A Study Of Lost Horizon From The Perspective Of Orientalism

Although East and West have met and in many respects become interfuse, we have to recognize the existence of cultural barriers. How do westerners think of China? To answer the question, we should exam the ways for westerners to know China and its society. The first way is that they may know China from the description of that country and its culture in English literature, for example The Travels of Macro Polo; the second way is that they may have a good understanding of China from the media's report on that country and its society. Besides, they may also understand Chinese culture and society by traveling through China. The former two are, obviously, indirect ways of acknowledging China, and due to their indirectness, the misinterpretation and misunderstanding on culture are unavoidable. The later one is only applicable to a small portion of population. What's more, their previous perception from the literary work or media would inevitably affect their re-recognize process. Therefore, conducting research on China image in English literature is of vital importance in helping establish an objective and impartial China image. Meanwhile, it would contribute in cross culture communication, help us to further understand Orientalism and promote mutual understanding between East and West.In existing Western literary works, rarely can we find an impartial one on China image. They are, either describing China as a"Hell on Earth"or"Utopia". The two images have prevailed each other in turn, and can never replace or been replaced by each other. Co-existed in people minds, they would be revealed by the surroundings. Meanwhile, they frequently appeared in all kinds of literary works, replenished and highlighted by simultaneous feelings in different periods.The object of the research is a best-seller of last century—Lost Horizon by James Hilton. The word"Shangri-La"is invented by this novel and remains influential till today. Based on the theory of Orientalism, this essay would conduct a close reading of the novel. Through critical analysis of each character in the novel, the essay aims at exploring the underlying reasons for author's utopianized description of China thus promoting cross-cultural communication and mutual understanding of heterogeneous culture.Apart from its introduction and conclusion, the essay consists of four chapters.The introduction part introduces the motivation of studying on Lost Horizon and then makes an overview of the research background, research approaches and significance.Chapter One makes an introduction on James Hilton and his work and summarizes the existing study on his novel Lost Horizon on domestic and international level.The images of China in western literary works and theoretical basis of the article are discussed in the second chapter. The existing two extremes of"heaven-like"and"hell-like"China image and their Orientalism origins are explored. With more emphasis on the"heaven-like"China image, this part provides a basis for utopia study of the book.The third part concerns with the applications of Orientalism in reading and analyzing the book. Through examining the scenes settings, the description of surroundings and analyzing the characteristics and behaviors of the figures, the essay concludes that James Hilton has an Oriental complex or China complex to be specific. Even though the image of Shangri-La varies in the eyes of four Europeans, the various perceptions lead to a census respect of Chinese culture. The chapter analyzes the significance of the differences and reasons for the formation. The peaceful and harmonious"Shangri-La"descried in the novel is a projection on James Hilton's Chinese philosophy. Meanwhile, it reflects his depression on war-era western civilization and longing for oriental culture.The fourth charter analyzes the culture connotation of China image in the novel. Hilton's criticism of western civilization and yearning of oriental culture are further expressions of his Oriental complex. At the same time, those statements of"Others"are, in real sense, a self-criticism and self-redemption.The conclusion points out that both positive and negative image of China convey certain cross-culture meanings. In the process of heterogeneous culture communication, both interpretations of China image contain deep meanings which should be noticed by researchers and scholars. The utopianized China in Lost Horizon does not stand for the real China; instead, it reflects the writer's self-criticism and self-redemption as a westerner.