Constructing The “Cultural Heroes” Of The 1980

As one of the most influential comprehensive literary magazines in China in the1980 s,Wen Hui Monthly was renowned for its rich content that spanned across various literary fields,an array of prominent writers,and a focus on introducing notable figures.This publication,which was launched in 1980 and ceased publication in 1990,spanned the decade of the 1980 s and included numerous articles introducing literary figures who were active during that era(including writers,actors,dancers,musicians,and painters),providing excellent materials for studying the cultural landscape of China in the 1980 s.This article focuses on "cover personalities" as the entry point for studying Wen Hui Monthly,with the aim of using the cover personality articles from the 121 st issue as the main research subject while considering other important articles in the publication and other historical materials from the 1980 s.The article comprehensively studies and examines the publication’s construction and shaping of a group of figures as "cultural heroes",exploring the main directions,methods,and changes of the publication’s discourse construction.Through this exploration,the article sheds light on deeper editorial concepts,cultural ecology,and the zeitgeist of the time.This article proposes that Wen Hui Monthly’s shaping of "cultural heroes" can be divided into three stages:In the first stage,the publication followed the tide of rectification and liberation of thought,emphasizing the shaping of the "returnees" and the "new generation" of literary figures while inheriting the revolutionary era’s "essential discourse" and using reportage literature as the main method of construction.In the second stage,the publication began to focus on constructing the individual discourse of "cultural heroes",exemplified by Liu Xiaoqing’s autobiographical essay "My Road".This stage saw the emergence of "realistic" writing about individual experiences and practices,but still under the influence of "essentialist" thinking.In the third stage,facing the ever-increasing trend of "marketization" and the various shortcomings exposed by reforms,the construction of the "cultural hero" image began to emphasize their "intellectual" character,highlighting their social criticism and independent thinking.The method of construction also began to lean towards the essay and dialogue genres,away from reportage literature.