Ye Zhaoyan’ s Innovative Narrative Research in Nanjing: A Case Study of

Abstract

Ye Zhaoyan, a renowned contemporary writer and native of Nanjing, has published nearly ten million words to date. His 2019 urban biography Nanjing Biography and 2022 novel Yifeng Gate both center on the city. This article examines the narrative characteristics and writing strategies of these two works, exploring how Ye reconstructs Nanjing’s grand historical tapestry while uncovering the often-overlooked Xiaguan district, showcasing his recent developments in Nanjing-themed writing. Simultaneously, the two works activate both “non-fiction” and “fiction” dimensions, creating a complementary “macro-micro” narrative: Nanjing Biography employs historical depth as its central framework. While Nanjing embodies the “window of Chinese history”, Yifeng Gate delves into urban margins and individual destinies through spatial microcosms, offering dual revelations of historical and humanistic significance. Ye Zhaoyan’s avant-garde yet nuanced writing establishes a new paradigm in urban literature, providing fresh perspectives on the city-human relationship while serving as a literary mirror for exploring emerging urban narratives in China’s modernization journey.