The auditorium of Shenzhen Foreign Languages School was packed yesterday as nearly 300 students gathered for a discussion on literary writing with well-known Chinese writer and children's literature critic Cao Wenxuan.

"The students nowadays have a lot of reading resources at hand by reading online or access to other resources, said Cao, a Beijing University professor. "But many fail to select books which are worth reading."

Cao was one of the few professors in the nation's universities to be involved in Chinese language teaching in primary and middle schools. Around eight or nine articles of his were selected for textbooks published by the People's Education Publishing House and Zhejiang Publishing House, two major publishers of textbooks for primary and middle school students in China.

Cao was also the first person in China to advocate "sunshine writing," after reading the works of some students, which depicted the dark and cruel side of the world where teachers were their enemies.

In response to questions on what the students should write and whether fiction should base on imagination or reality, Cao said he preferred imagination.

"The practicality in traditional Chinese culture is stubborn, so the Chinese people lack imagination and that is the reason why Chinese writers could not create 'Harry Potter.'"

"But no matter what the story is based on, it must be written from bottom of your heart and expressed your feelings," said Cao, a member of the Chinese Writers' Association's National Committee.

Cao said a good composition needed "vocabulary and imitation." But he suggested teachers and students develop their own writing style, instead of simply copying from others.

The school formed the second leg of Cao's Shenzhen trip, part of the China's Students' Literary Creation Forum activity, which was staged Sunday.

Cao, who is in the city at the invitation of the city's Reading Month organizing committee, will give lectures in other seven primary and middle schools during the five-day trip. He said the city's Reading Month was a good platform to foster the city's culture atmosphere and improve its image.

(Shenzhen Daily November 23, 2005)