects the radical changes that took place in the Chinese countryside during the first few decades of the 20th century.