| Chapter : | Introduction: Hunger and Loneliness: Mo Yan’s Muses in Becoming a Writer |
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Mo Yan was forced to drop out of school at age twelve to work as a physical laborer alongside adults. Although extremely exhausted after the daily hard work, Mo Yan was starved for books, and his oldest brother’s used textbooks, magazines, and even homework assignments became his source of intellectual nourishment as well as a means of self-education. At the beginning of his writing career, Mo Yan sent his stories to his brother for comments. At first, Guan Moxian discouraged him from writing fiction, even though he could see that his brother’s potential as a good writer. As a middle-aged teacher, Guan Moxian had experienced countless political campaigns and seen too many examples of the miserable fate of intellectuals, including writers. He warned Mo Yan: “There are thousands of paths in this world, but never take the one leading to literature!” (
)8 When he saw that Mo Yan was persistent in his literary creations, however, and especially because he knew that his brother was depressed after some of his stories had been returned by publishers, Guan Moxian decided to support his younger brother in his writing career. Once he wrote to Mo Yan, advising that “in order to become a known writer, you must have your own unique style; following others (Chinese or foreign) will not lead to a bright future.” (
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)9 The geographical location of Mo Yan’s hometown is a second factor that should be noted. The Shandong peninsula is the birthplace of Confucius (551–479 BC), Mencius (372–289 BC), and Pu Songling (
, 1640–1715),10 and the areas is thus deeply influenced both by Confucian tradition and rich folklore. Moreover, it has been a crucial locale for politicians and strategists from ancient times to the modern period due to its geographical advantages. A major battlefield of the anti-Japanese war during the Second World War, this region was also infested by gangsters and bandits because of its special geographical location. Gaomi County was the hometown of Yan Ying (
, ?–500 BCE), the famous prime minister of the Qi (
) State, and Zheng Xuan (
, 127–200), the celebrated Confucian classicist. Moreover, it is a place with unique folk culture and art, especially well known for its