China Literature and Art Criticism No.10, 2026 Contents & Abstracts

2026-11-09

阅读：来源：China Literature and Art Criticism 作者：The Editorial Department of China Literature and Art Criticism 收藏

Special Topics • An Overview of Literary and Artistic Development since the 11th National Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles

■ Moving beyond the Western Interpretive Framework: Toward Theoretical Autonomy in Chinese Literary and Artistic Theory (Ding Guoqi)

Abstract: Since the 11th National Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) and the 10th National Congress of the China Writers Association (CWA), both held in December 2021, China has made sustained progress in developing a Marxist theoretical framework for literature and art. The creation of outstanding literary and artistic works has continued to flourish, while online literature and art, digital media, and artificial intelligence have reshaped the landscape of artistic creation, dissemination, and reception. Significant progress has also been made in fostering a sound literary and artistic ecosystem and cultivating talents characterized by both moral integrity and artistic excellence. These efforts have effectively advanced the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional Chinese literary and art theory, driving a shift from quantitative expansion to qualitative improvement, from reliance on foreign approaches to independent theoretical development, and from discipline-specific research to a more holistic perspective. In doing so, they have made a significant contribution to advancing the development of an autonomous Chinese knowledge system for literature and art.

Keywords: 11th National Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, literary and art theory, people-centeredness, upholding the fundamental principles and breaking new ground, autonomous Chinese knowledge system

■ Expanding Horizons and Developing Subjectivity: The Practical Pathways of Contemporary Chinese Art (Huang Zongxian)

Abstract: Since the 11th National Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC), contemporary Chinese art in the new era has continued to develop steadily along its own trajectory under the guidance of the Party's policies on literature and art. Taking the interplay between the expansion of artistic horizons and the development of subjectivity as its analytical framework, this article examines the practical pathways of Chinese art over the past five years. In thematic art creation, visual narratives achieve a synthesis of spiritual refinement and explorations at the micro level. Through initiatives in art-based rural revitalization, community co-governance, and ecological place-making, spatial environments are enriched through artistic intervention. In the context of new forms of literature and art for the general public, artistic media are evolving toward human–machine collaboration. Grounded in local artistic practice, theoretical discourse revisits traditional conceptual frameworks and engages with contemporary artistic questions, strengthening its interpretive capacity through the development of an autonomous Chinese knowledge system and mutual learning among civilizations. In international exchanges, China has evolved from a participant into an active builder of platforms for inter-civilizational dialogue. By tracing the development of landmark initiatives, including the 14th National Exhibition of Fine Arts, the thematic sculpture project commemorating the centenary of the Communist Party of China, and the Belt and Road International Art Project, this article elucidates the underlying logic through which Chinese art develops an independent knowledge system while maintain fundamental principles and pursuing innovation, and examines its distinctive position within the global art landscape.

Keywords: Chinese art, expansion of artistic horizons, development of subjectivity, new forms of literature and art for the general public, visual narrative, mutual learning among civilizations

■ Responding to the Times and Revitalizing Tradition: Innovation in Current Chinese Film and Television Creation (Yin Hong)

Abstract: In response to the changing domestic and international circumstances and the challenges raised by emerging technologies, Chinese film and television creators have actively addressed audience expectations and the demands of the times. Drawing inspiration from the richness and diversity of contemporary life and cultural nourishment from China's long-standing and distinguished traditions, they have produced a large body of outstanding works characterized by profound thought, artistic excellence, and high production quality. Notable breakthroughs have been made in thematic production, the further development of realism, the revitalization of intellectual property (IP) rooted in the fine traditional Chinese culture, and innovative genre blending. Together, these developments have fostered a creative landscape in which new mainstream productions and diverse forms of filmmaking and television production flourish side by side.

Keywords: film and television creation, thematic production, realism, traditional Chinese cultural IP

■ Classical Heritage and the Expansion of Artistic Forms: The Developmental Trajectory of Chinese Performing Arts (Song Baozhen)

Abstract: Since the 11th National Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC), Chinese performing arts have entered a new phase of quality enhancement under the guiding principles of upholding the fundamental principles while pursuing innovation and promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional Chinese culture. Various art forms, including traditional Chinese opera, spoken drama, dance drama, opera, musicals, and acrobatic theatre, have continued to develop while building on their distinctive artistic characteristics and fostering cross-disciplinary integration. Drawing primarily on award-winning productions and other outstanding works, this article examines achievements in artistic creation with reference to the national-level performances and exhibitions, as well as audience and media responses. Revolutionary-themed works have moved beyond one-dimensional narratives, striving to reconcile historical authenticity with the creation of compelling artistic archetypes. Traditional themes have been revitalized for contemporary audiences through the restaging of classics and adaptations across genres. Works addressing contemporary realities delve deeply into the life of the times, portraying both exemplary figures and ordinary people in vivid and compelling ways. Digital technologies have expanded the possibilities for artistic creation and dissemination, while the aesthetics of xieyi—the expressive and suggestive approach characteristic of traditional Chinese art—has been consciously reaffirmed across different forms of performing arts. Despite these achievements, the performing arts sector continues to face structural challenges, including insufficient script originality, thematic homogenization, superficial artistic exploration, excessive emphasis on spectacle in stage presentation, uneven development across regions and artistic forms, and a lagging critical discourse and review system. To address these challenges, the sector should uphold a people-centered approach to artistic creation, establish and strengthen a script-first approach, improve the system of literary and art criticism, and, drawing on the spirit of Chinese aesthetics, explore a path of development that combines national characteristics with modernization.

