Leiden University Libraries Digital Collections

The first issue of Jin tian 《今天》 appeared in December 1978, with a different cover (including a different English title) than the widely known blue design of later issues. It was reprinted in October 1979. The original first issue is now rare to the point of being legendary.
The original first issue comes in two editions, with minor formatting differences. In addition to the 1979 reprint, our digital holdings include both original editions, courtesy of Xu Xiao 徐晓 (a scan of her copy was generously shared with us by E Fuming 鄂复明) and Liu Fuchun 刘福春, respectively.
Our print holdings include the journal’s full range. That is: nine regular issues (with the first issue in the 1979 reprint edition) and three subsequent sets of “literary materials” and “materials for internal exchange,” mostly in the original but with some items in photocopy. For optimal visual quality of the source material, we have used the exquisite 1997 facsimile of these twelve items produced by the Japanese Association for Chinese Literature and Art Studies (JACLAS, 中国文芸研究会).
Today was based in Beijing. Its first issue was published in December 1978, after the government's announcement of the Reform policies. The journal's rhetoric still partly drew on official discourse, albeit as a voice of resistance. With Bei Dao, Mang Ke, and the painter Huang Rui as its founding editors and a highly productive if short lifespan at a pivotal moment in Chinese history, Today counts as the fountainhead of the tradition of unofficial poetry publications in the PRC.
It marked a sea change in literary history, as underground writing from the Cultural Revolution came above ground and literary production ceased to be fully state-controlled. The Today poets and their Obscure or Misty poetry (menglongshi) rose to fame around 1980 and have featured prominently in Chinese- and foreign-language research ever since.
Issues # 1 and # 2 of Today were made with a mimeograph technique used for early unofficial publications that involved hand-carving characters in wax. Bound, facsimile reproductions of Today republished in 1997 by Chūgoku Bungei Kenkyūkai (Association for the Study of Chinese Literature and Art), Kokusai Gengo Bunka Kenkyūjo, Ritsumeikan Daigaku, Japan. Issue # 1 in this edition is the October 1979 reprint.
Issues for 1978-1980, 1990- have English title: Today; <1978-1980> have also Pinyin title: Jindian.
Imprint varies: Beijing, 1978-1980; Stockholm, 1990-
Editor: <1990-> Beidao.