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The policy of reform and opening to the outside world that started in the late 1970s did not only influence economy and society but also culture and literature. The 1980s can be regarded as a decade when new voices could be heard in the cultural scene and authors experimented with new styles and forms. This development came to an abrupt halt in spring 1989.
This lecture will focus on the question what happened to authors and literature in China after 1989, when impressive economic growth led to totally new conditions. How did authors make use of their newly found economic independence in order to satisfy the readers without coming into conflict with the state authorities?
About the Speaker
Prof. Dr. Thomas Zimmer teaches at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST) where he is also responsible for the German Center of Cultural Exchange and supports contacts with universities in Germany. He started to study Chinese in the early 1980s and focuses his research on traditional Chinese novels as well as contemporary literature. His book on Chinese literature after 1989 will be published in spring 2016.