Shushi In The Context Of Modern Literature And Zen

Born in the year just before Meiji Revolution, Natumesouseki witnessed Japanese modernization as well as oriental and western culture conflicts and fusion of the age. Very interested in Chinese, the major subject of his elementary education, he studied some classical Chinese works such as Lunyu, Zuozhuan and Shiji, and developed a general idea about literature. At that time, Meiji government promoted"civilization", imitating the west in politics, culture and daily life, and some educators, represented by Fukuzawayukiti, advocated the western education. Under the influence, Natumesouseki went to Tokyo Empire University, majoring in English and British Literature. During his overseas study in London, he found a clear distinction between Chinese and British literature and tried to study the essence and laws of literature by reading many theories of western sociology, literature and psychology. Soon after his return, he began his literature creation. Different from the trend of worshipping the west, he frequently used Buddhist language and stories as well as his own meditation practice in his creation, characterizing his works with Buddhism, the traditional oriental discourse, in the context of Japanese modernization. According to his focus on sociology, literature and psychology, his creative theme can be summed up as civilization criticism, literary and artistic view, and psychology quest. For civilization criticism, Natumesouseki wrote some texts such as I Am a Cat, Beauty Yu and so on, where he used Buddhist language in many places to question the prevailing theory of social evolution in Japan. He pointed out the social disadvantages of the so-called"civilization"of following the west and foretold that Japanese civilization would ultimately lead to"short life"of Japan modernization.Based on literary and artistic theories, his texts can be divided into theory texts, novel texts and Chinese poetry. In his theory texts such as On Literature and Philosophic Basis of Literature and Arts, Natumesouseki quoted Buddhist words to explain literature. With many Buddhist thoughts reflected in his novel texts such as Kusamakura, he intended to fight against the influence of social evolution on Japanese literature. He pointed out just as Buddhist said, literature is diversified and all forms of literature deserve equal status like"red flowers and green willows". He insisted that Japan should have its own literature, but not simply copy western works. He put most of his Buddhist thoughts in Chinese poetry, which raised the level of his poetry and reflected his ideal to the Buddhist world with absolute freedom.To explore one's consciousness, Natumesouseki wrote some novels such as Dream Ten Nights, Door, Passers, Heart, and Light and Dark. Meiji Civilization not only revolutionized Japanese culture in every aspect, but also greatly changed people's consciousness. The clash between traditional morality and modern self-consciousness and the shift of ideology between east and west, new and old, evoked people's psychological conflicts and their pondering on destiny. In the light of western psychology, Natumesouseki explored people's consciousness and destiny in the Meiji period, using Buddhism, the traditional eastern culture, as an attempt to solve the problems in his works.Putting Natumesouseki's literature and Buddhist thoughts in the discussion of Japanese modernization highlights the significance of traditional culture for modernization...