“If everyone is a hero, then disasters and atrocities lose their meaning. It's only when certain people are heroes and others are not that these tragedies and disasters that mankind faces take on meaning.” PeopleIfsFacesCertainLosesMankindHeroTragedyDisasterAtrocities Author:Gao Xingjian
“If literature is to transcend political interference and return to being a testimony of man and his existential predicament, it needs first to break away from ideology. To be without "isms," is to return to the individual and to return to viewing the world through the eyes of the writer, an individual who relies on his own perceptions and does not act as a spokesman for the people. The people already have rulers and election campaigners speaking in their name.” PeopleIfsMenWorldNeedsFirstsDoeEyePoliticalLiteratureNamesIndividualBreakReturnPerceptionElectionIdeologyRelyRulersExistentialTestimonyInterferenceThrough The EyesIsmsPredicaments Author:Gao Xingjian
“The human species does not necessarily move in stages from progress to progress ... history and civilization do not advance in tandem. From the stagnation of Medieval Europe to the decline and chaos in recent times on the mainland of Asia and to the catastrophes of two world wars in the twentieth century, the methods of killing people became increasingly sophisticated. Scientific and technological progress certainly does not imply that humankind as a result becomes more civilized.” PeopleWorldHumansDoeTwoWarMovingResultsProgressCenturyStageCivilizationEuropeMethodSpeciesChaosKillingWar Of The WorldsCivilizedDeclineHumankindWorld War ISophisticatedTechnologicalCatastropheAsiaTwentieth CenturyMedievalStagnationHuman SpeciesTwo WorldsTechnological ProgressTandemMedieval Europe Author:Gao Xingjian
“Young man, nature is not frightening, it's people who are frightening! You just need to get to know nature and it will become friendly. This creature known as man is of course highly intelligent, he's capable of manufacturing almost anything from rumours to test-tube babies and yet he destroys two to three species every day. This is the absurdity of man.” PeopleKnowsMenNeedsTwoYoungThreeCoursesKnownBabyCreaturesCapableTestsIntelligentSpeciesYoung ManFriendlyFrighteningAbsurdityManufacturingTubesRumoursHighly Intelligent Book:Soul Mountain Source: Soul Mountain
“For me, writing [was] a question of survival...I could not trust anyone, even my family. The atmosphere was so poisoned. People even in your own family could turn you in.” PeopleWritingTurnsSurvivalMy FamilyAtmosphere Author:Gao Xingjian
