Zhang Xianhua: Wrote 2 novels after the age of 80

Zhang Xianhua and the treasured "Guiding the Way" bookmark.

Among the Fujian writers, Zhang Xianhua was a legendary figure, before the founding of New China, he wrote the "Express" of the underground party of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai, and wrote an application for joining the party in rice soup...

Zhang Xianhua is 90 years old, served as the chairman of the Fujian Writers Association for 12 years, and completed 2 novels after the age of 80. The reporter recently interviewed this passionate and respectable old man.

The "Guide the Way" bookmark has been treasured for 75 years

Zhang Xianhua has loved literature since he was a child, and at the age of 15, he published short stories such as "The Man Who Farms" and "Drifting Zero".

During the interview, Zhang Xianhua took out a bookmark that had been treasured for 75 years. Originally, when he was studying in Shanghai, he loved to read progressive newspapers and periodicals, and he also submitted articles to the "Student Daily" of the "Shanghai Municipal Federation of Students" led by the underground party of the Cpc, and became a correspondent of the newspaper. This bookmark was attached to the student newspaper, and the bookmark was printed with the words "Young students will always fight for the complete liberation of the masses of the people." Zhang Xianhua believes that this bookmark is his "guide".

In December 1948, the organization arranged for Zhang Xianhua to live in a lonely log cabin on Baoshan Road. At night, he listened to the Xinhua News Agency's radio, then compiled a manuscript, engraved wax paper and printed it into a "letter of interest" and various propaganda materials to spread the party's voice to the people of Shanghai. He continued the job for more than 120 days and joined the Chinese Communist Party.

In June 1949, he joined the Southbound Service Corps and followed the Tenth Corps to Fujian.

The mayor of the district with guns became a famous writer

When Zhang Xianhua arrived in Fujian, he served as the deputy instructor of a squadron of the Southbound Service Regiment, and was only 22 years old when he was transferred to Pengkou District of Longyan Liancheng in 1953.

He recalled that at that time, there were many bandits in Liancheng, and the first task of the district chief was land reform and banditry, and the sleeping gun was placed on the pillow at night.

After the completion of the land reform and bandit suppression tasks, he entered the Propaganda Department of the Provincial Party Committee, and in 1958 he was transferred to the Provincial Federation of Literature and Literature, responsible for the editing of "Hot Wind" (the predecessor of "Fujian Literature"), and regained the dream of a writer.

His script "Red Eight Detachments", based on the story of Liu Yongsheng, an old Red Army soldier in western Fujian, received the attention of Zhang Junxiang, screenwriter of the movie "Chicken Feather Letter". Zhang Junxiang had made a special trip to Fujian to collect wind, and planned to shoot the film by the Shanghai Film Studio. After 3 years of natural disasters, there was no foreign exchange to buy film, and the shooting plan had to be discontinued.

In the early 1960s, Zhang Xianhua was already a famous writer in Fujian, and People's Literature published his short stories "Settlement" and "Qingqing Mountain".

After the Cultural Revolution, People's Literature published his novels "The High Red Cliff" and "The Ruins of the Town", the latter of which was adapted into a TV series by Anhui Television. In 1988, his first novel, The Mist Lock Ascending the Heavenly Ridge, was published.

Zhang Xianhua was 66 years old when he left retirement in 1997. Unexpectedly, after leaving his retirement, his creative results were more fruitful.

He led the collaboration with Fujian writers Zhuang Dongxian and Ye Weiping to complete the anti-corruption theme long-form documentary literature "Storm", which won the 2001 National Excellent Bestseller Award.

He also wrote and published 4 novels, including "Wanting the Sea to Sink and Float", which reflects the story of coastal urban reform, "Burning Earth", which reflects the theme of anti-Japanese resistance, "Shanghai Beach Storm", which reflects the shanghai underground party leading the student movement before the founding of New China, and "Shocking Thunder", which reflects the process of cracking smuggling cases. The last two were completed by him after he was 80 years old.

Source: Fuzhou Evening News