Yu: You could say that Yasunari was my first teacher of liturature. Although I'm now very far from him I'm also still very grateful to him-- he taught me how to write details. He made me be enamored with writing details. Aftewards I read Yukio Mishima and other Japanese works, and discovered that they all pay close attention to detail but have loose structure, unlike 20th century European literature that stresses storytelling. After going to Japan I understood-- Japan is a country that stresses detail everywhere. The stress of detail in Japanese literature comes from the stress of detail in history, cultural and life.

Zhang: In what work did you establish your true style?

Yu: 'Distant Journey at Eighteen'. I'm extremely thankful for the experience of publishing from 1983 to 1987. Looking at the time, it's a really strange coincidence; my first short story 'First Dormitory' was published in Xichao in 1983. My first award-winning piece, 'Star', was published in Beijing Literature in 1984. My true writing started with 'Distant Journey at Eighteen', which ws published in Beijing Literature in 1987.

Zhang: Everyone would prefer to consider 'Distant Journey at Eighteen' as your first work.

Yu: Hah, what's important is that I am willing to consider it as my maiden work, because I'm unwilling to give my immature works to my readers.

Zhang: The significance of this work is that it changed the previous Chinese concept of fiction-- to simple be positive. Actually, it provided an entirely different thing, that is, the brutal truth. Because eighteen is a symbol. His morals and conduct in society go out the door, and on a long journey and he learns a lesson, discovers that the morals of adults are worse than the morals of minors. After understanding this, the implication is that his life will be smoother from then on. I believe this is a criticism of the failure of moral education in China at that time, and something that the older generation today remembers in their heart of hearts. As we mature, we become 'bad'. I don't believe it is good for this work to be a part of middle-school curriculums because it doesn't have that 'positive value' to impart to adolescents.

Yu: It's difficult to approach. I had seen something in a tabloid about an apple transport car being robbed. I thought it was so strange... during that time, all news in China was positive. This is what made me write that short story. Kafka didn't teach me how to write like this, but to cast off my shackles...

(Part two can be found at: //www.yunxiqiu.com/ens/business_life/2007/03/15/49464.html)