The Research Of Chen Duxiu's Literary Thought In The View Of Modernity

Chen Duxiu devoted his whole life to advocating democracy and science. His advocation of literature revolution has significant social and historical effect. As the leader of May 4th Movement of 1919, he tied literature revolution and modernistic pursuance together. Through reasoning enlightenment modernity and aesthetic modernity, he headed the development of Chinese contemporary literature, and made great contribution to initiating Chinese contemporary literature.The thesis mainly research Chen Duxiu's literary thought in the view of modernism. By studying his thought's modernistic context, literature revolution and the search for enlightenment modernity, revolutionary independence and the thought of aesthetic modernity, Chen Duxiu and Chinese literary convention and limitation, etc, the thesis shows up the internal frame of Chen Duxiu's literary viewpoint. By studying the case of Chen Duxiu, it also shows up the function of enlightenment modernity and aesthetic modernity in the shift of Chinese contemporary literature, and it's affection on Chinese contemporary society.The basic problems of Chinese modern literature history includes the conflict between civilization and blindness, the conflict between reform and fogyism, the conflict between West and East, the conflict between enlightment and salvation, as well as the internal conflict between enlightenment modernity and aesthetic modernity. Only in the background of these conflicts could we fully understand the internal tensiong of Chen Duxiu's literary thought. Contrariwise, by understanding the internal conflict between enlightenment modernity and aesthetic modernity in Chen Duxiu's literary thought, we could explain the various conflicts of Chinese modern literature more reasonably and view it thoroughly.The thesis is made up of seven chapters. Besides introduction and conclusion, there are other five chapters which discuss the literary viewpoint of Chen Duxiu in detail.As the opening of the thesis, the introduction is composed of three parts:the explanation of selecting the subject and the actual research of it, the basic train of thought and main content, and the theoretical value and practical significance. By studying the current research of Chen Duxiu's literary thought, the thesis finds the cut-in aspect that is to put his literary thought in the view of modernism, to reveal the nature of his literature idea from the correlation ship between enlightenment modernity and aesthetic modernity.Chapter one is etymologic research of modernism. It expounds modernistic problems from three aspects:the meaning of modernism, the tension of modernism and the creation of modernism. This chapter analyses the definition and feature of modernism, and also sorts out the history and reality of modernism. The whole body of modernity could be decomposed into three levels---perceptual, rational and irrational. Whereas modernism itself has both conflicts and tensity. First is the tesion of enlightenment modernity and aesthetic modernity. Enlightenment modernity is the main motivity of social advancement, while it also has both positive and negative effect. Though aesthetic modernity, as the irrational level of modernity, could not replace the positive effect of enlightenment modernity, it could affect the negative aspect in the social modernization process. That is to say, aesthetic modernity as "other" enlightenment modernity, aims to overcome or perfect the negative effect of enlightenment modernity. Second, rational level could be divided into scientific sense and humanistic sense, i.e. implemental sense and axiological sense, between which exist conflict and tension. The axiological sense, without implemental sense, would results in Utopia; the implemental sense, without axiological sense, would results in human enslavedness. Lastly, the two goals of modernism---freedom and equality---are also conflict and interrelated between each other. Equality is the premise of freedom. Without the independence and equality of personality, freedom could not be actually and generally practiced. As well, equality could not be realized without freedom. Whereas, overly emphasize freedom would weaken equality; overly emphasize equality would disturb freedom. Modernism is related and created by Enlightenment. But because of the conflict and tension of modernism, there formed two mode of Enlightenment, British and French. British mode emphasizes on implemental sense, and advocates freedom, which is relatively conservative; French mode emphasizes axiological sense, and advocates equality, which is relatively radical.Chapter two is the modern context of Chen Duxiu's literary thought. It explores Chen Duxiu's modernistic thought from three aspects:his French complex, Chinese modernistic experiment and his modernistic search.This chapter introduces Chen