As Yu's books periodically became best sellers, detractors began to appear, criticizing his purple prose and his relentless historic sweep. Then someone accused him of participating in a writing group organized by the notorious Gang of Four during the last days of the "cultural revolution" (1966-76).
Yu makes it a habit not to respond to critics. In the process he has carved out an image of arrogance and self-righteousness. He does not have a sense of humor and does not keep up with trends. Instead, he goes back to history for inspiration. Like it or not, he embodies the traits of a traditional Chinese man of letters. The values he espouses are those of China's past, but not necessarily those of its future.
It is not a coincidence that Yu is doing well financially. The whole nation is rediscovering the grandeur and glory of Chinese history. Costume dramas garner high ratings and historical novels sell like hot cakes. There are tens of millions, if not more, who love Yu's writing and see it as the perfect combination of truth and beauty. Others see him as a symbol of hypocrisy.
Yu represents the establishment not because he is an official appointee, but because he distills from cultural sources that form the bedrock of China. He is cheered and jeered for the same reason.
I don't see Yu as a person of contradictions. Rather he is a touchstone of people's attitudes toward the establishment. In one top 10 best-sellers list, Yu's books took four slots. He is not JK Rowling rich, but he has been among China's best-paid authors for a long time. Moving up a notch on the wealth meter does not make much of a difference to the quality of his life. It just gives his critics one more reason to voice their discontent toward the establishment and its practice of basking in the afterglow of history.
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