Yuan Zhu
Abstract: Focusing on “perseverance” and “transcendence” in Zhang Junbiao’s literary creation, this paper delves into the spiritual essence and enduring literary value of his works. Rooted in his experiences of living on the Loess Plateau and serving in the military, Zhang has created over 10 million words spanning biographical literature, full-length novels and other genres. His resolute refusal to revise the MetamorphosisTrilogy for the Mao Dun Literature Prize exemplifies his uncompromising literary purity. Adhering to the principle of “taking truth as the foundation and spirit as the soul” in biographical writing, he broke free from the constraints of traditional revolutionary biographies, constructed the creative paradigm of “metamorphic realism”, and innovated the narrative techniques of biographical literature. Through his unwavering commitment to truth and integrity, coupled with his in-depth exploration of human nature, Zhang’s works have transcended the limitations of their era, emerging as a spiritual coordinate of contemporary Chinese literature.
Keywords: Zhang Junbiao;literary integrity;metamorphic realism;biographical literature; perseverance and transcendence
In the starry sky of contemporary Chinese literary, there exist writers who take life as a torch and writing as a plow, cultivating unremittingly in the soil of their times—writing biographies for the national spirit and tracing the roots of the human soul. Zhang Junbiao is precisely such a writer with both creative volume and spiritual depth, a literary adherent and pioneer who forges his soul with integrity and fulfills his commitments with sincerity. He hails from the gullies of the Shaanxi-Gansu Loess Plateau. His miserable childhood born in a cattle pen, the nourishment of eastern Gansu's barren land, the trials of military service, and the insights gleaned from literary and artistic management positions have all become the most profound backdrop and majestic driving force behind his works. With over 10 million words of creative achievements spanning biographical literature, full-length novels, literary criticism, prose, and more, his works are like a surging river, carrying the tide of the times, reflecting the subtleties of human nature, and engraving a writer’s unswerving perseverance in literary belief. The dialogue between Wang Zuyou and Zhang Junbiao published in Chinese Language Monthly in January 2026 serves as a precise key, gently unlocking the spiritual code behind literary legend’s creation: an uncompromising commitment to literary truth, a resolute defense of personal dignity, profound philosophical reflections on the universe and life, and sincere devotion to his hometown and all beings enduring hardships. This perseverance and in-depth cultivation have enabled his works to transcend the limitations of the times, leaving an indelible mark in the history of contemporary literature—much like the poplars on the eastern Gansu Plateau, taking root in barren soil, reaching towards the sun, and becoming a spiritual coordinate that illuminates people’s hearts with their luxuriant branches and leaves.
1. Integrity as a Pen: The Literary Purity of Refusing Compromise
The integrity of literature is never a deliberately flaunted posture or a pretense of aloofness; it is a spiritual gene integrated into the writer’s blood and soul—the courage and responsibility to remain true to one’s original aspirations amid fame and fortune, and to uphold one’s principles amid normative constraints. Like plum blossoms blooming proudly in the snow, their fragrance intensifies after frost and snow; like pine trees standing on cliffs, their straightness deepens through wind and rain. In the context of the increasing utilitarianism and occasional compromise in contemporary literary circles, Zhang Junbiao has interpreted the true meaning of literary integrity and writerly purity through his lifelong practice. His resolute refusal to revise the MetamorphosisTrilogy in exchange for the Mao Dun Literature Prize has erected a spiritual monument for contemporary writers, while his creative creed of “being clean and having integrity” has become a beacon piercing the fog of impetuosity, illuminating literature’s true path.
In 1999, the MetamorphosisTrilogy was grandly published by People’s Literature Publishing House. Upon its release, it caused a sensation in the literary circles, was reprinted within the year, and quickly gained nationwide popularity—becoming a cross-regional, cross-group bestseller. In 2000, the book’s launch ceremony and seminar set a record for the highest standard and largest scale in the contemporary literary events. Literary critics, writers and publishing professionals from across the country gathered to discuss its literary value and spiritual connotation, which fully confirms its weight in the literary world and its market recognition at that time. Coinciding with the selection of the Mao Dun Literature Prize—the highest honor for full-length novels in China—this was the ultimate recognition of a writer’s creative achievements, an important opportunity for works to gain wider dissemination and in-depth interpretation, and even the literary glory that countless writers pursue throughout their lives.
