Han on fiction
Applying so-called "academic analysis" to literary works is ridiculous, according to Han, because literature is not science.
"If a writer wrote in his story it is a sunny day while it actually rains, does that mean he has made a forgery?"
In one of his analytical articles, Fang Zhouzi questioned why Han wrote that he slept in the upper berth in his dormitory when he was a student, while in another story he wrote he slept in the lower berth.
"It doesn't matter which berth I slept in. This is a fiction," Han said. "I can sleep anywhere in my fictions and essays. If a person raises doubts in this way, there will be no fiction at all."
From his point view, Fang's criticism against him has crossed over the line of academic analysis.
"He concluded that I had someone else write on my behalf. For a writer, such an accusation is the most serious of all kinds. He is questioning my integrity and moral quality," Han said.
One of the doubts Fang raised against Han is why he and his father had different explanations for the title of his first novel, which was published nearly 12 years ago. Han said it is understandable that their memories faded in that time.
Beyond the arguments, Han said he has kept about 1,000 pages of manuscripts for two of his early works, which he considers proof of his innocence. He said he began to write on a computer starting with his third novel.
"I have manuscripts, witnesses, notebooks and letters I wrote to home. A typical writer would have none of these, for we all write in front of a computer nowadays," Han said. "If people support Fang Zhouzi, whoever makes a living by writing is likely to have rough luck once they pissed him off."
Credibility
Because Fang Zhouzi still has credibility among certain people, Han Han said, he believes his reputation and interests have been damaged, although it is hard to put a price on it.
Han's publisher Lu, who also represents well-known writers including Wang Shuo and Anne Baby, told China Daily on Tuesday that he thinks Fang's actions and series of blog articles have hurt Han's reputation.
"It's OK that others say a writer writes badly," Lu said. "But it gets serious and becomes a harm when someone claims the writer had others write for him, with no hard evidence and illogical proof."
Lu said they expected to learn on Thursday whether the court would accept Han's lawsuit.
Han Han may find it difficult to win a libel suit against Fang, according to Yao Xinshi, a lawyer at Beijing Tianyuan Law Firm.
He defined libel as the communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may give an individual, business or product a negative image.
"If Fang is just making a conclusion based on facts, including Han's books or interviews, this is hard to be defined as a libel suit," Yao said.
If the case is not accepted for trial under criminal law, it could be addressed in a civil suit as infringement of reputation rights.
Yao said that every citizen has the right to protect his or her credibility, reputation and privacy. If Han's books are proved to have been his own work, Fang's indictment could be considered an infringement of Han's reputation as a writer.
"Like a game"
Publisher Lu has his own view of why the Han-Fang fight has involved so many actively over more than two weeks.
"It's like a fun soccer game," he said. "When the two sides are balanced in power, the audience feels the most excitement.
"Both Han and Fang have a large number of fans who love them, and a large number of people who dislike them," Lu said.
"And it's not breakthrough events that have clear lines between the black and the white."
Source: China Daily
Editor: Liu Xiongfei
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