Historical Dictionary of Modern Chinese Literature 11 presents a broad perspective on the development and history of literature in modern China. This book offers a chronology, introduction, bibliography, and over 300 cross-referenced dictionary entries on authors, literary and historical developments, trends, genres, and concepts that played a central role in the evolution of modern Chinese literature. | 72 HUANG FAN shortcomings. His description of the Taiwanese countryside is far from the bucolic paradise sung by Romantic poets it is a poverty-stricken unbearably harsh place to live. Huang s riveting tales portray the little people in the villages and small towns callously pushed aside by urban spread and made poorer as a result of Taiwan s economic boom and rapid modernization. Nisi yizhi lao mao The Drowning of an Old Cat a tragic tale about an old villager s futile attempt to prevent city people from building a swimming pool next to the village s auspicious well is directly concerned with the erosion of a traditional lifestyle by the encroachment of urbanization. Erzi de da wan ou His Son s Big Doll exposes the dehumanizing effects of commercialism in its description of the anguish felt in the heart of a man commodified as a sandwich man dressed as such an advertisement. Keenly aware of the erosion of traditional practices and attitudes brought on by disruptive changes Huang is nostalgic about the vanishing rural virtues in traditional Taiwanese communities. However he is unsentimental about his feelings. He writes humorously and shows a close affinity with his characters who show a remarkable likeness to his friends and relatives in the small town of Luodong where he grew up. Huang is noted for his moral vision as well as his originality as a storyteller. He uses metaphors to delineate the problems faced by his characters. Xuan Ringworm a tale about a rural family struggling in dire poverty paints a scene of misery by focusing on ringworms a symbol of poverty and passive attitude on the part of the poor. HUANG FAN 1950- . Born in Taipei Huang Fan became publicly recognized in 1979 when he published the political short story Lai Suo The Story of Lai Suo . He was one of the most influential and innovative writers in Taiwan during the 1980s. As an experiment with the narrative art Huang often introduces real people or events into his otherwise fictitious tales.