As the director of the review committee of the Mao Dun Literature Prize that year, Professor Zhang Jiong highly recognized the MetamorphosisTrilogy and put forward revision suggestions twice. His core request was clear and direct: among the three images of first secretaries of provincial party committees shaped in the work, efforts should be made to create a “perfect and noble model of glory”. By deleting just 30,000 words depicting the decision-making mistakes and personality defects of the character Huo Shibin, the work could successfully claim the honor. He even offered to coordinate with the publishing house to release a revised version to pave the way for its award and dissemination. This “shortcut” is an irresistible temptation for any writer—it meant the pinnacle of recognition for his creative career, the inclusion of his works in the core vision of mainstream literature, and a broader resonance for a lifetime of efforts. Especially for Zhang Junbiao, who had risen from hardships to enter the literary world through sheer perseverance, this honor carried greater weight: a comfort for past hardships, a reward for creative diligence, and even a crucial opportunity to reshape his literary status.
But Zhang Junbiao resolutely chose to refuse. This refusal was not an impulsive display of courage or an arrogant disregard for kindness; it was rooted in a profound understanding of literature’s essence, an unwavering commitment to his creative original intention, and a clear sense of responsibility as a writer. In his view, the core value of the MetamorphosisTrilogy lies precisely in its breakthrough of the “Three Prominences” creative shackles during the “Cultural Revolution”, its departure from the stereotyped and flat character shaping model, its breaking away from the long-standing narrative ruts of revolutionary literature, its true depiction of the complex faces of senior leading cadres, and its realization of a high unity of literary truth and life truth. He deeply understood that the life of literature lies in truth, not perfection; the mission of literature lies in depicting human nature, not shaping symbols. As he said in an interview with Wang Zuyou, none of the characters in his works are perfect, nor are they completely bad. Even provincial and military-level senior cadres, in the power games and trivial daily life in peacetime, have fluctuations in human nature, emotional entanglements and personality limitations; even characters defined as “bad guys” will have flashes of kindness and the warmth of human nature in specific situations. This in-depth exploration of the complexity and multi-faceted nature of human nature is a bold breakthrough in the traditional character modeling of revolutionary literature, opening up a new path for character creation in contemporary full-length novels, and endowing the works with the power to touch the soul.
Zhang Junbiao’s refusal was essentially an adherence to the principle of literary truth and a defense of his work’s integrity. He clearly knew that revising for the award and deleting the words depicting human limitations and decision-making mistakes would not only split the narrative context of the work, damage the three-dimensionality of the character image, but also violate his original creative intention, reducing the work to a product catering to norms and losing its core spiritual value. For him, such an award would not be an honor, but a compromise; not recognition, but a regret—he would live up to his years of sincere writing, live up to the vivid and real souls in his works, and even more live up to the trust and expectations of readers and critics. In his literary cognition, a writer’s pen is a tool to record the truth and a carrier to enlighten people’s hearts, not a chip to exchange for fame and fortune; the value of a work lies not in whether it wins an award, but in whether it can stand the test of time and leave a lasting echo in the hearts of readers.
This perseverance is further rooted in his profound understanding of literary responsibility and absolute defense of writer’s dignity. Zhang Junbiao was born in poverty in 1952 to a poor migrant farmer’s family on the eastern Gansu Plateau. His mother gave birth to him in a cattle pen. He survived on wild vegetables, bark and guanyin soil in his childhood. His mother starved to death when he was ten. Although his father was very strong, he could not break free from the shackles of poverty. Zhang himself endured years of oppression and exclusion from patriarchal forces; even after joining the army, he faced deception and criticism. He even had a near-death experience due to being hit by a speeding car while saving others, only to have his honor stolen and himself criticized. These extreme hardships and injustices did not smooth his edges; instead, forged his compassion for the poor, his spirit of resistance and his clear-cut sense of right and wrong—deepening his understanding of truth’s weight and perseverance’s meaning. He always believed that the writer's mission is not to cater to norms or curry favor with the market, but to record the times’ truth, depict human nature's essence, chronicle hardship, speak for justice, and awaken hearts and convey strength through words. Compromising for fame and fortune, revising works for awards—this meant surrendering a writer’s integrity and dignity, becoming a slave to fame and fortune, and reducing creation to something without fundamental value.
