Images of "wandering" and "artistry" are repeatedly seen in ZHANG Wei's novels, especially in the serial novel You Are in the Highland. The endless wandering of the hero and his friends is a central theme that runs through the ten books, which contain 4.5 million words. There is no doubt that "wandering" and "artistry" are keys to our understanding and discussion of ZHANG Wei's novels.
Chapter one of this dissertation discusses "highland" portrayed in the novel. "Highland" is the core of the novel. In his literary treatment of childhood, clanship, human conscience and desired destination, ZHANG Wei defines "highland" as 'the practical and spiritual levels that can be achieved by the individual's sheer tenacity and great ambition'. Regretfully, I find this "highland" by no means transcendental but limited by the scope of the author's thought.
Chapter two analyzes Zhang Wei's portrayal of "wandering". "Wandering" is, as suggested by him, one way of getting to the "highland". In other words, the hero NING Qie and his friends try to approach the "highland" by wandering. Firstly, "wandering" is escaping from being trapped; secondly, it is resisting being expelled. The "highland" imagined by ZHANG Wei is not transcendental, so arriving at such a "highland" is a sort of temporary spiritual comfort. After all, "wandering" is an outward solution which can't lead to the real "highland".
Chapter three concentrates on "artistry", the other way suggested by the author to reach the "highland". Artistry is way of making a living and it is also can help people lead a free and unfettered life. Craftsmen dwelling in artistry have already arrived at ZHANG Wei's "highland", but are still on the road to the transcendental "highland". Due to their spiritual transformation in artistry, the craftsmen lead a free and unfettered life. They have turned the way to the "highland" inwardly.
Chapter four discusses the state that "wandering" and "artistry" lead to as they are combined: wandering in arts can also be called "leading an artistic life". This is the best condition of life seen in ZHANG Wei's "highland". The characters' perspectives of the world change as they repeatedly wander and practice arts. They free themselves from worldly cares and obtain internal transcendence.
Chapter five discusses "wandering" and "artistry" by placing ZHANG Wei's imagination in the context of Chinese and Western literature. The comparative analysis proves Zhang Wei's horizon a limited one, which causes his characters', and in turn, his "wandering" and "artistry" not transcendental. In this respect, Zhang Wei's pursuit of the spiritual "highland" is an ultimate failure despite his literary accomplishment.