The Modernity Imagination Of Chinese Prose Theory

The Distinction of China and the West which this thesis takes as a standing point is not only the modernity horizon of Chinese culture, but also the basic spirit of modernity conception of the prose theory. The modernity of the Chinese prose theory is, in some sense, the necessary extension of Chinese culture modernity, because the promoters like Hu Shi, Zhou Zuoren, Lin Yutang and Liang Shiqiu are also the promoters of the May 4th Cultural Movement of 1919. Their thoughts about prose theory have a close cooperation with the broader cultural theories. From the viewpoint of cultural modernity, this thesis touches upon the domain of literature modernity which later leads to the conception of the modernity of prose theory. The author hopes not only to show the particular character of the prose theory and its spiritual depth submerged in the history, but also to uncover the value of modernity it contains.The concrete analysis of this thesis tells that the generation of the modernity theory of prose not only originates from the distinction of literary genres which clarify the basic character of the modernity of prose and the establishment of the theory paradigms of modem essay styles, but also from tracing back to the influences abroad and resources of our own, which make the literary thinking way in the horizon of the distinction of China and the West deeply marked in the modernity conception of Chinese prose theory.The selection of cultural horizons is special to the modernity of Chinese literature. As to essay, "the revolution of prose" put forward by Liang Qichao has directed its operational way which merges the aim of literature and culture. Through the cognition of the western cultural models, intellectuals in the modem history have realized the importance of the cultural enlightenment and choose essay to disseminate modern conceptions. This decision is important to the transformation of Chinese cultural conceptions and values, but it is even critical to the sprout of the modernity of prose theory. The Revolution of Prose that takes grand narrative as its basic characteristics represents the establishment of the identity of modern intellectuals. The prose theory then focuses more on the reconstruction of the national cultural values than literary forms. These are the main points of the first chapter.The second chapter points out that anti-tradition is always the initial step of modernity, but the only radical anti-tradition which soon leads to the new cultural crisis has no way to deepen the literary modernity. Due to its self-examination and criticism as modernity conception, essay becomes the vanguard of anti-tradition of literature. The self-examination, however, turns to the reflection on the radical anti-tradition itself and the criticism perspective to literature from culture. Then "humanity literature" which identifies the pursuing of humanity as the element of literary modernity has been put forward. Free subject has become the core literary modernity and the spirit of literature has realized its modem transformation. Finally, these changes promote the self-consciousness of literary form in prose theory. This chapter also expounds the combination ofthe modernity conception of prose theory and the establishment of self identity of modern intellectuals.The establishment of the modernity paradigm of prose theory, as well as the revolutionary elements it contains, not only cast criticisms on the utilitarianism and instrumentalization of traditional paradigm, but also direct to the negative criticism of reality and inspiration of literary creativity. The new paradigm of the prose theory takes humanity expressed in essay and literariness as its main structure, the vernacular writing its language carrier, and the manifest of self moral character its basic theoretical conception. It aspires to get rid of the control of ideology through life concern rather than moral didactics. The "leisure and comfort" pursuing for the essay aesthetics in independent and free spirit of literature held by subjectivity t...