On the Terminology of Yan'an Literature and Art and Its Evolution

The inheritance relationship between Yan'an literature and contemporary literature is a key issue in understanding how Yan'an literature has been shaped in the contemporary era. This relationship can be concretely traced through the evolution of terminology. The literary and artistic terminology of the Yan'an period exhibits characteristics of institutionalization and genealogy. Broadly, it can be categorized into four dimensions: theoretical terminology, thematic terminology, formal terminology, and institutional terminology — collectively reflecting the "movement" nature of Yan'an literature and arts. The process through which these four categories of terms have been selectively employed and semantically reinterpreted in contemporary literary and artistic practices reflects the formative history of how Yan'an's cultural legacy has been reshaped and integrated into the modern era.