On the Art of Ouyang Qiansen’s Short Stories

Abstract

I came to know the works of Ouyang Qiansen for the first time through the TV series Madame Shexiang (Shexiang Furen) and Unbreakable Pass (Xiongguan Mandao), and his screenwriting skills immediately struck me. Later, I read many of his full-length and medium-length novels as well as his short stories. The short stories of his works certainly display the most devotion and exemplify his highest achievement. There is no doubt that the short story is a very difficult literary form. As Lu Xun, Shen Congwen, Wang Zengqi, Sun Li, Su Tong and many other great writers have made remarkable artistic achievements, the art of the short story has been pushed to the extreme, thus making it even more challenging to achieve success in the genre. Ouyang Qiansen, however, has done it by immersing himself in the art of the short story. This paper explores the artistic achievements within Ouyang Qiansen’s short stories, providing some reference for enriching the artistic landscape of the short story.

Key words： Ouyang Qiansen, short stories, art theory