The Modern Northeastern Literature And Shamanism

This dissertation aims to study the relations between the Modern Northeastern Literature and Shamanism, and to focus on how Shamanism has exerted a tremendous influence on the Modern Northeastern Literature.The Introduction mainly deals with the significance and the current researches on this subject, and then, discusses the angle of view adopted in this dissertation. According to the special object of the study, some core notions are defined strictly. For example, "the Modern Northeastern Literature" in the dissertation does not cover all the works by the modem northeastern writers; instead, it only includes the native modern northeastern writers' classic works affected by Shamanism. As a primitive religion, Shamanism's influence permeates the northeastern folk culture. Without a concrete doctrine, Shamanism is different from the man-made religions; its folk culture tradition is combined with blind worship.Chapter One explores folk customs in the northeast religion and culture. Shamanism was born of the Northeastern Asia, and was propagated to many countries all over the world. In a sense, Shamans are the earliest poet and writer. Shamanism is one important source of the Northeastern Literature; its influence is still obvious in the Modern Northeastern Literature.Chapter Two discusses the dynamic course in which Shamanism has exerted a tremendous influence on the Modern Northeastern Literature.Firstly, in order to respond to the call of the New Literature, the Northeastern writers consider Shamanism as a powerful ideological weapon. They criticize the deep-rooted bad habits of our nation, and reveal that Shamanism does great harm to the people. Secondly, according to the changing historical background, many writers start to examine our native cultural tradition. They not only criticize the deep-rooted bad habits of our nation affected by Shamanism, but also approve that Shamanism brings out all sorts of valuable functions. Thirdly, led by Ma Yuan and Hong Feng, pioneer writers have critically assimilated ancient cultural heritage, and created the avant-garde novels with distinctive national features. The Modern Northeastern Literature has a historical opportunity to create outstanding achievements, therefore it moves from being marginal to being in the spotlight.Chapter Three analyses how Shamanism has exerted a tremendous influence on the psychology, creative sense and mode of thinking of the modern northeastern writers.Firstly, primitive religions usually advocate animalism; that is to say, anything in the world are gods themselves. Shamanism also thinks that there are millions of gods in our life. But it is different from pantheism, because the former is an ancient cultural ideal, but the latter is bourgeois philology with obvious humanism. The modern northeastern writers consciously or unconsciously accept this ideal, so their works are mystic and poetic. Natural images come into their horizon, and are full of super spirit. Secondly, the long-standing Apollo Spirit and Fire Spirit have led to an extension of exciting mood, and well-established Apollo Spirit and Fire Spirit have given the writers more and more different features from other writers, especially those affected by Confucianism. Chinese traditional intellectuals tend to be calm and reasonable when facing every background. On the contrary, the Modern Northeastern Writers are difficult to control their mood. And foreign intrusion stimulates their patriotic emotion. For instance, Xiao Hong, Xiao Jun and Duanmu Hong-liang write many novels with exciting patriotic passions, and this causes strong repercussions in all literary world in China, Thirdly, Shamanism endows the Modern Northeastern Writers with keen thinking habits. Animalism leads to special aesthetic views, therefore, their works have special aesthetic features.Chapter Four discusses the theme in the Modern Northeastern Literature affected by Shamanism.Firstly, the Modern Northeastern Literature displays strong revenge spirit. Shamanism stimulates a violent desire for revenge. When attacked, they want to revenge for the harm done to their family. "Revenge" embodies the northeastern people special primitive cultural spirit. In the Anti-Japanese War, this native revenge spirit aroused the patriotic enthusiasm of the masses.Secondly, ancestor worship is an important element of Shamanism. There are many similarities and differences between Confucianism and Shamanism as far as ancestor worship is concerned. The former is gentle and ethical; the latter is primitive and wild. Therefore, the Modern Northeastern Literature tends to display the consciousness of wildness. Lu Ling is different from Duanmu Hong-liang because of their different style of ancestor worship; accordingly, their works are not of the same cultural spirit.Thirdly, the Modern Northeastern Literature is full of wild, vigorous and rough images. Shamanism advocates a free and wild consciousness; the Modern Northeastern Literature also embodies the same wild and living doctrine.Lastly, Shamanism advocates environmental protection. Shamanism takes nature as the home or human and gods; it appeals for environmental protection in the name of gods. Zheng Wan-long and Chi Zi-jian, who come from Daxinganling, are fond of natural images; they consider nature gives their writing inspiration. Furthermore, Zheng Wan-long consciously integrates Shamanism with modern environmental consciousness.Chapter Five studies the typical figures of the Modern Northeastern Literature. These figures are stamped with the band of region culture affected by Shamanism, not Confucianism.Bandit is an important part in the Modem Northeastern Literature. Though bandit is a general phenomenon in old China, the Northeastern bandit has his features different from in other areas. Shamanism gives people some wild life consciousness; meanwhile, Confucianism restrains free emotion. In the Northeast, people tend to make an unbinding living. In the Anti-Japanese War, a bandit in the Northeast has a historic chance to become a chivalrous man. Bandit shows heroic native spirit. Adventurer and vagrant are typical figures in the Modern Northeastern Literature.Shamanism advocates wandering and freedom living form, then, there are vigorous and rough images and characters in the Modern Northeastern Literature. Because the Northeast is the largest immigration district, both the immigrants and the aboriginals tend to lead a wandering living, even if sometimes this is not on a voluntary basis.Natural environment and social condition both create mysterious and curious persons. Shamanism leads to free and primitive folk customs; therefore, there are many figures in the Modern Northeastern Literature.Chapter Six discusses the influence that Shamanism exerts on the narrative styles and skills applied by the Northeastern writers.Some exiled writers, with Xiao Hong and Duanmu Hong-liang as their representatives, display a tendency of poetic free styles in their works, which is actually a result of influence from Shamanism.What's more, Shamanism has enlightened the avant-garde stories and novels both in their narrative subjects and narrative styles. So it is safe to say that the avant-garde novels and stories by Ma Yuan and Hong Feng is an end result of the influence from both the Latin magic realism and Shamanism. Shaman role is similar to narrator in the avant-garde novels; Shaman has special magic to spare time to attend to god's things. Shaman gives some maze to us, narrator in the avant-garde novels make many out-standing questions, then, reader voluntarily involves in the novels.The Epilogue summarizes the influence that Shamanism exerts on the Northeastern Literature and explores the role of Shamanism as the most basic cultural and spiritual resource among all cultural factors that have affected the Northeast. Shamanism is the most authoritative factor that has shaped the outlook of the modern literature and culture of the Northeast.