What is fiction?

[Ben Antao]

To the perennial question What is Fiction?, I found a fascinating answer in the novel Soul Mountain by Gao Xingpiang. Thought I'd share the Chinese writer's views with you. See attachment.

Ben Antao
[e-mail]

[Hamid Yazdani]

Ben Antao,

Thanks for sharing this interesting piece of literature with us. A thought provoking critical dialogue! I think I understand the answer to the question, now. I don't know....Okay, let me pretend I do.

I wonder how the writer's name (Goa Xingpiang ) is (correctly) pronounced?

Hamid

[Ben Antao]

How Gao Xingpiang is correctly pronounced? It's a Chinese mystery like what is fiction.:-)

All the best.

Ben

[Hamid Yazdani]

Ben,
I'm adding your Discussion to the "Multi-cultural Writers & Poets" group for our members interest. Hope you won't mind.
Hamid

[Ben Antao]

Go ahead, Hamid, I don't mind at all.

Be

[Corry Roach]

Hello Ben;
First, may I thank you for sharing your thought provoking 'attachment...' I found your own final comments most interesting, however. Life has indeed taught you well if you profess to know nothing and understand nothing. Truly the words of a wise man. Not a smart one, but a wise one...
Blessings to you...

[Ben Antao]

Hello Corry:

Sorry to disappoint you! Those final sentences are from the book and belong to Gao Xingpiang. They are not mine nor do I wish they were. I posted that extract 'What is fiction' out of curiosity and to suggest that a Chinese writer has a totally different concept of what makes fiction than a Western or a traditional one. If you read that extract again you'll see what I mean:-)