| Cao Wenxuan's novels depict the lived reality of Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, in which distinctive local elements serve as vibrant highlights and establish his works as representative of Yancheng's wetland literature. Taking Cao Wenxuan's novels as the research object and Yancheng's unique water village writing as the point of departure, this paper analyzes the forms of water village representation, interprets their social implications, and explores the aesthetic values conveyed through four dimensions: the representation of a back-to-nature environment, the display of distinctive customs, the subtle and profound depiction of human nature, and the water-rooted linguistic expression. This study thus offers a meaningful window into the works of Yancheng writers. |