thanatography and the poetic voice 95represents a choice by the commentator that will benefit from explica-
tion.
In this respect and others, the case of Haizi tells us much about
the avant-garde’s metatexts, especially about the extraordinary im-
portance of poethood discussed in chapter One, self-evident to many
Chinese poets and critics. In recognition of this point, section 1 of
this chapter explores mythifications of Haizi’s life as part of his work.
These identify his poetry with his suicide and make what he wrote
inseparable from everything else he did. As a counterweight, section 2
examines more or less text-immanent features of Haizi’s writing, in or-
der to foreground aspects of the poetic voice that have been drowned
out in the uproar over the fate of the author.
- Thanatography
Most if not all critical writing on Haizi appeared after his death, and
makes explicit reference to his death. This in itself provides evidence
for a widespread view of his life as part of his work.
LifeDuring his lifetime, however, Haizi didn’t go unrecognized as a poet.
In 1985 his early writings were given prominent positions in Modern
Poetry Materials for Internal Exchange (⦄ҷ䆫ݙ䚼Ѹ⌕䌘᭭) and Con-
temporary Chinese Experimental Poetry (Ёᔧҷᅲ偠䆫℠), two ground-
breaking unofficial journals out of Sichuan province that brought
together avant-garde poets of various literary generations and per-
suasions from across China. Full, multiple-author sections of both
journals were named after a poem and a poetical statement by Haizi
respectively, the only other poet to have such honor bestowed on him
being Bei Dao. Over the next several years, Haizi’s work was included
in major anthologies drawing attention to the avant-garde’s dynamic
development beyond Obscure Poetry. He received awards from the
Peking University May Fourth Literary Society (࣫ҀᄺѨಯ᭛ᄺ
力) and the official literary journal October (क᳜) in 1986 and 1988,
and appears in both issues of the unofficial journal The Survivors (ᑌᄬ
㗙), as a member of the prestigious poetry club of that name. Accord-
ing to Luo Yihe, about fifty of Haizi’s poems had appeared in print