This purity of “creating not for awards” is even more rare and precious in the current utilitarian literary world. Many contemporary writers are trapped by fame and fortune. In order to cater to market tastes and meet award standards, they deliberately adjust their creative direction, weaken ideological depth, overemphasize formal techniques, and abandon the exploration of truth and human nature, reducing their works to utilitarian products lacking soul and power. Although they can be popular for a time, they can hardly withstand the test of time. Zhang Junbiao has proved with his actions that real literary works are never products of catering, but crystallization of perseverance; real writers are never pursuers of fame and fortune, but guardians of spirit. Only by adhering to truth, original intention and integrity can we create classics that transcend the times and leave a brilliant mark in the history of literature. As literary critic Wu Bingjie noted, the in-depth value of the Metamorphosis Trilogy has not been fully explored, and it will still be read and studied in decades or a hundred years. This vitality spanning time stems from the writer’s adherence to literary purity and his literary integrity of not compromising to fame and fortune or yielding to norms.
Zhang Junbiao’s integrity is never an isolated act of perseverance, but a spiritual thread running through his lifelong creation. In all his works, he always adheres to the original intention of “writing for the people and writing for the truth”, refusing to cater, compromise or vulgarize. Whether it is full-length novels or biographical literature, literary criticism or prose creation, he always maintains a clear self and pure pursuit. This integrity has endowed his works with a unique spiritual temperament, making him an irreplaceable existence in contemporary literary circles—like a pine tree taking root in the earth, he does not cling to others or show off, but always grows towards the sun, supporting his own literary world with integrity and injecting lasting spiritual power into contemporary literature.
2. Human Nature as the Core: The Creative Breakthrough of “Metamorphic Realism”
The ultimate proposition of literature has always been the exploration and inquiry of human nature. From the depiction of human good and evil in ancient Greek tragedies to the exploration of human complexity in modern and contemporary literature, countless writers have devoted their lives to lifting human nature’s veil and exploring its essence. Zhang Junbiao’s literary creation has always taken human nature as the core and compassion as the background. Whether it is biographical literature or full-length novels, depicting heroes or ordinary people, he has been deeply exploring the complexity and diversity of human nature, and excavating the glory and darkness of human nature. Among his works, the “metamorphic realism” creative paradigm constructed in the MetamorphosisTrilogy has pushed this exploration of human nature to the extreme, achieving a breakthrough and transcendence of traditional realism, becoming a significant achievement in contemporary literary creation, and opening up new aesthetic dimensions for the development of contemporary Chinese literature.
The term “metamorphosis” is Zhang Junbiao’s profound philosophical interpretation of the universe and life, the core of his literary thought, and the soul of “metamorphic realism”. In his view, everything in the world is changing all the time, with no eternal stillness or absolute eternity—the blooming and withering of plants, the rotation of seasons, the birth and death of life, the transformation of good and evil in human nature, and the gains and losses of power—all are manifestations of “metamorphosis”. This “metamorphosis” is not an illusory fantasy or absurdity divorced from reality, but the basic law of the operation of the universe and the essential state of life’s existence: prosperity leads to decline, decline leads to prosperity, good can be transformed into evil, and evil can also have flashes of good. Everything is constantly changing and evolving in the flow of time and space. The core of “metamorphosis” is ultimately the change of human nature and the flow of life, the struggle, transformation and perseverance of human nature in the tides of the times.
