(Clearwisdom.net)
Master said,
"...several main things are playing a vanguard role in driving the downward slide of human society. One is the works created [of late] in performing arts, and another is those works created [of late] in the fine arts. These are what impact people the most directly, and what has the biggest influence on people's minds and consciousness, as well as sensory organs. They directly influence and drive changes in people's moral standards, and they corrupt human beings the fastest and in the most direct way. Therefore, the forms taken by modernist art, modernist culture, and modernist performing arts are playing a vanguard role."
"Dafa disciples know that human culture was divinely bestowed to man and that not believing in gods is the fundamental reason for human morality's downward slide. Dafa disciples thus cannot view things with the sunken moral standard of human beings. What Dafa disciples create must be things that harken back to what gods bestowed to man. In that case, what you are doing in and of itself stops and smothers corrupt elements, and plays the leading role in restoring things to their original state." ("Fa Teaching at the 2007 New York Fa Conference")
I teach foreign literature at a university and also write at times. I feel that changes in human morality are also driven by modernist literature and arts, just as mentioned by Master. I also see the role it plays in the deterioration of the culture bestowed on humans by divine beings. The deviation from ancient culture and the associated corruption has reached unprecedented heights. The so-called literature and arts are sprinkled with vulgarity and filthiness. Expressions of lust and desire are replacing former creative methods. This modern style was formed to replace humans' main consciousness and requires that one abandons truly creative writing methods. These modern writings are now published everywhere.
From what I understand, legitimate literature pays much attention to "including the Dao and morality in writings." To put it more specifically, there are two aspects: one is to write realistically; the other is to write reasonably. The writing should be bright, positive, compassionate and kind. With morality again returning, as well as the understanding of the difference between virtue and vice, and when one truly comes to understand the reason for this change, then one achieves new results. Readers feel their heart moved after reading it, and thus proper standards of morality and behavior in human society are sustained.
Classical literature is based on true life. Characters and events are true retelling of life. Ideas, thoughts and feelings are presented naturally and are the expression of a specific event. Therefore, the writings should be rational and easy to read and discuss the given theme. Different forms of literature vary more or less in creative methods, writing criteria and are written around the given subject matter. Naturally, the effect is different.
The most well recognized forms of literature in human society include scriptures, historical recounting, poetry, traditional opera, novels, movies and plays. The closer to modern times the piece was written, the more it deviates from ancient literature standards and its language is decadent. Also, no longer are there strict requirements and the reading is easy and language informal. If we just look at novels, the word "novel" tells that it can't be looked at as a lineal product. It is popular and relatively new. Apart from that, classic literature focuses on social functions, where the author thinks of the effect and impact of the writing on the reader. Creative writing is regarded as quite solemn. There are strict requirements on what to write, how to write, for whom to write and what form it should take. Furthermore, the author is responsible for what is written, just like a person is responsible for what comes from his mouth.
Today, Falun Dafa disciples' creative writings are to validate Dafa, exposing the evil persecution and offering salvation to all sentient beings. At the same time Dafa disciples reinstate the original literature forms that gods gave to mankind. Music, art, dance and other art forms also recover the ancient methods. When this happens, the topics and ways of composing are clearly delineated. The miracles created by Dafa disciples during their cultivation in today's Fa-rectification period, the touching stories of practitioners resisting the persecution, the mighty virtue established while saving all sentient beings are happening now. It is practical and real, which is excellent material for returning to true literary creation. No need to make up anything. No need to exaggerate. Only true records and narratives will make good poems, dramas and novels. The most touching of these are the actual characters and events. For what is recorded and narrated are stories of what is happening at this time. Furthermore, the importance is in the fact that the author is a Dafa disciple. It is just like a painting of a great enlightened being created by Dafa disciples. The piece brings out the splendor of an enlightened being, which bears the power of great compassion.
Master did not teach the Fa on creative writing publicly, but Master did refer to it during the Question & Answer period. What's more, Hong Yin and Hong Yin (II) and those lyrics Master has written for the 2007 New Year's Spectacular have already pointed out the direction creative writing needs to take, and thus taught the Fa in this regard. When I study Hong Yin, I feel that the so-called classics and masterpieces of all worldly literary forms in history and worldwide, and all kinds of literary theories are nowhere close to what Mater is imparting in a single line in Hong Yin. Dafa has boundless power, encompassing all. This is the path of validating Dafa and saving sentient beings with literature. Hong Yin is also teaching the Fa to Dafa disciples who validate the Fa through creative writing. To be able to read the great Fa imparted by Master makes me feel deeply honored and extraordinarily fortunate.
As we have the Fa and the will, creative writing will no longer be a problem. The major issue is that creative work done by Dafa disciples should manifest and display elements of personal cultivating. If we are studying the Fa well, our xinxing rises, writing will be easier and it will flow easily. The obvious effect is good. If one does not follow Master's directive to study the Fa and cultivate, creative writing will become more and more difficult and even the author will feel uneasy and uncomfortable when reading it.
In addition, one has to change from within at all times. The truth is that creative work is for validating the Fa and not oneself.
The above is my personal understanding. Please kindly point out if there is anything inappropriate.
