Yao Xue Yin’s Historical Novel-the Artistic World Of "Li Zicheng"

Historical novel "Li Zicheng" is not only the representative of the famous writer Yao Xue yin’s works, but also a pioneer of the Chinese contemporary historical novels."Li Zicheng" not only embodies Yao Xue yin’s artistic skills and craftsmanship, but also reflects his view of history, literature, politics and philosophy. With more than300million words the copious and fluent "Li Zi cheng" is simply the artistic world of Yao Xue yin, of which the prominent artistic achievements include:the art of narrative, tragedy, using language, and structure characterization. This paper, by analysing some main characters such as:Li Zi cheng, Gao Gui ying, Zhang Xian zhong, Chong Zhen, is to indicate success and failures of the writer.For the character Li Zi cheng, this paper through the analysis points out that it is both a success and failure because the writer has not only the same but also the opposite political view and the view of literature creation with literature critics and readers in studying and appreciating the novel. Finally, it comes the conclusion that the reason for this literary phenomenon is that the long time of the novel creation-42years, during which Chinese society has made fundamental changes. Moreover, the changes of the times in this novel bring into a deep effect on the main character and it becomes hard to make a link between the image of Li Zi cheng in the first two volumes and itself in the last two volumes.For the character Chong Zhen, by analyzing his complicated and selfstultified characteristics, fully affirm the writer succeeded in portraying the complicated and vivid image of an emperor. We can see the chronicle of Chinese emperors in Chong Zhen, and can also see the characteristics of his own.For the character Zhang Xian zhong, through the analysis of him as a typical character in a typical environment, the writer succeeded in portraying a complicated character, the leader of a peasants’rebellion in ancient time. In Zhang Xian zhong we can see all the strengths and weaknesses of an ancient Chinese peasants’ rebellion leader, revolutionary and backward.Through the analysis of character Gao Gui ying, we can see that she is not only the ideal woman in the eyes of the writer, but also a perfect heroine. She seems to be flawless, beauty is beauty, but after reading readers have a feeling of "high lady is too high" about her.The art of description in this novel lies behind the pursuance of Chinese epic and "encyclopedia" of the writer through the whole creation process, therefore this paper concentrates on analyzing to prove this novel known as an epic or an "encyclopedia" of the Chinese feudal society in the period of late Ming and early Qing Dynasty.In addition, this paper through analyzing the narrative art in the opening part of the novel with the background of southern Tongguan on the eve of a great war, the psychology of Hong Cheng chou imprisoned and surrenderd to the Qing army after the defeat in Song Shan that highlighted some other achievements in the narrative art of the writer.For the art of tragedy,"Li Zi cheng" can be considered a tragic masterpiece from every aspect. Tragedy in "Li Zi cheng" is expressed in various ways, but all derived from class contradictions, ethnic contradictions and conflicts.The art of tragedy in Li Zi cheng based on analyzing case studies. To illustrate the tragic spirit of masculine beauty, Chongzhen tragedy is analyzed as a case study of a tragic character, Lu Xiang sheng’s tragedy is analyzed to illustrate a loyal’s tragedy, Hui Mei’s tragedy is analyzed to illustrate women’s tragedy in feudal era.The art of novel structuring, which is the most prominent characteristic of this novel, is a combination of boldness, greatness and completion. This paper, through the analysis of the external structure as "unit" and as the inner structure of the "main line", will clarify the pros and cons for it.In the aspect of using language, one strong point of this novel is the creation of a world of language which is fresh and smooth, refined carving, with vivid image and rich of musical rhythm. The analysis based on Zhang Xian zhong and Liu Zong min’s speech as a case, in order to illustrate the positive role character with personalized language. Besides, this paper also analyses a poetic couplet for Li Zi cheng written by Niu Jin xing as well as poems and distichs posted on the wall of Cheng Hai in Shan Hai Guan to demonstrate the rationality and positive effect of the use of this special language by the writer.In short, Yao Xue yin after42years working for the novel has created a colorful world of arts. Even some shortcomings can be found, from an overall point of view "Li Zi cheng" is among the Chinese contemporary historical novels and Chinese contemporary literature which have achieved a variety of creative experience. As a matter of fact, Yao Xue yin is considered as the "unprecedented power to open up a new field of literature"!...