The MetamorphosisTrilogy, consisting of three volumes: In the Mortal World, Annular Solar Eclipse and Life and Death, closely interweaves personal fate with the changes of the times from a panoramic perspective, constructing a huge and complex literary world in the ups and downs of political situation and the depiction of human subtleties. This world spans the revolutionary years, the construction period and the early stage of reform and opening up, including the passionate idealism and suffering of the revolutionary age, the idealistic persistence and confused exploration of the peaceful construction period, and the opportunities and challenges, desires and persistence after the reform and opening-up. In this world, there are no absolute heroes or pure villains. Everyone is involuntarily swept up in the tide of the times, experiencing the trials and transformations of human nature in the entanglement of power, desire and emotion. The three provincial party committees first secretaries—Huo Shibin, Li Kefu and He Renjie—have both the ideals and responsibilities of revolutionaries, the sincerity and dedication to serving the people, as well as the arrogance and loss brought by power, and the decision-making errors and personality limitations inherent in humanity. Ordinary cadres, intellectuals and farmers have both the yearning for a better life and persistence in justice, as well as the pursuit of fame and fortune and the compromise to hardships. With delicate brushwork, Zhang Junbiao dissects the inner world of these characters layer by layer, depicting their struggles and persistence, desires and conscience, joys and sorrows, freeing each character from the shackles of stereotypes to become three-dimensional, vivid, real and credible.
This in-depth exploration of human nature completely broke the narrative limitations of traditional revolutionary literature, achieving a revolutionary breakthrough in character modeling. For a long time, revolutionary literature often fell into the creative rut of “Three Prominences”, focusing on the sublimity and greatness of heroic characters, deliberately downplaying the complexity and complexity of human nature, and shaping heroes as “tall, perfect and noble” symbols—devoid of shortcomings, omnipotent, always unwavering in their beliefs and selflessly dedicated, yet lacking the emotions and limitations of ordinary people. Although they seem noble, they can hardly touch people’s hearts and lack real vitality. Although this creative model played a role in inspiring people in a specific historical period, it also limited the ideological depth and artistic vitality of revolutionary literature, reducing works to ideological mouthpieces rather than genuine literary creations.
In the Metamorphosis Trilogy, Zhang Junbiao completely broke away from this constraint. With the creative attitude of “neither avoiding weaknesses nor glorifying sublimity”, he restored the true faces of revolutionaries and leaders—they are both practitioners of ideals and bearers of human nature; they have both lofty beliefs and worldly desires; they have both the courage to persist and moments of compromise. Huo Shibin’s decision-making mistakes and personality defects, Li Kefu’s indecision and wavering, and He Renjie’s ambition expansion and unscrupulous means are all as real as their revolutionary ideals and dedication to the people. Zhang Junbiao never deliberately glorifies heroes or vilifies villains. He always looks at every character in his works from an equal perspective with compassion, respecting the complexity and multiplicity. This attitude not only makes the character images three-dimensional and credible, but also greatly enhances the ideological depth of the works—it is no longer a simple opposition between good and evil or a struggle between right and wrong, but a profound inquiry into the nature of human nature, an in-depth discussion on the relationship between power and human nature, and a delicate depiction of the conflict between revolutionary ideals and secular life.
Beyond the breakthroughs in character modeling, “metamorphic realism” has also achieved an in-depth integration of realistic depiction and philosophical reflection, allowing works to break away from the limitations of superficial narration and move towards in-depth exploration of the universe and life. Zhang Junbiao’s creation has never stayed at the simple reproduction and surface depiction of reality. He always penetrates reality’s surface with profound insight, excavating the cosmic laws and human nature behind reality, and integrating personal fate’s ups and downs with philosophical reflections on the universe and life—endowing his works with both the warmth of reality and the depth of philosophical thought. The formation of this philosophical thinking is closely related to his unique life experiences—during military training, he had a near-death accident and narrowly escaped death. This experience gave him a more profound understanding and perception of life and death. In his view, in the face of life and death, all people are equal, regardless of status, wealth, or morality. This is the most fair and unbreakable law of the universe. This view of life and death runs through the entire MetamorphosisTrilogy, becoming an important perspective for him to interpret human nature and depict life.
