“Xuemo in Dialogue with International Scholars” (Episode 20)

On the evening of August 2, 2026, the 20th session of “Xuemo in Dialogue with International Scholars” was held online. Organized by the World Literature Union and the Xuemo Foundation, the session was titled “The Core of Western Chinese Literature and New Paths for Cultural Communication.”

The discussion was moderated by Yanjin Chen, author of The Xuemo Code and Xuemo’s longtime editor. Professor Hanyi Bao, Dean of the Department of German Language and Literature, delivered the keynote presentation and engaged in an in-depth conversation with Xuemo.

More than 20 scholars and experts from China, Germany, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Nepal, and other countries, as well as more than 150 readers of Xuemo’s works, joined the event online.

From A Dictionary of Maqiao to One Man’s West: A Literary Experiment in Self-Cultivation

As Xuemo’s longtime reader and editorial companion, Yanjin Chen opened the discussion with a question: How can intensive reading help us discover the path into Xuemo’s literary world?

Professor Hanyi Bao then presented his interpretation of Xuemo’s autobiography One Man’s West under the title “From Ordinary to Extraordinary: A Young Man’s Rise in Western China.”

Bao compared One Man’s West with Han Shaogong’s A Dictionary of Maqiao. He argued that, like A Dictionary of Maqiao, Xuemo’s autobiography adopts a fragmented, dictionary-like structure. Yet, when viewed as a whole, these individual entries form a larger map of Xuemo’s transformation from an unknown young man in western China into a widely recognized writer. He gave One Man’s West another name: Xiliang Dictionary.

Drawing on traditional Chinese thought, Bao identified several forces that shaped Xuemo’s growth: filial respect toward elders and siblings and loyalty to his country; a commitment to doing good and avoiding harm; perseverance through hardship; the cultivation of the mind through right motivation; the inheritance of family traditions and local culture; and talent and opportunity in career development.

Bao cited several examples from the book, including Xuemo’s response to what he calls “adversarial bodhisattvas,” and how those people who challenged him ultimately pushed him to grow faster. He also described how Xuemo continued writing through harsh winters, sometimes pouring cold water over his head to stay awake.

For Bao, Xuemo embodies the spirit of two Chinese traditions: the Confucian ideal of constant self-improvement and the Buddhist principle of selfless devotion.

“The greatest value of this book does not lie in showing the cultural landscape of western China,” Bao said. “It is a witness to how a young man can strive for constant self-improvement and thrive against all odds.”

Xuemo Speaks About “Outgrowing the Old Self”: The Key to Individual Awakening and Cultural Exchange

Responding to Bao Hanyi’s interpretation, moderator Yanjin Chen raised a question: How can an individual rise above his circumstances?

Xuemo offered his first detailed reflection on the relationship between individual growth and social systems. He argued that most people are shaped by the “systems” of their era, family, and education, gradually developing what he called a distinct “collective personality.”

What makes his own path different, Xuemo said, is his ability to continually question and transform himself, breaking away from old patterns of thinking, habits, and assumptions shaped by external systems.

Xuemo used the precision often associated with German products and the national character expressed in Russian literature as examples of how culture can become internalized and shape a collective personality.

He emphasized that the essence of Eastern wisdom lies in “breaking attachment.” This means not only releasing attachment to material things but also letting go of attachment to knowledge, past experiences, and fixed identities.

Once the limitations of the “small self” are broken, Xuemo said, a person can enter a state of infinite cosmic consciousness. He explained that this offers a meaningful interpretation of “Man and Nature in One,” one of the central ideas in traditional Chinese culture.

Xuemo added that traditional literature is now facing an unprecedented crisis: approximately 200,000 books are published in China each year, yet more than 75 percent receive little attention from readers.

The root cause, he argued, is a “breakup” between literature and its audience.

“Readers do not ignore literature,” Xuemo said. “They ignore literature that has no connection with them.”

Using the global influence of The Bible as an example, he argued that the power of a great book does not depend solely on its literary qualities. It also requires the “community power” and “relationship-building” that allow it to reach and connect with people.

This perspective strongly resonated with Editor Chen’s long-standing interest in how literature can become connected with everyday life.

Expanding the Homeland: From Liangzhou to Maya Civilization and a Shared Origin of Civilizations

Dr. John Edward Stowe, a scholar from Canada, asked Xuemo which of his works he would most recommend to his Western students.

Xuemo recommended two books: Let Your Heart Be Your Own (Reclaim the Throne of Your Heart) as an introduction to his philosophical ideas, and Wild Fox Ridge as the first novel for readers.

He explained that Wild Fox Ridge is his first innovative work combining literary narrative with wisdom traditions. It represents a balanced stage in his development as a fiction writer. By contrast, works such as Desert Rites and the “Desert Trilogy” are closer to Tolstoy’s literary tradition and are more suitable for scholarly study.

Later, Professor Shouhui Zhao of the University of Bergen in Norway raised a personal question: After leaving one’s homeland, how can one regain a sense of belonging?

Xuemo replied that Liangzhou has always been both a form of “limitation” and a source of “nourishment.”

When he was young, he desperately wanted to leave his hometown because he realized that local traditions and social norms could limit his personal development. Yet after leaving Liangzhou, he gradually discovered that the same land had given him a confidence and imagination rarely found among contemporary Chinese writers.

As his perspective expanded, Xuemo said, the meaning of “homeland” also expanded. It moved from Liangzhou to Gansu, to China, and eventually to human civilizations such as those of the Maya and the Inca.

“Human civilizations share a common origin,” Xuemo said. “When I explored the Maya civilization, it felt as though I had returned to another homeland.”

Conclusion: Building a World Literary Community

In her concluding remarks, Yanjin Chen, author of The Xuemo Code, highlighted the deeper significance of the discussion. She suggested that the journey from Professor Bao Hanyi’s “Xiliang Dictionary” to Xuemo’s expanded understanding of homeland revealed a simple truth: literary creation and academic research ultimately seek to build more meaningful relationships between people and between humanity and the world.

Xuemo also shared that the discussions from the series would be compiled into publications. Every 12 sessions will be collected into one volume, with each volume expected to contain approximately 200,000 Chinese characters.

He encouraged scholars to raise questions freely, including criticism and difficult questions, because “different opinions are also a source of nourishment.” At the same time, Xuemo promised to recommend one book by another author to his readers during his daily livestream, supporting fellow writers and scholars through his public platform.

This dialogue among editors, scholars, and writers was not merely an interpretation of a literary work. It was also an exploration of how literature continues to connect cultures, individuals, and civilizations.

As Yanjin Chen observed, Xuemo’s writing and his conversations with international scholars are together opening a path that begins in the cultural landscape of western China and extends toward broader questions of world civilization.

The “Xuemo in Dialogue with International Scholars” program is a weekly webinar series that takes place every Sunday at 8 p.m. Beijing time.