"Literary Style","Nation State" And "Citizen":the Study On Vernacular Writing In Modern China

Vernacular writing, as an important part of modern Chinese social and cultural transformation, is just like a side-inclusive and colorful prism which refracts the changing course of national abroad concept and national spirit. Under the background of western learning introduced into China, Vernacular movement lasting from the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China came into being a new form of writing, during the process of undertaking traditional vernacular heritage and absorbing exotic vocabulary and European grammar substantially.A number of cultural, educational elite together with national government devoted themselves to the popularization and promotion of modern vernacular, which eventually took the position of classical Chinese and became the mainstream of Han Chinese written language. Accompanied by the founding of modern nation-state, the shaping of new citizen and the growing up of Chinese modern factors, this process was really meaningful and influential.Vernacular is closely related to voilent political changes in the late Qing Dynasty. The writing forms, such as the vernacular newspapers, leaflets, posters, vernacular rap literature, vernacular novel, spring up like mushrooms in the successive waves during which revolution and reform mixed closely. It is a tool of advocating Sheng Yu and consolidating the rule in the movement of the Hundred Days Reform, Late Qing Dynasty, constitutional reform, local self-government movement led by official government. Folk persons with breadth of vision hopes to enlighten the people and reform society by the vernacular text. Active members of revolutionary party outsied the system use it to advocate revolution, mobilize the masses and strive for the support of public opinion. Each is in his proper place and tries to get what he wants.Vernacular writing content in the Republic of China reflcets the changes of state system and national spirits more clearly. Northern Government proclamation declares the state concept of popular sovereignty, the form of government of parliamentary democracy and progressional belief of defending democracy; the vernacular textbooks tend to reinforce the approval of the Republic of China, advocate scientific knowldege and expect new citizen in; the pupil’s composition shows political feelings of serving the country by learning, civilian spirits of showing mercy for hardworking people and critique and reflection of the secular society; vernacular letters reveal awareness of democratic politics, ethic spirits of equality of men and women and autonomous and ascensive attitude towards life. Turbulent political situation and cruel war can not stop the pace of China and Chinese for the modernity.Nationalism is one of the most important trends in modern times. Nation-state is an inevitable period of transmation from traditional dynastic system to modern state. The form of Chinese national state appears with the form of National Party afer going through the destruction of Qing Dynasty and the failure of parliamentary democracy at the beginning of the Republic of China. Except twice short cooperation, the fight both with open and secret means never ceased between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party from1920s. Each of the party considers himself as the only legal actor of national revolution and starts political propaganda machine to mobilize the people. Under the control of political ideology, public opinion is filled with political discourse which stresses obedience and self-sacrifice while consrtains personal rights,freedom and dignity. This not only regressed into the stage of expression logic by classical discourse, but also twisted five four thinker’s expect for lightening citizen. Political parties promoted the integration of Chinese society, perfected the system of mobilization, make the Chinese nation out of the mire of humiliation to humiliation, but deviated the national spirits from the healthy track.Throughout the modern history of China, vernacular writing and the growth of Chinese modernity are like outside and inside, including the following three factors: the rise of scientific ideologies, the construction of a modern nation-state and the realization of individual rights. Compared with classical Chinese full of general faintness and poetic imagery, vernacular can describe and express clearly and logically, which is considered to be an evolved, scientific language and endowed with correct meaning. Establishment of a unified, modern nation-state needs consolidated mandarin Chinese to strengthen recognition, build consensus, which make the Mandarin Vernacular Movement and National Language Movement flow together and achivev a win-win. Vernacular is advantageous for the general public to master the skills of reading and writing, to fulfill the rights to education and expression. In this sense, it is the choice of time for the vernacular to replace classical Chinese which complied with the trend of modern transformation of Chinese society.In short, as a new literary form, vernacular writing has the modern temperament of incisively and vividly. Vernacular is a window giving insight into modern Chinese society and culture and reflects the change of in modern state system and national spirit to some extent.From the country to the Republic of China to the party-state, from Confucianism to political discourse, from hierarchy to mass equality, from the moral experience to scientific rationality, this is a slow process of the opening up of modem ideas.