The Course of Dissemination and Reception of Bai Xianyong's Works in Mainland China (3)

? In many ways, the story "A Dream in the Garden" is both full of the spirit of modern creativity and y rooted in traditional Chinese culture. Bai incorporated the episode of Lin Daiyu hearing the Grand View Garden troupe rehearsing The Peony Pavilion in the classical masterpiece A Dream of Red Mansions into A Dream of Traveling in the Garden, quoted a piece of kunqu opera text, which embodied the protagonist of the story, Mrs. Qian's recollection of the past and her feelings about her current situation, and the traditional cultural descriptions and the use of some of the kunqu operatic texts throughout the book, which are rich in cultural connotations. The book was later translated into English by Bai Xianyong himself and spread not only to the mainland but even to foreign countries, promoting the spread of traditional Chinese culture.

In addition to the ideological and political-cultural factors mentioned above, Bai's activities as a writer and kunqu activist, such as his lectures and book promotions, have also played a role in the dissemination of his work and its increasing "classicization". The status of "Kunqu Volunteer" has made Bai Xianyong well-known outside of the literary field, but it is undeniable that his success in promoting and publicizing the art of kunqu is, on the one hand, in line with the trend of re-advocating traditional culture and the "National Studies Fever" in China, and, on the other hand, due to his status as a well-known author. On the other hand, it is due to his influence and appeal as a famous writer.

? Literary journals are an important communication channel for modern literature, and before the rise of new media such as film and television networks, they were the key carriers for literary works to be noticed, read and accepted by readers. Bai Xianyong's literary works in mainland China relied on paper publications for their dissemination. In the beginning, his works were published in the first issue of Contemporary. Because Contemporary was founded by the People's Literature Publishing House, a national literary publishing institution, and was located in the political and cultural center of the capital city, coupled with his sensitive identity as the son of Nationalist general Bai Chongxi, the high aesthetic value of his works themselves attracted the widespread attention of readers, critics, and writers at home and abroad, and the greatest influence was in the editorial and publishing circles. The dissemination of his works made the editorial and publishing circles have a more objective, rational, tolerant, affable and open attitude towards Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao literature and overseas Chinese works, and thus the number of related journals and publications increased accordingly. Bai Xianyong's novels announced the "return" of Taiwanese literature to the mainland, and opened the prelude to the wide dissemination of Taiwanese, Hong Kong, Macao and overseas Chinese literature in the mainland. The circulation and dissemination of Bai Xianyong's literary works in the mainland has been steadily advancing, and through a variety of media carriers, it has continued to heat up and gradually become accepted and popular.