Duxiu's personality and background for creating his literary thought. In his personality, there are the liberal claim and treachery as well as courage and persistence. His personality made history choose him to be the leader of Chinese Enlightenment. From the aspect of geography and histiory, both China French belong to continental culture, and the middle ages of China and France bothe have the strong view of feudality, hereditism and feodal hierarchy, so French Revolution had more use for reference to China in certain aspect, that is why Chen Duxiu pick French mode to be the blue print of Chinese Enlightenment. Chinese forerunners had performed many experiments to search modernism, from the level of perpetual reformation to the importation of rational technology, then to the innovation of systematic level, but all failed. Liang Qichao and other person's experinment in the field of thought was also failed in midway because the lack of thorough enlightenment modernity. Based on their experience of modernistic experiments, Chen Duxiu continued Liang Qichao's revolution way and chose to begin civil Enlightenment from the field of thought, which was to against feodal obscuration and despotism, and lunched resounding literary revolution. Chen Duxiu has two way of thinking literature. One is the theory of literary revolution, that is, the pursuing of enlightenment modernity, and the other is the theory of literary independence, that is, the thinking of aesthetic modernity. Both of them are the extend prolongation of Liang Qichao's Three-Boundary Revolution and Wang Guowei's self-independence on literature. On the first way of thought, Chen Duxiu, as a revolutionist and politician, show overwhelming concern of revolution and human emancipation, which made literary revolution an instrument for political revolution and human emancipation. His literary thought also advocated more about literature instrumentalism. On the other way of thought, as a ideologist and literator, he was affected by western aesthetics and modern scholarly vision, therefore he concerned more about the existence of literature itself, and opposed all kinds of literature instrumentalism as well as advocated literary independence. Whereas the two way of thought are not stand side by side in his literary thought, he devoted his whole life to literature revolution. Thus, form the subjective view, Chen Duxiu preferred enlightenment modernity, with the thought of literary independence and aesthetic modernity as the unconscious demonstration of a modern intellectual.Chapter three is Chen Duxiu's pursuance for enlightenment modernity. It study his enlightenment modernistic thought mainly form three aspects:literary revolution and traditional animadversion, Mr. Science and literary realism, Mr. Democracy and popular literature.First of all, Chen Duxiu is a revolutionist, whose literary revolution thought were always tied to reforming national character, which is the way Liang Qichao and other Chinese modern intellectuals walked along. In his works, especially Literary Revolution Theory, enlightenment and modernity are everywhere, while scientific and democratic thoughts are also penetrated in them. His thought of democracy and science show that he is eager to pursue modernity, which is the heart of his thought of enlightenment modernity, and is in accordance with it. Thus, his literary revolution associates with pursuing enlightenment modernity. In his literary thoughts, literature revolution is related with animadverting on feudal ignorance and despotism. His advocating of science made him use a realistic approach, and his democratic attention made him advocate popular literature with humanitarianism.Chapter four is the aesthetic modern thinking of Chen Duxiu's literary thought. It study his modernistic thought mainly form three aspects:literary revolution and paradigm shift, consciousness and multiculturalism, the use of literature and aesthetic transcendence.As a literator, a pursuer for modernity, Chen Duxiu never gave up thinking of aesthetic modernity, as other intellectual in May 4th Movement. He agreed with literary independence, while had no time or unwilling to think about the conflict between literature's social function and aesthetic independence. Chen Duxiu definitely opposed to the theory of literature for moral instruction. He also brought forward the theory of literary independence, which emphasized the importance of aesthetic modernity and the difference of literary article and practical article. He vigorously advanced Chinese literature to shift from traditional paradigm to modern paradigm. He respects writer's consciousness and emphasize on independent creation. Besides that, he also advocates multiculturalism. No matter classic works or modern works, no matter realistic or romantic, it is a good work if it has aesthetic value. Although his literature revolution theory