Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.4, 2024

 

New Beijing Perception and Writing

(Abstract)

 

Zhang Kai

 

A group of writers with a focus on “new Beijing” has emerged as an influential force in the Beijing literary scene in recent years. Their works emphasize the perceptual changes brought about by urban spatial transformation amid modernization. They focus on documenting the struggles and emotional journeys of “Beijing drifters” and ordinary citizens, capturing the multiple facets of Beijing’s urban culture and social life. Through a contemporary lens, this group of writers engages in portraying city life, serving as witnesses to and chroniclers of Beijing’s ongoing era of transformation.