Keywords: 11th National Congress of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, performing arts, upholding the fundamental principles while pursuing innovation, artistic excellence, Chinese aesthetic spirit

■ Online Literature and Art: A New Way of Imagining China (Peng Wenxiang)

Abstract: As digitization and intelligent technologies advance and society, economy, and culture undergo profound transformations, online literature and art have increasingly come to exhibit distinctive characteristics, including diverse forms, dynamic vitality, and promising prospects. As a new form of "modern" literary and artistic expression, online literature and art have experienced robust growth in user base, modes of expression, creative production, development environments, and supporting conditions. With aesthetic engagement closely intertwined with everyday life, online literature and art evolve with the times, portraying the vibrant realities and spiritual ethos of the Chinese modernization through works centered on realistic themes, fantasy, and traditional Chinese culture. By virtue of their distinctive affordances and productivity, as well as their intrinsic artistic innovativeness, digital modernity, people's subjectivity, and value synergy, online literature and art can be regarded as a typical feature of China's aesthetic modernity and a new way of imagining China.

Keywords: online literature and art, imagining China, aesthetic signifying practices, contemporary life, Chinese aesthetic modernity

A New Introduction to the History of Art

■ Creative Explorations in Chinese Photography during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and Their Contemporary Significance (Dong Yaopeng)

Abstract: The War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression marked a pivotal period of fundamental transformation and pioneering development in Chinese photography. Photographic practices during this period made distinctive contributions to mobilizing the public, fostering consensus, shaping collective memory, and contributing to the ultimate victory in the war. They also laid an important foundation for the development of photography in the People's Republic of China and offer valuable insights into fulfilling China’s cultural mission in the new era and on its new journey, as well as building China into a powerful socialist country in culture.

Keywords: Chinese photography during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, practical experience, contemporary significance, contemporary implications

Diverse and Extensive Art Phenomena

■ Technical Transformation and Aesthetic Pursuit in the Vocal Performance of Chinese Art Songs (Yu Yang)

Abstract: The century-long performance practice of Chinese art songs offers an important thread for understanding the transformation of Chinese vocal art from tradition to modernity. Taking this practice as its object of study, this article systematically examines the technical paths and aesthetic pursuits of that transformation. It first outlines the characteristics of the Chinese poetry–music tradition along with technical dimensions such as breathing, diction, and tempo and rhythm. It then reveals the internal logic by which, in the course of the Chinese-style modernization, this tradition interacted both with China's own explorations in vocal music and with the technical system of Western bel canto, and through this interplay achieved an organic synthesis. The findings offer insights for the construction of an autonomous system of contemporary Chinese vocal art.

Keywords: Chinese art song, poetry–music tradition, bel canto, conveying artistic conception through the voice, mutual generation of text and melody

■ "Soundscape" as a Memory Field: The Nostalgic Narrative Mechanism of Chinese Music Variety Shows (Xi Linlin)

Abstract: In recent years, Chinese music variety shows have exhibited a striking nostalgic narrative turn. Distinct from content reuse that remains at the level of "old songs newly sung," music variety shows—through reinterpretation of classic repertoire, intergenerational dialogue among singers, presentation of live collective singing, embedding of oral memories, and construction of immersive stage soundscapes—interweave familiar melodies, singers' timbres, audience sing-alongs, applause, spoken narration, and stage reverberation into a perceptible, accessible, and shareable memory field. Examined through the lens of soundscape theory, nostalgia in music variety shows is organized within the relationships among sound, space, media, and listeners. It establishes diachronic emotional connections through the reactivation of memory sites, advances affective mobilization via intergenerational dialogue, and expands the perceptual boundaries of collective listening through stage technology and media dissemination. In doing so, it forms a nostalgic narrative mechanism that progresses from the awakening of individual memory to the affirmation of collective memory, and from aesthetic resonance to identity construction—thereby contributing to the preservation of cultural memory, the renewal of classic expression, and the construction of an affective community through collective listening.

Keywords: "soundscape", nostalgic narrative, music variety shows, collective memory

Art Beyond China

■ Stark Young's Aesthetic Translation and Cognitive Assimilation of Mei Lanfang's Jingju Art (Chen Tianyi)

Abstract: Mei Lanfang's 1930 visit to the United States coincided with the heyday of realist theatre in America, a period when the question of whether stage performance should focus on realistic representation had become a prominent topic of theatrical criticism. Stark Young, one of the most highly regarded theatre critics of the time, wrote several reviews on Mei Lanfang’s performances during his American tour. On the one hand, Young interpreted the conventions of Jingju (Peking opera) within the framework of Western classicist aesthetics, thereby conferring upon them aesthetic legitimacy as a classical artistic form. On the other hand, influenced by his existing cognitive schema of theatrical aesthetics, he tended to transpose the "precision" of Jingju conventions using the lexicon of realist representation, which reflects a selective assimilation in comprehending a foreign culture through existing schemas. Such interpretation was not simply a cultural misreading, but rather an aesthetic translation accomplished through Western theatrical discourse. It not only facilitated the entry of Mei Lanfang's Jingju art into the sphere of mainstream American theatre criticism, but also reconstructed its original artistic meaning while making it intelligible, revealing the dual mechanism of aesthetic legitimation and cognitive reconstruction in a cross-cultural interpretation.

Keywords: Mei Lanfang’s American tour, Stark Young, aesthetic translation, cognitive assimilation

Interview with Renowned Experts

■ The Scholar' s Way, the Poetic Life: An Interview with Mo Lifeng, a Leading Scholar of Classical Chinese Literature (Interviewed by Jiang Jianmei)