has instrumental character, his modernistic literary thought made him think literature's value is "useless use", and literature has the function of aesthetic transcendence. Chen Duxiu subjectively devoted himself to pursuing enlightenment modernity, while objectively couldn't give up thinking of aesthetic modernity. This contradiction runs through his literary thought.Chapter five is Chen Duxiu and the shift of Chinese literary modernism. It maily made historical evaluation of Chen Duxiu's literary thought in the view of modernism. It introduces his affection on Chinese modern literature and his limitation from three aspects:modernistic pursue and shift, the tension of Chinese modern literature, the deficiency of Chen Duxiu and Chinese modernistic thought.Chen duxiu's Literary Revolution Theory is the proclamation of May 4th Movement. By his leading, the literature revolution made abundant accomplishment, with the thorough victory of Modern Vernacular Chinese Movement and the successful shift from classical paradigm to modern paradigm. May 4th Movement, which was against classical Chinese and for modern vernacular Chinese, bought out significant reformation of literary language form, while had great effect on promoting people's disillusion and libertion. Chen Duxiu's thought of litery revlotion is the all-around reform which is from thoery to prctice and from content to form, so it leaded the development of Chinese modern literature, created a new way of Chinese modern literaute, and made Chinese literature come into a new era. Just as his duality of literary thought, Chinese modern literature has conflicting tension---the double variation between enlightenment and aesthetics, which form the two literary faction---life faction and art faction.Because Chen Duxiu's modernistic thought comes from French mode, it focus more on the pursue of Value rationality, but lack theoretical discussion. Mr. Science and Mr. Democracy, which is presented by him, are just slogans, but not theory. Because the preference of humanitarianism and equality, Chen duxiu lacks scientific thought and free consciousness, so his view and dissertation appear to be radical and opinionated. In addition, because his role of revolutionist, he paid more attention to enlightenment than aesthetic thinking. And the literature independent, which was advocated by him, could only stay on the theoretical level with no way to be realized.The chpter of conclusion discusses historical judgement on Chen duxiu and our mission today. It mainly composes two parts:how should we judge Chen duxiu, and are we modernized now?How should we judge Chen duxiu? To evaluate a historical figure must in a correct and subjective way, not overstated him or totally repudiated him. Seventy years ago when he talked about Lu Xun, Chen Duxiu made a brilliant statement that history sometimes treated Lu Xun as God, while sometimes as Dog. In every age of Chinese histiory, "God making" and "Dog beating" were prevailed. Chen Duxiu's worry about Lu Xun was not happened in accident. Actually, Chen Duxiu himself is no exception.In China's history, he experienced from God to Dog and from Dog to God again and again. Recently, the research about Chen Duxiu has been in prosperity again. From one hand, it shows that in our time, which is liberal enough, the science and democracy believed by Chen Duxiu has gain great victory, and our modernization has made great improvement; but, from the other hand, this prosperity has the tendency of becoming God-Making Movement, which is far away from his tribute to independent thought and enlightenment modernistic spirit.Are we modernized now? Through analysis, the writer thinks scientific spirit and democratic consciousness have not be realized yet; people has not formed modern way of thinking at last; Chinese enlightenment has not really achieved. In this sense, literature revolution has to be continued. Modernism still has a long way to go. Chinese modern intellectuals have to shoulder heavy responsibilities. Meanwhile, because the two aims and principles of modernity are freedom and equality, which have contrary tension between each other, while we carry on enlightenment, we should reconsider French forerunners'humanity theory, and have tolerant spirit which could be the bridge to balance the conflict between freedom and equality. We have to take the two banners of science and democracy, and continue the enlightenment movement, eliminate the harmful influence of Feudal ignorance and despotism, advocate humanity and tolerant spirit, pursue personal freedom and equality, pursue scientific rationality and political democracy, encourage consciousness and multiculturalism, by the leading of Mr. Science and Mr. Democracy, thus Chinese economy could be developed more efficiently and rapidly, political democracy could be built up, diversified literary forms could really be coexist in culture.