The Australia Chinese Writers Association Incorporated, or in acronym, ACWA, is a literary group registered with the Australian Government. The following is a Declaration published at its inauguration.
ACWA is the homeland for poets, literary critics, literature research scholars with the Australian Chinese background. It is the spiritual homeland for broad literature lovers. Those who acknowledge the aims of this Association, introduced by two members of this Association, and is adopted by the Council of this Association can join this Association if the membership dues are also paid.
This Association will hold all kinds of cultural and literary exchange activities, including those held in various places within Australia, and those held among various countries in the world. We will learn from each other and respect each other so as to make mutual progress. This association will make great efforts for the Australian Chinese literary circles in this “continually rising New Land” to rise more quickly, and will participate in the facilitation for the prosperity of the world Chinese Literature.
Australian Chinese literature is a member of the world Chinese literature. It is never a tributary or minor part of the so-called “Overseas Literature”. This Association will try every means to promote the development of the world “multi-literary centre”. We have the aspiration to grandiose the Chinee culture. We call out loud that the Chinese literature developers in the world should discard the so-called out of date “China centre” opinion. We should all support and promote the World multi-literary centre of the Chinese literature to appear and to develop, because of the “multi-shore cultures” and the scene of “a hundred flowers are in full blossom with a blaze of colours”. We should feel joyful from the bottom of our hearts. We will move from the edge to the centre and then form part of the centre. This is the clear sign that the world Chinese literature is booming.
Australian Chinese literature advocates the spirit of truth, goodness and beauty. In the literary creation we support independent personality. In the literature research, we encourage free contention. We firmly believe whatever ideology you advertise, whatever artistic means you apply in your literary creation, truth has ever been indisputably the most basic character. Literature touches truth, which fully displays various individuals in the boundless real world. Truth also exposes ourselves thoroughly. Whether whatever you write is true disposes whether you are sincere to what you are going to write. Truth is not only the judgement of the literary value, but it also owns the ethical connotation of the literary works. If writers can grasp the insight of truth, can face up to and be genuine to truth, then it will not only be able to determine the quality levels of their works, it can also determine the strength of the influence of their works.
When we look at the relationship between the world Chinese literature and the tradition of Chinese culture, we have found that it is definitely not a one-way of returning but a kind of sublimation in multiple elements. We agree to the concept of double tradition. The Chinese literature in various countries of the world will definitely be a sort of integration between the traditional Chinese literature and the “traditional native literature” of that country, and the development of the two traditions. There will also be a transition process from the mother culture to the alien culture. The two cultures – the occidental culture and the oriental culture – are in constant conflicts, blending and mutual completion and during this process variation is produced. And this variation will demonstrate the fresh vitality of the third culture. This is just the efforts that the Chinese writers around the world are making currently, so as to construct the status that the world of Chinese literature should enjoy. The development of the world Chinese literature will definitely cause a “world literature created in the Chinese language to appear. This appearance will be commonly recognised by many countries in the world. It will become precious assets of the spiritual civilisation all over the human kind and outstanding Chinese literature works. This is the version that we, writers of the Australia Chinese Writers Association are working towards with a common purpose.
It is very obvious that today’s Chinese literature has very strong sense of globalism. It is multi-central and is full of novelty. These are also the tendency of continual development. As Australia’s Chinese intellectuals, as writers, poets, artists of Chinese background, we have a belief: where there is freedom, it would be our homeland where we can settle down. It is just as what Su Dong-Po, a Song Dynasty poet said: “Wherever my heart can settle, it will be my home.” Or as Shakespeare’s famous saying expressed in his play Richard II, “All the places that the eyes of Heaven visits are to a wise man ports and happy havens.” We are loaded with culture, are creators of human spiritual values, and we are also bearers of individual emotion. The value of literature and arts lies in “surpassing”, to surpass reality, to surpass predecessors, to surpass traditions, and to surpass national boundary. An excellent writer should have the strength of a heavenly steed soaring across the skies, who does not follow blindly the fashion or trend of the time, who does not play up to those in power, and who refuses to accept the concept of the nation as a kind of priori knowledge that dominates and arranges their special personal experiences.
ACWA acknowledges and practises the core value system of Australia. Today’s world is in an extreme turmoil with frequent natural catastrophes, human disasters including wars and conflicts. Human civilisation is under severe threats. Facing such a rigorous epoch, we ACWA colleagues should be thoughtful people, looking back to the past and examining the present situation, we should be determined in our moral goals, and have keen sensations. We should have in-depth considerations. Our ears are full of sounds from the nature and from our own learning. Our hearts are caring about domestic affairs and national as well as international affairs. Human destiny, nation’s ups and downs, people’s pains and sufferings, political upheavals and changeable situations of our time, will all fall into our sights for our concern.
We need to make our hearty response to the age we live in and its realistic circumstance, and participate in it in our form of literacy so as to show a kind of conscience, morality and responsibility. We should carry a heart of sincerity, kindness and mercy. We should have awareness of love and care for all living things with a mood of compassion and anxiety.
History always stands on the side of freedom, democracy, human rights, rule of law and justice. History always stands on the side of humanity. While we, holding the belief of walking on the correct path with a true heart, insist on the universal values, and will be standing on the right side of history.
During such a difficult time in human history, we, colleagues of ACWA, will make our best efforts to assign our writings with aesthetic brilliance, to expose the abundant wisdoms of our daily life and to harbour our deep historic insight. We will bestow souls into our works, and participate in the majestic mission in guiding human spirits.
The Australia Chinese Writers Association Incorporated
dated this 11th of November 2022
