Ge Fei: Conversation with a Beijing Avant-Garde Fiction Writer

Margaux Schreurs | Jul 22, 2016 8:30 am | Add a comment | 3077 reads

Below, we talk to Ge Fei, well-known Beijing-based author and winner of multiple literary awards. As well as celebrating the release of his first translated work Flock of Brown Birds, his novel, The Invisibility Cloak also will become available in English after the summer. We asked him about his inspirations, and the difficulties faced when writing fiction in China.

Considering that you were one of the first writers of ‘avant-garde’ fiction in China, what was your inspiration?
I believe that by inspiration you mean the reason for writing or source materials. In those days, from the perspective of the concept of literature, Western modernism was a major influence. If we could split writing into two parts, “what to write” and “how to write,” we are most concerned with how to write. Authors hope to use language and style to bring about innovation in literature. My creative writing has two main preoccupations: first, a re-examination of history and secondly, a re-analysis of reality.

In what way do you think things have changed between the modern day and 1987 for fiction writers in China?
As far as novels are concerned, I think 1986-1987 were very significant years. Later, critics called these authors’ works “pioneer novels,” becoming influential in the field. Apart from myself, other authors from this time period are Yu Hua, Su Tong, Sun Ganlu, and Bei Chun.

Things really changed in the 1990s. Rapid changes in Chinese society forced these writers to rediscover themselves. I think changes in the political situation followed, and mostly the marketization of China, which led to authors having to change their approach. For example, Yu Hua’s work returned to realism after this period, and while Christianity influenced Bei Cun’s early novels, these influences disappeared. I personally also underwent a great change as I stopped writing for almost 10 years. I only restarted in 2003 when I wrote the novel Moment of Truth.

What projects are you currently working on, besides your teaching?
I just finished writing Spring Breeze, so right now I’m taking a break. For me, the best way to rest is to read, so apart from teaching, I am reading Historical Records by Si Maqian during the day, a famous long historical work about ancient China, and at night I am reading The Complete Works of Du Fu.

Who are your personal favorites in Chinese and international literature?
If we are talking about authors from the past, Chinese writers like Si Maqian, Du Fu, Cao, Lu Xun, and if we’re talking about foreign authors, Richard Yates, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Sir Salman Rushdie are high up on my list. My list is incredibly long though.

You can download Flock of Brown Birds as an e-book from Amazon, and The Invisibility Cloak will be available from October 11.

This article first appeared in our magazine. Read the rest of the Beijinger July/August issue here.