Sense of the Scene, Reflexivity, and New Local Writing: On Above Baiyangdian Lake by Guan Renshan

Abstract

Above Baiyangdian Lake is a meticulously crafted novel by Guan Renshan nearing a million words in length. The novel offers a panoramic view of everyday life in Baiyangdian Lake and the development of the Xiong’an New Area. The novel exemplifies a genuine sense of the scene by presenting readers with a vivid, authentic depiction of our contemporary life. He employs a narrative structure that overlaps the present with the past, blending tradition and modernity to create a truly magnificent epic. Rather than avoiding the contradictions and darkness inherent to humanity, the novel embraces them and strives to accurately depict their complexity, resulting in a more profound reflection on society. Above Baiyangdian Lake expands and innovates the path of local literature by applying a genuinely realistic approach. It not only surpasses Guan’s writing style, but also represents a transcendence of local writing conventions in contemporary literature. It draws upon and elevates the literary tradition of the Hehuadian School, emerging as a notable example of new local writing with distinct regional traits.

Key words： Guan Renshan, Above Baiyangdian Lake, sense of the scene, reflexivity, new local writing