In Zhang Junbiao’s works, life and death are not the end or starting point of life, but a touchstone for human nature and an important carrier of “metamorphosis”. Since no one can escape life and death, the good and evil of human nature, the ups and downs of fate, and the gains and losses of power are only temporary “metamorphoses” in the flow of life. Only by adhering to the original intention of doing good and upholding ideals and responsibilities can one find the meaning of life and realize the sublimation of human nature in the complex changes. This philosophical reflection is not empty discussion or preaching, but subtly integrated into specific narratives and character modeling—closely combined with the plot development and character fate, achieving a subtle influence. When Huo Shibin loses himself in the vortex of power and eventually moves towards destruction, we see not only the tragedy of a leader, but also the fragility and degeneration of human nature in the face of desire; when Li Kefu struggles repeatedly between persistence and compromise and finally regains his original intention, we feel not only a revolutionary’s awakening, but also human nature’s growth and sublimation through trials. These characters’ fates all carry Zhang Junbiao’s profound reflection on life and death, human nature and power—allowing the works to transcend simple realistic narration and possess spiritual value spanning the times.
The rational interpretation of religious culture in the works adds further depth to this philosophical reflection, enriching “metamorphic realism” connotations. Zhang Junbiao believed that belief is the origin of human culture. As an important part of human civilization, religious culture has influenced human thought and order for thousands of years, and literature and art cannot exist without religious spirit. However, the “religious feelings” he advocated do not refer to a specific religious belief, but a reverence for life, a persistence in goodness, a spiritual pursuit beyond the secular world, and an inclusive and diverse spiritual realm. In works such as Metamorphosis and Mandala, he repeatedly explained the religious feelings and spiritual pursuits of literary artists, combining the concept of “doing good” in traditional Oriental culture with the thinking on human nature in Western philosophy, making the philosophical thinking of the works more inclusive and universal.
It is worth noting that “metamorphic realism” is by no means a Chinese variant of magical realism, nor a simple extension of traditional realism, but a creative transformation based on Chinese experience and integrating Eastern and Western wisdom by Zhang Junbiao, a literary creation paradigm with Chinese characteristics and temperament. If traditional realism focuses on the accurate depiction of reality, and magical realism focuses on the absurd deconstruction of reality, then “metamorphic realism” focuses on the in-depth penetration of reality and the exploration of the essence of human nature—“illusion” is the transcendence of the surface of reality, the projection of philosophical thinking on the universe and life, and the ultimate presentation of the subtleties of human nature; “transformation” is the manifestation of the essence of existence, the transformation of human nature in the tide of the times, and the integration and coexistence of reality and philosophical thinking. This creative paradigm not only adheres to the truth principle of realism, but also breaks the narrative limitations of traditional realism, providing new ideas and possibilities for contemporary literary creation, and demonstrating Zhang Junbiao’s innovative courage and artistic talent as a writer.
3. Pioneering as a Mission: The Establishment and In-depth Cultivation of Biographical Literature
In Zhang Junbiao’s creative territory of more than 10 million words, biographical literature occupies a pivotal position, becoming a core component of his literary achievements. He is not only the founder of biographical literature in China’s new era but also a dedicated cultivator and leader in this field. With more than ten biographical works totaling millions of words, coupled with his dual exploration of “theory plus practice”, he broke the narrative shackles of traditional biographies, established the independent stylistic status of biographical literature, laid a solid foundation for the standardized development of contemporary biographical literature, and made indelible contributions, being recognized by the literary circle as “the first person in biographical literature in the new era”.
Before Zhang Junbiao, biographical works in China were mostly classified as “character biographies” or “revolutionary memoirs”, lacking clear stylistic positioning and creative norms, and even systematic theoretical support. These works either focus on the accumulation of historical materials, lack literary appeal and become boring compilations of historical materials; or focus on the glorification and praise of characters, avoiding their limitations and shortcomings, falling into the rut of “concealing faults for the respected and virtuous”, and lacking real vitality; or focus on the trivial records of personal experiences, lacking ideological depth and spiritual core, and failing to fulfill the mission of inheriting spirit and enlightening hearts. At that time, biographical works were always in the marginal area of literature, failing to become an independent literary style, nor gaining sufficient attention from the literary circle and readers.
In the spring of 1977, when the Chinese literary circle was recovering, Zhang Junbiao keenly perceived the creative difficulties and development potential of biographical works, and took the lead in putting forward the new stylistic concept of “biographical literature” in the new era, breaking the cognitive boundary of traditional biographies and pointing out the direction for the development of biographical works. After putting forward the concept, he did not stop at theoretical discussion, but quickly devoted himself to creative practice, becoming the first writer in contemporary Chinese literary circles to propose and systematically create biographical literature, practicing his literary ideas through writing and paving the way for the development of biographical literature.
