In a Guangzhou-based newspaper's ranking of Chinese writers born in the 1980s, Li Shasha climbed over big names such as Han Han, Chunshu and Guo Jingming to reach the top of the tree. Other young writers are referred to as "Linglei," a word coined by Time Magazine to describe China's rebellious and alternative young generation. On the other hand, country-born Li Shasha tries to show that he has something more mature to offer, while still keeping something in common with his contemporaries.

The writing generation born in the 1980s is becoming ever prominent in these early years of the 21st century. Take as evidence Beijing-based writer Chun Shu, and her appearance on the cover of Time Magazine's February edition as a representative of the "New Radicals". Aligned with Chun Shu is a bunch of iconoclasts who include Guo Jingming, Zhang Yueran and Han Hanm. All of these writers recount their personal feelings and individuality within their work, and together they form the crux of the 'post 80s generation'. This year, however, a low-key writer with the pen name Li Shasha, somehow managed to work his way up alongside these "enfant terribles" and steal a little light.

Peculiarly, Shasha is actually a negative word in Chinese, and not even poetically negative at that. But names should not be allowed to speak for the writer; Li Shasha first drew people's attention for essays and novellas which he posted on websites mainly devoted to literature. Soon two of the largest Internet portals in China, Sina and Netease, dedicated feature pages to this writer, who was at that time still only an undergraduate in northwest China's Xi'an. Meanwhile, traditionalist critics were starting to write reviews in his favor, something which seldom happens to young writers.

Born and raised in west Hunan, Li spent his childhood in the countryside. This background has given him a great deal of inspiration and experience for describing the happenings of China's countryside. While his urban counterparts tire of soft drinks and popcorn, and label themselves beatniks and hippies, Li Shasha stands out because of his background, his way of thinking, his mode of expression. His essay Mother is about the hardships of life; The Hands of a Woman Never to Be Forgotten is about a teenager's first elusive love; Corpse on the River Beach tells a ghost story. Diverse subject matter, yes, but all of these stories are united by their rural backdrops.

"It might be that I like to write about events using this backdrop. I also believe I can only write about things I'm familiar with. I was once interested in Annie Baby's writing on urban life. I even tried my hand at this kind of thing. But later I found that not everyone is suitable for the same kind of style, which actually seems quite bizarre when found on different writers."

Last year Li Shasha had a collection of essays published, which went by the name of Those Who Are Regarded as Ghosts. Literary critic Zhang Ning commented that Li Shasha is far truer to life, in comparison to other writers who embellish their rural experience and hardships. In fact, over the last few decades, China's literati have never utterly broken away from the vast countryside. Whether presently or formerly rooted in undeveloped parts of the country, they seem unable to let go of the existence and destiny of the majority. Li Shasha seems to be following in this tradition, which in turn makes him quite distinctive from other post-80s writers.

"The so-called term of 'post-80s' actually serves as a stage from which I have benefited. I'm no more than a person that measures up to the qualifications. That's why I'm given such a role."

But in other ways, post-80s writers are also a homogenous group. They inevitably have to deal with the pain of growing up, and seek outlets for expression through their writings. This also applies to Li Shasha, who managed to publish his first novel, Red X, in July of last year. Red X refers to the mark used by school teachers reviewing students' homework, a mark which indicates erroneous thinking.

The novel tells the unsteady life of a troubled teenager, whose behavior is considered both offensive and erroneous. This protagonist is a high school drop-out and a trouble maker, who sleeps with several girls, steals from others, and finally falls into a mood for killing. The theme of 'cynical adolescent' will remind many readers of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. In fact, the theme of Red X appears no different to that of Li Shasha's contemporaries.

Huang Zhaohui is a journalist from the Guangzhou-based Southern Metropolis Daily and a close friend of Li Shasha.

"A good coming-of-age novel is one that touches on something universal. Although it is about individuality, the pain of growing into adulthood can easily be identified with, by everyone who's reached that young age. "

Li Shasha says that the novel is partly a summary of his previous experiences and feelings. He wants to analyze himself through his work. But although the novel has proved a success, for Li Shasha it's still far from being perfect.

"To be frank, I'm not satisfied with this novel. I feel that it still needs to be further polished. The structure of the novel is a little bit loose. As for the comments, I think everyone has his own judgment. The novel certainly didn't fulfill my criteria for a good novel. "

This writer's harsh self-criticism actually coincides with the views of Huang Zhaohui.

"Personally I think that as a novelist, Li Shasha is still a beginner. The success of Red X partly owes itself to Li's already established fame and the theme of the novel. Li's literary talent is actually utterly demonstrated within his collection of essays. "

Without the Internet, Li Shasha would have never been so popular. It's therefore interesting that, physically speaking, Li never really 'writes' on the Internet. He says he's not used to writing on a computer, so he sticks to the habit of creating with pen and paper and typing his work up on computer.

"Before I knew how to use the Internet, I had to copy out the scripts again and again and contribute to different places to get published. Usually there was no response at all. Now that I'm able to use the Internet, what I need to do is put my articles on the web and wait for the editors to come for me."

The 23-year old writer is now a journalist in South China's Guangdong Province, and says that he's just a lucky person who has merely taken advantage of the Internet. Li also admits that he's too lazy to be a journalist, and has yet to decide upon his future career.

"At first I thought about being a professional writer. But after I became sort of famous, I don't want to take up writing as my career. It's hard to acclimatize myself to the literary world, and I don't want to be a part of it." 

(CRI February 25, 2005)