This study examines the Fourth Congress of Chinese Literary Workers held in late 1979, focusing on the political and cultural context in which the congress took place, as well as the literary historical perspectives and artistic principles presented d...
This study examines the Fourth Congress of Chinese Literary Workers held in late 1979, focusing on the political and cultural context in which the congress took place, as well as the literary historical perspectives and artistic principles presented during the event. It further analyzes the contradictions and limitations embedded in the congress’s major statements, and how these reflected a fundamental paradox in the formation of China’s “Literature and Art of the New Era.” In conclusion, despite its literary-historical significance as the first congress held in thirty years, the event failed to offer a proper historical evaluation by rigidly separating the Cultural Revolution from the preceding seventeen-year period. Moreover, by clinging to outdated notions in defining the relationship between literature and politics, the congress allowed the emerging “New Era Literature” to remain under the influence of the Chinese Communist Party. These limitations subsequently encouraged excessive political interference in the arts, pushing Chinese literature in the post-1980s era into the quagmire of depoliticization.