In 1985, Zhang Junbiao published the article “Myself and My Biographical Literature” in Feitian magazine. This was the first special paper on biographical literature published in newspapers and periodicals in the new era, marking the maturity of his theoretical exploration on biographical literature. In this paper, he systematically elaborated on the creative concept, aesthetic characteristics, value pursuit and creative norms of biographical literature, clearly defining the essential differences between biographical literature and historical biographies, revolutionary memoirs—biographical literature must not only adhere to the bottom line of historical truth, respect the objectivity of history, and refrain from fabricating history or distorting characters (its fundamental requirement) but also use literary techniques to delicately shape character images, rationally organize plots, and carefully create atmospheres, balancing ideology and artistry (its literary value). He emphasized that the core of biographical literature is “people”, the excavation and presentation of the spiritual world of characters, the depiction and reflection of their fates, rather than the simple listing of historical materials or praise of deeds. The publication of this paper provided important theoretical support for the standardized creation of biographical literature, promoting its transformation from a marginal genre to an independent literary style.
In the same year, Wenyi Bao published a special front-page article, clearly affirming Zhang Junbiao’s pioneering status in biographical literature, highly praising his theoretical exploration and creative practice, and holding that his efforts “filled the gap in biographical literature in the new era” and “laid the foundation for the development of contemporary Chinese biographical literature”. Since then, more and more writers have begun to pay attention to and engage in biographical literature creation. Biographical literature has gradually broken away from its marginal status, become an important part of contemporary literature, and formed a vigorous creative trend—all inseparable from Zhang Junbiao’s pioneering contributions. Through his own efforts, he blazed a trail for the development of biographical literature in the new era of China, becoming a “pioneer” and “guide” in this field.
Zhang Junbiao’s biographical literature creation has always adhered to the core principle of “taking truth as the foundation and spirit as the soul”, which runs through all his biographical works and has become a distinctive feature of his biographical literature. He focused on revolutionary heroes, deeply cultivated red history, and successively created classic works such as Stories of Liu Zhidan, Blood and Fire, The Last Shot, Blue River and Red Blood, Red River and Red Heart. Based on detailed historical materials and with delicate literary brushwork, he restored the real lives of revolutionary heroes such as Liu Zhidan and Dong Zhentang, showing both their lofty beliefs, firm will and dedication to the people as revolutionaries, and not avoiding their growth experiences, personality limitations and life regrets. This approach allowed heroic characters to step down from the “altar”, break free from the stereotyped “tall, perfect and noble”, and become flesh-and-blood figures—perceptible and worthy of emulation.
In Stories of Liu Zhidan, Zhang Junbiao did not shape Liu Zhidan as a perfect revolutionary sage, but depicted his growth from an ordinary young man to a revolutionary leader from an objective and realistic perspective—he had ideals and responsibilities, spared no effort to lay down his life for the revolutionary cause, and always adhered to his original intention of serving the people; but he also had confusion and perplexity, setbacks and failures, and even encountered misunderstandings and exclusions in the exploration of the revolutionary road, but never gave up his beliefs and pursuits. With delicate brushwork, the work explores Liu Zhidan’s inner struggles and persistence, pains and joys, allowing readers to see a real and vivid revolutionary leader and feel the human temperature behind the heroic spirit. This creative method broke the shackles of “concealing faults for the respected and virtuous” in traditional revolutionary biographies, realizing the perfect unity of historical truth and literary aesthetics, heroic spirit and human warmth.
To adhere to the bottom line of historical truth, Zhang Junbiao invested enormous time and energy in collecting and organizing historical materials for each biographical work, striving to restore the original appearance of history. He traveled all over the revolutionary sites in the Shaanxi-Gansu region, visited the relatives, comrades-in-arms and insiders of the revolutionary martyrs, consulted a large number of historical archives and documents, refused to listen to rumors, did not fabricate plots or distort characters, and pursued accuracy even in a detail or a sentence. At the same time, he did not rigidly stick to the accumulation of historical materials, but used literary techniques to reasonably sort out and refine the historical materials, shaping three-dimensional and vivid character images and creating an immersive narrative atmosphere through detailed descriptions, psychological portrayals and environmental rendering. This transformed tedious history into something vivid and perceptible, allowing the heroic spirit to be vividly inherited.
