Han Han's Party magazine debunked as 'pseudo literature'

Back in November we reported that China’s most popular blogger Han Han (韩寒) had announced his plans to publish a magazine. Now in July, we finally get to see the fruits of his labor as the first issue of Party (独唱团) hits news stands. 

According to media reports the bi-monthly 120-page Chinese magazine includes essays, poems and opinion pieces by Han Han and other contributing writers, and it rocketed to the top position on Amazon.cn within 10 hours of going on sale. 

The magazine was reportedly delayed from its early-2010 publication date due to the relevant government authorities taking issue with some of its content. 

And despite the anticipation building for its launch, some of China's other established literary figures have been quick to voice their disdain.

The Global Times reports that “some writers born in the 1980s [generaton], including Zhang Yiyi, Duguyi (a pseudonym), Xu Duoyu, Qin Guiyu, Lin Xiao and Yuan Guan, allegedly together signed a proposal calling on readers to reject Han's ‘pseudo literature.’”

Duguyi told the Global Times that he just read a few stories in the magazine, saying, "My intellect told me to keep away from these weak stories. It's a habit."

The 27-year-old novelist from Shanghai has a celebrated CV: One of the top-earning authors in China, champion amateur race-car driver, a phenomenally popular blogger, and China’s most celebrated young rebel. Not bad for a rebellious high school dropout. And the result: He has been in the spotlight since the publication of his best-selling debut novel “Triple Gate” (三重门) in 2000. 

Fast forward, and now with 14 books and anthologies under his belt, Han Han has transformed himself from that school dropout into someone Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei praised as a “public intellectual." 

Han Han is known for being an outspoken critic of government policies, so many are snapping up copies, according to a survey reported on in People’s Daily, to “see some sharp criticism in it.” 

They might be disappointed though as Han Han has come out saying that the content would be “gentler than the often vehement criticism found on his blog.”

Hopefully he accomplished his original goal, which he explained in an interview to Southern Metropolis Weekly (南都周刊), late last year. When asked if his magazine would influence millions of Chinese people, Han Han replied, “Nothing nowadays can influence millions of Chinese people. All I want is to give people more to be interested in than only the prices of properties.” 

Hopefully he did that much.

Want to see more of China's most popular blogger? Read CNNGo’s interview with Han Han (韩寒).