This creative principle of “taking truth as the foundation and spirit as the soul” not only made Zhang Junbiao’s biographical works popular and recognized by readers, but also established a benchmark for contemporary biographical literature creation, influencing a generation of biographical writers. Today, “respecting historical truth, excavating spiritual cores, and balancing literary aesthetics” has become a consensus in biographical literature creation—all stemming from Zhang Junbiao’s pioneering practice and persistence.
Zhang Junbiao’s contributions to biographical literature extend beyond theoretical and practical pioneering; he also endowed biographical literature with unique spiritual value and cultural connotations. His biographical works are never simple records of characters’ life experiences, but the inheritance and promotion of red history, the excavation and interpretation of heroic spirit, and the exploration and reflection of human nature. In his works, heroic characters’ struggle processes are closely intertwined with the changes of the times. Their beliefs and persistence, setbacks and growth are not only portraits of personal fate but also microcosms of an era and vivid embodiments of the national spirit. Through these works, readers can not only understand the life stories of revolutionary martyrs, but also feel the lofty spirit and human glory in them, and draw strength to move forward.
What is even more rare is that Zhang Junbiao’s biographical literature creation always maintained the innovative spirit of keeping pace with the times. He constantly explored the narrative methods and expression techniques of biographical literature, broke the linear narrative mode of traditional biographies, integrated narrative perspective, psychological portrayal and philosophical insights, endowing biographical works with the historical depth, literary artistry and ideological profundity. His works include depictions of both revolutionary heroes and ordinary workers, reflections on history and concern for the present, always adhering to the original intention of “writing biographies for the people and writing biographies for the times”. This made biographical literature a bridge connecting history, reality and the future, and an important carrier for inheriting the national spirit and enlightening hearts.
As a writer who rose from hardships, Zhang Junbiao used more than 10 million words to depict the vicissitudes of the times, the complexity of human nature, the glory of heroes and the sincerity of the land; as a literary adherent, he took integrity as his pen, refused to compromise, adhered to purity, and erected a spiritual monument for contemporary literature; as a literary pioneer, he took human nature as the core, constructed the “metamorphic realism” creative paradigm, took pioneering as his mission, opened up new horizons for biographical literature, and injected lasting power into the development of contemporary literature. His literary world has both the depth and desolation of the eastern Gansu Plateau, and the profoundness and vastness of the universe and life; both compassion and empathy for hardships, and persistence and pursuit of hope. This perseverance and transcendence have enabled his works to transcend the limitations of the times, leaving an indelible mark in the history of contemporary literature, and making him a writer worthy of eternal memory and in-depth research in contemporary Chinese literary circles.
As time goes by and precipitates, those works that cater to the times and pursue fame and fortune will eventually be forgotten, while Zhang Junbiao’s works—rooted in truth and integrity, deeply exploring human nature—will endure like the pine trees on the eastern Gansu Plateau, growing straighter through years of trials. Like a glimmer of light in the dark night, they will always illuminate people’s hearts, shining with immortal light in the long river of literature.
The Author
Yuan Zhu, born in Deyang, Sichuan Province, is a writer, painter, literary and art critic, and founder of the Xiaoyao (Carefree) Painting School. His representative works include the Red Robe Collection: Contemporary Chinese Masters—Yuan Zhu (published by Tianjin People’s Fine Arts Publishing House), the loose-leaf teaching material Model Book for Famous Teachers in Chinese Higher Art Institutions (Volume 2): Selected Landscape Paintings by Yuan Zhu (published by Hebei Fine Arts Publishing House), and the full-length novel Breaking Cocoon for Light (also known as Rising East, first published on Chinese Writers Network in 2025), which was published by Chunfeng Literature and Art Publishing House.
Email: 1479996227@qq.com